Getting your dream home doesn’t have to involve breaking a bank. You can now decorate like a pro and maximize your space with these five simple tips by Interior Stylist Shweta Malaviya.
“It was at the age of 14 that I remember being suddenly drawn to home decor”, recounts the stylist. “It started small - with small corners of the house being updated now and then to suit my fancy.”
As someone who has changed 9-10 homes in four decades of her life, Shweta always looks forward to setting up her home to reflect the lives of her husband and two teenage girls. Whenever she catches up with her friends, she is often asked about how she finishes her space and approaches interior design in a rental home. While she enjoys doling out inspiration and insights, she realized it's a problem many struggles with more often than we’d all like to agree.
Furbishy got Shweta Malviya to dole out her 4 decor hacks when furnishing your home and here’s what she had to say:
1. Statement Piece of Art
Whenever anyone comes to me for advice on interiors, the first thing I tell them is to find a statement piece or art they strongly resonate with. Every home should have a statement piece that draws attention when you enter a common living space. In my home, it would be our green carved console that I absolutely love. The color reminds me of lush green foliage. I prefer seeing lush foliage over florals. So, all the spaces I create tend to have elements of green - from a small planter to sometimes several of them.
2. Small Furniture Items
Never underestimate the power of a nest of tables! As someone who has lived in Europe and USA for 8-9 years, a lot of my inspiration comes from our travels abroad. When I was in Italy, I couldn’t help but admire the layouts and displays created by small shop owners. They would often use a nest of tables or antique trunks for their displays, which could also double up as storage units. It’s very important to keep your daily needs and space constraints in mind when planning interiors for your space. The goal always should be to maximize space by incorporating elements that seamlessly fit right in. Small furniture items like stools and upholstered poufs can be repurposed in several ways. Stools can be used to place planters or to add additional serving trays when hosting a larger gathering. Small, upholstered poufs and footstools allow one to unwind easily at the end of a long day. In my home, we have a bunch of small tables - metal, teakwood, and bamboo that lend an effortless farmhouse aesthetic.
3. The 70:30 Rule
Let’s get one thing straight before we dive into this one. I am someone who does not believe in designing by rules and thrives on having the freedom to play with different textures, materials, and colors. However, this 70:30 decor hack can transform the way you approach interiors. In my experience, keeping a neutral color in 70% of the space - like the walls or the floor - always helps. It allows you room to experiment with the remaining 30%, which is the best place to get your creative juices flowing. This even gives one the freedom to change up elements every few months, if you are someone who likes to keep their decor in sync with the season.
“Personally, I prefer subtle elements and minimalistic decor in the summer months. In the Winter, I try to layer rugs, cushions, and throws to lend warmth to our home. For example, a rug under my bed so I can feel the warmth of the fabric as my feet touch the ground when I wake up.”
4. Juxtaposition
Juxtaposing means taking two or more objects, themes, or materials and combining them or placing them together to create a striking contrast.
“I like to bring two themes together by blending contemporary modern and vintage furniture items. It creates a lovely, lived-in look that celebrates the old and the new.”
One could also pick a fabric that sports a traditional design but in a contemporary color like powder blue. This could be done for a sofa in your living room or bedroom. Say you want a white sofa seat but are skeptical about maintenance. Incorporating two or three different fabrics in the same shade of white emphasizes their differences in texture while making them endure for everyday use. The possibilities are endless. It’s essentially about approaching design with the intention to answer - how do you want to feel?
With homes emerging as multi-functional spaces where we work, live, and unwind, it is important to address the utilitarian aspect of a space. A large part of my work at Furbishy as the Creative Head is doing just that. We style home decor items and soft furnishings into different themes like Modern Indian, Contemporary, and Boho so whatever combination you pick, it simply fits right in. We, at Furbishy, realize that your home is your biggest investment. That’s why we work with leading interior designers and stylists across the country to offer home decorating solutions that are frugal and effortless. Find exactly what you need to decorate your home like a pro on Furbishy.com and subscribe to our weekly mailer here for more interior decor inspiration.
About the Interior Stylist:
Shweta is an interior stylist who loves to bring her travel inspirations into her work. It is through her journeys that she found her love for interior design. She believes that our home is a canvas on which we paint our stories through its design. She works with homeowners and Airbnb hosts to transform spaces into welcoming abodes and also runs a blog on Instagram.