Stylists share the questions they are asked the most (and their answers)

A relationship between a client and their interior stylist is an integral one. Good communication is key to ensuring good design choices are made, and the client’s style isn’t lost in translation.

Leading interior stylists reveal the most common questions asked by clients, and most importantly, their answers.

Josefine Nolan and Lisa Parkinson, Scandilove Gift Co.

Question “How do I create a Scandinavian feel at home?”

Answer: “Simplicity is key. Keep furniture and decor simple, clean and functional. Although colour schemes tend to centre around white, blacks and greys, warmth can be created through textures, lighting and splashes of muted tones. Scandinavians love their greenery, timber accents and art. Be restrained though – less is always more.”

Anna Spiro, Black & Spiro Interior Design

Question: “How do you mix patterns?”

Answer: “Start your scheme with a trophy fabric, this will give you a solid and diverse colour palette to work from. To get the mix just right, combine different pattern scales – small, medium and large. If you tire of pattern quickly, apply it to smaller items in the room, like scatter cushions.”

Simplicity is key to creating a Scandinavian feel at home. Photo: Nordikspace

Rachael Honner, Hip Brown House

Question: “Should artwork be hung at eye level?”

Answer: “I recommend artwork hung at medium height eye level (about 170 centimetres) because it can be enjoyed properly, and be well integrated with the rest of the room. When hung below or above this height, art can lose its spatial relationship to the furniture in that space. Regardless of whether your home is high-end or a lovely work in progress, spatial relationship combined with other shapes is key to creating a beautiful space.”

Daniel To and Emma Aiston, Daniel Emma

Question: “I’d like to use colour but am worried it will date?”

Answer: “Forget what colours are on trend and embrace the rainbow, using whatever shade or combination of colours strike a chord for you, or create the right mood for your space.”

Artwork should be hung at medium height eye level (about 170 centimetres) because it can be enjoyed properly. Photo: Scandinavian homes

Kim Pearson, Kim Pearson Design and Decoration

Question: “Where is it best to spend my money?”

Answer: “Everything is an investment whether it’s something from IKEA or a bespoke piece of furniture. I always consider spending on seriously great quality upholstery – a beautifully constructed and upholstered sofa in a contemporary or traditionally classic, elegant design will serve you well. It will require recovering and refilling every six-eight years or so depending on wear, and can often be tweaked with new fabric, new legs, a slip cover, piping, a skirt or different fillings. On a dollar for dollar basis, you will reap the rewards very quickly.”

Lisa Koehler

Question: “Which trade goes first – the flooring (sand and stain) or the painter?”

Answer: “It is usually the painter who arrives first to paint walls, ceiling and skirting. It is then ready for the flooring process to begin – sanding then satin. Once flooring is completed, the painter can complete the final coat on the skirting.”

If you want to give your house a homely feel, display items that have real meaning to you. Photo: Cranmore Home. HK Living

Kara Durack Shanahan, KDS Design

Question: “My house has gone right over budget and now we don’t have much to finish the project.”

Answer: “Make a list, prioritising what you need, then sink your money into quality pieces, like sofas and floor rugs, and then slowly progress down the list.”

Tracy Lefroy, Cranmore Home

Question: “How do I make my house a ‘home’?”

Answer: “Slowly! A home is created in layers, built from collections of memories and pieces that have more than just aesthetic beauty. I suggest to my clients they display items that have real meaning to them – like grandma’s coloured glass vase, and team with contemporary pieces. If you have a new home, gather some affordable art prints that speak to you. Art is a great way to bring soul into a new environment. Team with your favourite indoor plants, textural soft furnishings, great lighting and your own personal style, and you are well on your way to creating your ‘home’.”