We looove a good interior design book. We regularly round up our favorites.
And we’re extra-enthusiastic to add this new title to our library: Design the Home You Love by Havenly founders Lee Mayer and Emily Motayed. It’s 272 beautifully designed pages of fresh ideas and actionable, expert tips on discovering your unique style and implementing it at home. Lee and Emily walk you through room-by-room inspiration found in homes enjoyed by real Havenly clients. And that includes Lee, of course.
Here’s a preview of how to get the look of Lee’s home (for many more details — get the book!):
Consistency is Key
Lee’s home is consistent throughout in terms of color palette, finishes, fabrics and style. No one room is a style departure from the rest of the home. The first step in creating cohesion throughout your home is picking a single color and sticking to it in every space.
Sound boring? Hardly.
Constraints like severely limiting your color palette actually inspire your brain to be more creative. “It’s easy to add variation within that single color palette by bringing in different values of that color (lighter and darker versions),” explains Havenly designer Melissa Wagner. “Then use pattern, texture and varied sizes to set pillows and other textiles apart from each other.” Lee’s palette, for example, is light, bright and neutral with pops of blue. The color is never heavily saturated. Even the patterns that appear in rugs and pillows are subtle.
(Need color inspiration? Here are six spring color palettes you can use year-round.)
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Cove Goods Burton Pillow Cover
Cove Goods Sariah Pillow Cover
Lighten your Lighting
Lee’s home is filled with “light” lighting. What do we mean? “Pendants and chandeliers are open, utilizing linen shades, light brass finishes or capiz shells,” Melissa says.
Floor lamps and table lamps are cylindrical with glass bases. The result is they appear almost invisible because they don’t carry much visual weight.
(To maximize the natural light in your home, discover how to let the sun shine in without heating things up.)
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Go Natural
The materials in Lee’s home are natural: linens, cottons, leather, suede, brass and natural wood tones. And staple furniture pieces feature the same fabric color throughout. “Keep pieces that take up large visual space the same,” Melissa says. “Drapery, chairs, sofas, beds — all of these can be a white or sandy tone of linen. “This will keep the space light and bright.”
(Speaking of drapes, pick up some pro curtain-hanging tips right here.)
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Havenly Essentials Linen Drapery in Snow
Keep it Classic
Lee’s home is a classic example of exceptional style. To mimic it, implement classic lines with your furniture. Think gentle slope or square arms. A tufted sofa or sectional with a bench seat cushion. Classic shapes like wingback chairs. “No heavy ornamentation or multiple materials,” Melissa says. “Keep tables and case goods simple. That means simple square and circular shapes that utilize a single wood finish.”
(Are you hooked on classic style? Explore these classic living room decor and design ideas.)
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HudsonHill Foundry Coffee Table
Pottery Barn Rectangular Coffee Table
Simplify Surfaces
Like many spaces, the styling on tables and shelves in Lee’s home includes plants, florals, candles and books. What makes these styling moments distinctively hers are the use of the monochromatic color palette, the straightforward graphics and the uncomplicated shapes of the decor.
Melissa breaks down the components like this:
- Candles in white, tan or brass containers
- Plants and florals in white and sandy containers
- Simple decor shapes also in white, sand or brass
- Elegant trinket dishes, boxes and vessels within the same neutral color palette.
- Coffee table books
(For a complete library of tips on decorating with coffee table books, check this out.)
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Get the look that perfectly suits your style. The process starts with our design quiz.