One of my favorite parts of this work is what I call warming up a room: making a space so inviting that people settle in and forget to leave. When MKE Lifestyle asked what I was loving at the moment, this was the subject I chose, and the advice still holds.
Layer your textures. A room of smooth, flat surfaces feels cold no matter the color. Embossed wallpaper, a bit of mohair, a velvet pillow: each one gives the eye and the hand a place to rest.
Add time-worn objects. Something with age suggests that a home was made over years rather than delivered in a day. These pieces sometimes remind us of a person or a place; sometimes they simply add soul.
Live with real art. Vintage and original pieces, whether a single painting or a collection, bring a character no print can match.
Choose handmade things. A one-of-a-kind ceramic or a hand-loomed throw softens a room in a way mass-produced pieces rarely do.
When in doubt, add books. A stack on a table or shelf is the simplest personal touch I know, and it never fails.
You'll find the original feature in the October 2020 issue of MKE Lifestyle.