I have found that my main design pet peeve is when someone purchases an entire set of furniture to decorate a room. Not only does it make your home to look like a showroom, but your guests walk in and don’t see any of your personal style.

Example of a room when an entire set is purchased and used together. Set can be found at Rooms to Go.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand why it is a common pitfall. It makes design easy, quick and often times affordable. That being said, you will create a far more appealing space if you use just one of the pieces (maximum 2) from the set and combine them with furniture from other sets, stores, yard sales, thrift shops, etc. 

There are a two guidelines I like to go by when combining furniture:

1. Don't use the same type of material in the same shade or color for all pieces.

2. Do find subtle ways to tie the materials/colors found in the furniture together.

For example, the hardware used on the set above is made of wrought iron, so it would be nice to combine the nightstands with a wrought iron bed, similar to the one below from Overstock.com. (P.S. that bed is only $300!)

Wrought iron bed that would blend well with the nightstands from the original set. Found on Overstock.com.

Next, remember that accessories will help to add different textures, bring things together, and break things up. Notice the wicker basket, glass lamps, and painted nightstand shown above. This will make the room look well compiled, but not monotonous. Which brings me to my next and final point: don't be afraid to add a pop of color through painted furniture. 

I love this coral chair! It adds contrast, while still tying the space together by adding similar shades in the accessories throughout the room. 

Moral of the story is: don't go the "easy" route. Design is meant to be fun and take time. The best masterpieces were not built overnight. Your home is an expression of you, so make it say something great! 

Xx Allie 

A good friend recently asked for assistance in decorating her new dining room. Her (soon-to-be) husband and she purchased a beautiful home in Columbia, SC just a few months ago, which looks as if it fell out of the South of France *sigh*. Her dilemma was that the home has a modern interior, but they have two gorgeous heirlooms they wanted to include in the space that are very traditional. The traditional pieces are a beautiful glass and mahogany display cabinet and a equally divine side board. Can't be done? I don't think so! 

First, I took to the web to find inspiration and came across this design by Alex Papachristidis. 

Design by Alex Papachristdis, Photo credit Thomas Loof

I loved how the space focused on the traditional furniture, but was given a modern feel through the velvet chairs and structured rug.  Because the pair already incorporate shades of navy throughout their home, I thought it would be a great touch to include a different shade of blue in the chairs, while tying in the navy through the piping.

My style board.

My next step will be to take to the streets of Manhattan and scour the best consignment shops. Since we were going to be recovering the chairs in the blue velvet and painting any wood white we wouldn't want to be spending a fortune on them. 

*Tip: Since it will be difficult to find a complete set at a consignment shop, don't be afraid to mix and match the chairs. Remember they will be recovered and painted, so as long as their styles blend it will look great! 

Stay tuned to see what I find and the final product! 

Xx Allie

When traveling I love bringing mementos home with me. Not only is it a great way to remember your trip, but it adds a touch of your unique life to your interior design. I mean who else has a carved skull of a Yak from Tibet hanging in their office? The only problem is that it can also add a struggle, as unusual items tend to be difficult to incorporate alongside your every day pieces. 

The yak skull from Tibet displayed in my husband's office.

With my husband's business being based in China he had the opportunity for some extreme travel before he moved back to the states. On these trips he brought back some very unique accessories. When we first moved in together I found it difficult to find spots for his crazy finds in our home. I thought they would all be banished to his office/man cave. However, after playing around with our furniture, art and his travel purchases I realized that they add a fun and exciting addition! 

Foo Dog from China acting as a bookend for the cookbooks in our kitchen.

The first tip I will offer is to take a unique piece and use it for another purpose. While this foo dog was meant to be used for decorative display, here it houses the cookbooks in my kitchen. Adding another dimension to this otherwise simple space. 

Next, ensure your travel purchase is combined with more commonly seen decor items to help them blend into your home. If you place everything you have collected over the years in the same spot it will begin to look like an eclectic yard sale rather than a meticulously designed space. Here I added a wine carafe from our honeymoon in Turkey to our bar. Bonus: it also adds a pop of color! 

Turkish wine carafe displayed on our bar.

Finally, have fun with it! I am constantly moving items around and playing with new ideas. When it comes to unique pieces, think outside the box. 

Happy designing!

xx Allie