Interior Designer or Interior Stylist? That is the question.

When I meet somebody new and the conversation turns to the inevitable question ‘and what do you do?’, I am generally met with a couple of responses. The most commonplace being a confused expression…

Home staging is BIG business in Australia and the USA and over here an increasing number of homeowners, developers and investors are benefiting from the practice, but for many it remains a mysterious concept to grasp and the line between interior design and interior styling is commonly blurred. 

In fact the two are very different. I have always been adamant I am a stylist and NOT a designer (and actually, it would be most accurate to refer to me as a home stylist, because unlike interior stylists who work on editorial and photo shoots etc, I style real homes). Think of it in terms of fashion. Just as a fashion ‘designer’ will design the clothes, an interior ‘designer’ will design the home. Similarly, a fashion ‘stylist’ will dress the model, adding the accessories and finishing touches that will pull the look together, just as an home ‘stylist’ will dress a property – though with rather more cushions and candles than jewellery and belts!

An interior designer will cover the nitty gritty, hardcore graft to design an interior space. They will have been formally trained and as such can advise on structural changes and create precise floor plans. They are interested in the practicalities, spatial planning and function of a space – the painting, lighting, flooring, furnishing and cabinetry. The home stylist is all about the final aesthetic that drives the look and feel of a completed interior scheme – or the ‘fluffing’ as I’ve been known to call it! I cover all the bits at the end of a design project that will bring an interior to life – the final flourish to complete the transformation. 

Imagine a living room that has been recently worked on by an interior designer. Everything will be in place and beautifully designed. New carpet laid, freshly painted, bespoke cabinetry, lovely furniture. But what if that were it? Shelves left bare, coffee table left empty, sofas missing throws and cushions. Where’s the appeal and personality in that?

What it needs is a serious injection of styling. Without accessories, artwork, cushions and greenery, I challenge ANY interior to ‘sing’. They provide the icing on the cake, and that’s exactly what I’m about.

Alternatively, perhaps you’ve lived in your home for years and it’s all looking a bit…well…tired. Cushions have seen better days, artwork is somewhat outdated, and there’s rather more personal clutter than you are comfortable with.  Perhaps you are wanting to fall in love with your home again, or maybe even sell it and move on to pastures new.

Either way, I’m ready to help. If you’re staying put, I can look at your interior with a fresh pair of eyes, advise where to pair back, which adornments to remove, and how I can add to your loveliest accessories with an infill of ours, to create a fresh and invigorating new scheme that you’ll love. If you’re moving on, I will advise on how best to declutter and depersonalise to create a look that will appeaL to a buying audience. 

So get in touch WITH KATE AT KATE@EHGHOME.CO.UK OR CALL OUR STUDIO ON 02087414545 and see how this home stylist can bring the ‘fluff’ to your home.