It could not be a greater time for home design and decor than at the moment. So many new stores online and offline are helping to make home decorating and design easier than ever. The influx means you can create a personalized space better than ever before -- your taste, your style, your needs, your way. Most of all it can be within your budget. Cost-friendly sources and options are no longer limited to Ikea but dozens of new retailers as well as abundance of discount stores that can mean big savings on high-end furniture and home decor brands.
What it means is that you no longer have to shop and style your home or apartment with limited brands and items. A single piece from one store or brand can be worked your way regardless of what it is. It may be a chair from West Elm, paired with two tables found on sale at Joss and Main, with a rug from Lulu and Georgia -- all selected to fit your personal taste, style and vision for your space.
Here's how to style any furniture, decor or other home item your way:
1. View it as a neutral. The key to working anything your way is to view it as a neutral -- don't get caught up on its styling, details or any other elements. Just because an item has a specific vibe doesn't mean you've got to decorate the entire room the same way. See it instead as a basic and get creative from there.
2. Determine its role in the space. Is it a large statement piece or a simple, small accent? Larger items can be a focal point, or pared down with other pieces to get the look you want. Smaller accent items should be seen as additions to what you've already got working in the room. By getting an idea of this advance of any decorating, you'll be able to best work the item in.
3. Pair the item with things that transform it to your style/taste. If it's a floral print chair from Crate and Barrel in a classic wing style, the key to making a look that is your own is to combine it with other pieces that best fit your vision, versus matching it with similar decor or pieces. For example, if the chair is more classic/traditional, pair it with a more sleek, modern, eclectic or other rug, table, sofa, etc.
Most of all, it's a time we can call get creative! Give yourself plenty of time to think out your ideas, test the unexpected and explore the non-traditional to make everything in your home exactly how you want it to look!