By Abby Hathorn
In an interview with co-host of Style Network’s Mark Brunetz, I chatted with him about how creating an outfit is similar to styling a room.
“I think fashion and interiors are incredibly entwined,” Brunetz said. “They drive each other. I have noticed that [interior] design is certainly inspired by what comes down the runway. When you are building an outfit or a wardrobe, you buy some very timeless pieces like the pencil skirt or the little black dress, and I think the same should go for the home. When it comes to a larger investment piece like a sofa and a bed, that is where you want to go timeless.”
I realized that dressing your home space is no different than dressing yourself. Now, do not let an empty or boring room destroy your fashionista confidence because Shannon Barnette from Barnett Furniture is here to offer her “furniture-fashion” advice.
First, invest in a neutral sofa by thinking of the basic couch as the little black dress or pencil skirt of a living room’s outfit. “At Barnett Furniture, we offer our customers the ability to customize pieces to their liking by choosing from a variety of fabrics and styles,” she said. “Right now, the popular fabrics for sofas are neutrals in shades of white and gray. For more active families, I suggest going a little darker with gray.”
Second, decide what trends you want to follow and where to put them in the room by seeing chairs and pillows as the jewelry or accessories of an outfit. “When it comes to incorporating trends into your living room, use chairs and pillows because they are less expensive to replace than a sofa,” Barnette said. “Currently, Ikats and Chevrons are really big not only in fashion, but also in the home.”
Third, find your room’s perfect pair of shoes—the ottoman. Just as you need comfy shoes to take you from day to night, your living room needs a comfy ottoman to rest those weary feet upon. With a wide array of textiles and shapes from which to choose, sometimes it can be hard to know what style ottoman fits your room’s design.
“Ottomans are going to take the brunt of all use because that is where everyone will prop their feet,” Barnette said. “I recommend going with a darker fabric or even leather for an ottoman. Do not be afraid to pop in a leather ottoman with a fabric sofa. It is nice to have the juxtaposition of the two different types of materials mixed into a room to add a bit of personality. As far as choosing a shape, the most practical shape for any room would be a rectangle. A lot of people can get away with a round ottoman in their living rooms. However, when space is limited, you definitely need to go with a rectangle because a rectangular ottoman will keep the room linear so that nothing feels crowded.”
Whether you are dressing yourself or dressing a room in your home, invest in classic pieces, splurge on a trendy piece, and make the style livable. “You want to choose items that have great bones, a great silhouette, so that way if you want to do something funky a year later, you can change out your home décor to fit that style without having to purchase all new furniture,” Brunetz said. “Definitely invest in timeless pieces.”