Expert tips on styling your home

While some people have a natural talent for design, others find themselves completely lost and relying on inspiration from someone else to help them envisage how to transform their home.

With that in mind, we spoke exclusively with Chris Carroll, interior stylist and blogger at The Life Creative, for his top design tips for property sellers, buyers and renters, and of course all-important budgeting tips. Below are his invaluable tips.

Buying a property

Styling a new home from scratch can be quite a process but these tips can assist all home owners:

1. It’s essential you think about function first. Choose items that meet your needs and support your lifestyle.
2. Create a mood board – even if it’s a virtual one on Pinterest. Collate imagery of what you want your perfect room to look like.
3. Don’t rush into purchases if you don’t have to!

Styling for sale

You really need to strip the place back to the bare bones in a sense.

1. Don’t take everything out, but it’s definitely a case of less is more. Key pieces of furniture, rugs, art and lighting should stay, but remove knick-knacks and personal mementos. Don’t clutter side tables and desks with anything that will make the room look messy.
2. To appeal to the widest audience possible, try not to display crazy colours, clashing patterns or any other decor pieces that might jump out and put off a potential buyer. What you might love someone else might hate – so definitely err on the side of caution and try to work with neutrals.
3. Open all blinds (unless they’re there to cover something unsightly) and never underestimate the power of good fragrance. A diffuser in a subtle scent is a good idea to create mood and ambiance in the property.

Rented accommodation

When renting, your options are of course limited. You’re banned from any major painting and flooring changes and generally from adding or removing fixtures, renovating, altering and adding to the premises. There are of course ways of getting around these rules.

1. Use 3M hooks that won’t leave holes in walls, and look for removable wallpaper or decals.
2. Cover unsightly flooring with rugs, which will also work to zone spaces in your home and ground furniture.
3. Sometimes, large art leaning against a wall can look amazing, so don’t underestimate simple style ideas like that.

Budgeting

I’ve always been a firm believer that you can decorate your dream space on a budget – as long as you’re flexible.

1. Create your mood board, but be willing to bend on the exact pieces you end up with.
2. Large items like sofas, beds and dining tables should be invested in, because they’re your long-term pieces.
3. Go easy on smaller items like cushions, lamps and even wall art in terms of spend because you’re likely to update them throughout your stay in the home.

These tips should go a long way towards helping you design your ideal living space. For more advice on home design, visit The Life Creative blog or find an interior designer near you.