We thought we’d give you some free access to the brains of the experts and sent three questions each to a real living stylist, an interior designer and a redecorator. Here are their helpful answers!
The interior stylist: Alice Flynn
Alice Flynn is a freelance interior stylist who's done endless work for us at Real Living. She's also started up her own business, Printdolls, selling nostalgic artwork such as bus-stop scrolls.
“How can I make my living room comfy for my young children without compromising its style. I want it to say kids live here, but don’t want it looking like the set of Playschool.” Renee
Blending kids and grown-ups can be tricky, but here are a few ideas... The best way to do it is to miniaturise your style. Try setting aside a little corner of the living room as a kids corner - you might need to sacrifice an extra side table or buffet to do this. Replace it with a small bookshelf or cupboard for their toys, books and puzzles and scatter some floor cushions or bean bags around for a cosy hang-out spot. Don't go for Bob the Builder toy boxes or The Wiggles pull-out sofas, choose cushions and bean bags in colours and prints that fit your decor or invest in a child's size armchair (Fantastic Furniture sell great ones). And if you have a small space, think carefully about your furniture - an ottoman with storage under the lid can be used as a toybox, a coffee table with an extra shelf or drawers can hold cushions and books and second-hand side tables can be put to good use by painting the top with chalkboard paint to keep them busy. And as for decor, a few framed artworks by the kids will make them feel very important, and some clocks or wall ornaments can border on the kids zone such as silhouette cuckoo clocks (pictured above), flat-pack wooden deer heads or decorative wall decals.
“I never know what to put on display in my family room. I have a large sideboard cabinet and a small thin one plus a small side table near the couch - I have framed family photos & some leaned against the wall, a plant on one side and vases but it still looks odd...like there is too much on there? What should I be doing? Anastasia
Maybe break things up a bit. You have a lot of furniture, so try spreading around the things that you want to display. The smaller the piece, the less things you should display, so keep the side table near the couch clear except for maybe a lamp, couple of coffee table books and maybe one small frame. On the larger sideboard, at one end try layering the pictures up - lean a variety of different sizes against each other, overlapping with the bigger ones at the back. Keeping to a bit of a theme such as all-black frames or black and white pictures will tie them all in nicely. You can then pop a couple of smaller things that mean something to you in front like a little vase, jewellery box or ornament of some kind. At the other end, place your plant and maybe some candlesticks and another small picture - things look better grouped in odd numbers and with various sizes. Finally, keep the smaller sideboard to show off a collection of vases with something hanging on the wall above it. Clean and simple, but eye-catching.
“I have 200 pairs of earings and about the same amount of necklaces. Some are really heavy and I like to be able to see them all - do you have any ideas for me?” Nicky
Think outside the (jewellery) box! There are many ways you can put your jewellery on display as art: the trick is to not put it all on display, just your fave pieces. Use a clear glass fishbowl on your dresser for like-coloured chunky necklaces, stack bangles on candlesticks and narrow vases. You can also use large shadow-box picture frames to show off your fave pieces. Take the glass out, pop a few small hooks or nails on the backboard and hang on the wall, hanging your fave necklaces from the hooks. Mannequins and coat racks also make great display spaces. For earrings, get a large decorative picture or mirror frame, take out the glass and backboard and replace with small chicken wire (you'll need to nail it in). Then you can hang all your pretty danglies from that on the wall or standing up against your dresser.
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