It’s a difficult compromise: Many of us want our homes to look as stylish and carefully designed as the ones we see in decorating magazines. But we also want them to be comfortable and easy to enjoy.
“A relaxed lifestyle is something people want more and more, and their homes are reflecting that,” says New York designer Young Huh.
“The old rules of formal living, and therefore decorating, are disappearing. People want to have dinner parties with mismatched dishes, and candles and flowers that are casually and imperfectly arranged. They’re looking to enjoy themselves more and impress less,” Huh says. Designer Kate Jackson, based in Rhode Island, gets the same message from her clients. “I am typically asked to create a space that can be used more by family and friends,” she says, and to “lose whatever formality lives there.”
How do you pack a room with gorgeous style but also make it a place where you can comfortably kick back?