Test-driving a style formula + More
The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 10 of 13, A25 * Subscribe free *
Design books come and go, but every so often there's a keeper that's worth hanging onto. "Styled" by Emily Henderson is one of those books. It may have come out a decade ago, but it's full of timeless ways to make your home fully your own:
The author's breezy, no-nonsense attitude makes it just as fun as it is practical. Instead of peering into intimidating rooms that feel impossibly out of reach, we're taken on a tour of approachable spaces that have that je-ne-sais-quoi that makes us keen to imitate.
Henderson sprinkles the photos with letters corresponding to tips running alongside the images – ready-to-steal insights about why the space works. The whole package is catnip to restless collectors and micro-decorators like me and probably you.
My favourite page is called "my rule of 3s" in which Henderson offers a sure-fire way of creating memorable arrangements. Here's an excerpt:
– Something vertical
– Something horizontal
– Something sculptural to tie the two together
A style formula this simple intrigues me, so I've been test-driving it using some favourite things around my apartment. I'll show you a few experiments and let you be the judge of whether they're working or not.
On an acrylic wall ledge, I combined a block of wood from Kroft (horizontal) with a miniature Panton chair from Vitra (sculptural) and a flea market photo clip (vertical). The latter is holding a business card from Culture Snap, a celebrated local photographer:
On a wall shelf by the Bouroullec brothers, I mixed together a decorative box from Zig Zag, a metal letter from Bronze, and a rusty old hook from Mrs. Huizenga:
On my living room radiator, I brought together a West Elm turtle figurine, a CB2 bookend, and an assortment of journals and reading material:
On the coffee table, I arranged some comic fiction from Indigo with a stack of candle holders from Ikea and a classic Tangle sculpture:
Over on a dining room stool, I linked a stack of Kinfolk magazines with an eBay find from Paris and a Swedish vase from Bond Vintage in Montreal:
Finally, on the dining table I connected some faux lemons with an orange thrift store vase and some books holding a vintage box from Zig Zag:
With these experiments under my belt, I have a few observations:
- I'm hooked. This is an addictive way to be creative at home. I urge you to try it out.
- Don't worry if there are more than three objects, as long as the horizontal-vertical-sculptural trio is covered.
- It feels like writing, with objects as words – but the meaning is open to interpretation.
Now that you've seen it in action, give this style formula a test-drive yourself! Do let me know about your discoveries – just hit reply and shoot me an email.
From the archives
Next month, chances are your home will be a place of arrivals, not just house guests but assorted gifts. Where to put the new treasures? There's a technique called merging that you should know about:
Guy Koolhof
See you next Wednesday!
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