With the closing date for our Beautiful Rooms competition fast approaching (entries close June 11!), we thought it would be great to catch up with Temple & Webster‘s Head of Styling Jessica Bellef (above) who, along with Home Beautiful Editor Sarah Burman, will be judging this year’s competition. Here are her top tips for all things beautiful!
Home Beautiful: What are the five essential ingredients for creating a beautiful lounge room?
Jessica: 1. “Attention to detail – it’s the small things that add character to a room. Secondly, a balance of clear space – a cluttered and overcrowded room will give you heart palpitations for all the wrong reasons. Thirdly, the right lighting – whether your room is blessed with an abundance of natural light or you use lamps to your advantage, light will set the mood. Number four: A focal point – choose a hero piece like a large artwork, a statement rug to anchor the room and draw the eye through the space. And finally, include textures you want to touch – layered textures will add depth to a room and invite people to sink into the space.”
Home Beautiful: What piece do you think brings a whole lounge room together?
Jessica: “The sofa. It’s usually the largest piece in the room, so it’s colour, shape and size is important to consider in the context of the rest of the space and the aesthetic of the room.”
Home Beautiful: In all the beautiful rooms you’ve been in, what is the one thing that sticks out about them all?
Jessica: “The level of confidence. A beautiful room sticks to its guns and tells a story. It grasps you, leads your eye through the space and makes you never want to leave. It doesn’t have to be filled with the most expensive or on-trend things and it doesn’t have to be architecturally designed. In fact, spaces are more beautiful when they celebrate the quirks of the room itself and the individuals who live in it.”
Home Beautiful: How do you feel when you walk into a beautiful room?
Jessica: “I’m like a wide-eyed kid. My eyes dart around, my hands need to touch things and I usually want to not leave in a hurry so that I have time to drink in all the beautiful details.”
Home Beautiful: Can you ever have too many of things you love in a beautiful room?
Jessica: “Yes, unfortunately! By cramming all your favourite pieces into one space, you risk losing focus on the beauty and meaning of the individual pieces and overall, the room will feel too busy. A beautiful room contains an edited curation of things. Plus, it’s nice to spread your most prized items all over the house so that you get glimpses of them as you move through the rooms.”
Home Beautiful: What’s inspiring your styling at the moment?
Jessica: “Unexpected combinations and contrasts that highlight the beauty of individual pieces and make you smile. For example, the pairing of something rustic with something clean and modern will make a unique statement that adds character to a space. ”
Home Beautiful: What are you looking for when judging HB’s Beautiful Rooms competition?
Jessica: “Rooms that have character, a thoughtful balance of form and function and a big splash of confidence.”
Enter this year’s Beautiful Rooms competition for your chance to win $5000 cash or one of 14 $500 Temple & Webster gift vouchers. Good luck!
