The single rule to swear by when styling your home

Often, when a photography student achieves marvellous results on a certain brand of camera, somewhere deep inside they accept that it’s mostly due to the camera’s magic doing the heavy lifting.

Similarly, I want to tap us all into a simple guide I use that is based on the “Golden Mean”. I want to share this nugget because it’s my own go-to secret that’s guaranteed to deliver all kinds of interior bliss.

This magic guide works for all those in the renovation trenches, from those using their weekends in that giddy, deluded “let’s go look at appliances again” stage to those of us gathering joy from humble mantelpiece readjustments.

In fact, the 60-30-10 rule is so scalable it delivers in its purest form at either end, from the architectural drawing board to the mantelpiece.

This easy-to-remember rule has got me out of some serious decorative trouble, as well as given me some seriously good interior dalliances that maybe I didn’t even deserve.

Its zingy format has stuck with me and now I pass on the baton – and your moves from this moment on will be close to flawless.

It was born in the Taubmans paint marketing department back in 2011, when they recommended the division of a room’s paint scheme be 60 per cent one colour, 20 per cent a secondary colour and 10 per cent highlight/trim.

Take a step back and swap colour for era. Sixty per cent late ’70s with a side serve of current modern and a 10 per cent drizzle of the ’50s? Yes please.

Swap colour for materiality. The majority organically sourced, natural tones with a secondary of high-surface-interest sheen and a 10 per cent unexpected inclusion of metal. Drooling already.

Swap colour for print and pattern, taking the one you love the most and mashing it with a co-ordinated option that shares similar colour but a play of pattern scale. Bring it all home with your all-time favourite colour but as a solid for the last 10 per cent. Glorious.

Or swap colour for vibe. Formally dress the majority of the house, add a small slice of absurdity and then a 10 per cent run of fully blown hysteria/mayhem. Let me in!

There is maths behind most beauty, and this simple portion control will keep whatever you are into measured and potentially magnificent.

You can even use it for other things, like flowers and vintage clothes. This 60-30-10 rule just works, especially after a pandemic when things could get gluttonous really quickly.

Megan Morton is a stylist, author and interior instructor.