Photography: Martina Gemmola / Styling: Amy Spargo
If you’ve ever shopped for a new sofa, you will understand the weight of important interior decisions. Now imagine you are faced with filling an entire room. Be it a living room or bedroom, while many of us might wish for a blank slate in the throes of trying to match existing to new, from colour schemes to fixtures and furniture, in reality, it is daunting, to say the very least.
Although there is no single place to start, aside from perhaps a budget spreadsheet, it can be helpful to decide upon a list of priorities, says Sam Boughton, Head of Visual Merchandising at Coco Republic. Sam, whose job is essentially to furnish large and empty spaces, says to contemplate what purpose you want your space to serve and apply that thought process to each cascading decision. Is it about design? To what level does function need to be considered?
‘My Country’ by Kudditji Kngwarreye sits above an Ikea ‘Ektorp’ sofa – its colours are echoed in décor including a brass lamp from Coco Republic, cushions from The Lost And Found Department and No Chintz, and an alpaca throw from In Bed. An Indian dhurrie from Perryman Carpets combines Sarah’s favourite colour combo – blue and white.
Choose your big-ticket items
With your priorities front of mind, Sam says you can then go ahead and start with your “bigger investment” pieces. For a living room, that might be a sofa; a bedroom, a bed frame. These are, Sam says, “The things that are gonna stand the test of time”. Nailing them will see your space through trends and changes for years to come, allowing you to switch out inexpensive decorating items such as cushions, sheets, blankets and vases.
At this point, you might also consider art, which can help to inform the overall palette and stylistic tone of your space.
“Personally, at home, I like to build my spaces around the artwork that I have within the space.”
Sam Boughton, Head of Visual Merchandising at Coco Republic
“What colours do you want to pull in from [the artwork]..? Sometimes you could have inherited a piece of artwork from a family member that you want to keep hold of. So then that is your anchoring piece, and you’re building from it,” says Sam.
Layer it up
With those essential furniture pieces and artworks anchoring the space, it’s time to start layering. In this process, Sam says it’s important to consider materiality, which rolls neatly into style. “Do [you] have a preference for natural fibres? Do you want a jute or a more coastal, relaxed look? Simply by changing out a rug, you can go from a more coastal, relaxed look to a more traditional or modern look with a bolder print.”
Your home’s architecture may also inform your choices in the layering process — but it doesn’t have to, says Sam.
“I think that’s where the excitement of curating something and making it quite personal and identifying what your own style is…
Sam Boughton, Head of Visual Merchandising at Coco Republic
Have fun with it. Mix it up, I say. “
These more decorative objects and items are what Sam refers to as the “jewellery of the home”; they polish the overall aesthetic but are affordable enough to swap out if a new style takes your fancy in the years to come.
However, the key to choosing pieces that will truly last a lifetime is personal connection. “When I’m shopping, I’m looking at the story behind a product, or the story behind the maker. If you identify personally and find that connection with what you’re buying,” says Sam, “that’s where you can really start to curate and make your own style.”
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