STYLING YOUR HOME IN THE AGE OF INSTAGRAM

Technology is affecting almost every aspect of life, and your interiors are no exception. Our aesthetic is becoming increasingly design-oriented, and the days where a clean floor, a nice bunch of flowers and a feature wall cut it in terms of your open house are long gone. With Instagram and TV lifestyle programs showcasing designer furniture, homewares and renovations, we are exposed to so much interior beautification that we need to apply at least some of this to our own property if we are to make it seem attractive and get our best price. The good news is you do not need to hire a stylist and have a fortune. With all the resources at your fingertips, and even budget brands producing designer-looking products, you can create your own Changing Room.

Ideally the best way to go is to have quite a blank or at least neutral canvas. You just can’t go past white walls. Rooms look larger, lighter and airier when they’re white. And this universal tone is universally liked. Then rather than going out and buying things, unless you have a mind like an interior designer and can see the way everything will integrate, start up a Pinterest page and experiment with different products. Accessories can change the vibe in your home, especially when set off by a white background. Trending at the moment are green botanicals, in greenhouse prints, indoor plants and exotically boxed candles and soaps. But always remember to go with your own tastes. You have to live there, and no matter how fashionable green botanicals may be, if you don’t like the colour green, you won’t feel at home in your trendily styled house.

So you have your mood board ready and brimming with great design ideas, now you need to source the products. Firstly, always let your fingers do the walking and shop on-line. Don’t be restricted by budget either and don’t turn your nose up at Kmart, Target and Ikea. If you look through their on-line catalogues, they actually have a lot of great homewares. For those with healthier and perhaps heftier budgets, check out Matt Blatt, Shack, Country Road, Orson and Blake, Totem,  Coco Republic, Papaya, Chee Soon & Fitzgerald, West Elm, Great Dane and Macleay on Manning. For Vintage items try David Met Nicole, Dust, Elements I Love and Mitchell Road Emporium. On second thoughts, you really need to go into the Vintage shops to get the vibe of the homewares as the on-line presence is generally a bit austere.

Whichever way you choose to shop and style your home, make sure you take on this task with an open mind but keep to your own general style and make sure you have lots of fun whilst doing it!