Allison's web-based interior design business, AllisonEgan.com, keeps her busy and inspired when she's not exploring her new home in Southeast Asia. Still, with so many ideas swirling (which Allison regularly shares on her blog, Spicer + Bank), there are a few basic tricks she never forgets. Here she shares her top 10 tips, along with some shots of her home in Singapore.
1. Splurge on plants and fresh flowers for texture and color. Allison especially loves large leaves or branches, which last a long time. Sure, she's especially spoiled in Singapore with the flora available, but, as she points out, a single fuchsia orchid or potted fern can add so much life to a space.
2. Switch up your throw pillows and layer patterns. A couple of bright or patterned pillows are a wonderful way to liven up your space — Etsy is full of affordable options.
3. Keep an eye out for small, interesting objects on your travels. Souvenirs and keepsakes are easy to fit in your suitcase and will always remind you of your trip. They are perfect objects for a bookshelf or a coffee table. For example, Allison treasures a gold-painted lotus flower that she found on a visit to Bangkok.
4. Don't forget about the beauty of everyday items. A basil plant, colorful potholders, or fruit waiting to ripen: especially in the kitchen, useful items can be so decorative — don't hide them.
5. Paint an accent wall your favorite color. It's an old rule of thumb, but it works! Paint is so inexpensive and it makes a huge impact. Especially if you're in a rental, doing just one key wall can make a room feel livelier.
6. Play with texture. The small faux sheepskin rug in Allison's living room was an inexpensive addition, and the contrast in texture next to the rougher sisal rug is eye-catching.
7. Embrace bedside beauty. Allison always makes sure that her bedside table has a collection of a few lovely items. Her favorite objects are blue-gray leather trays found in Bali and a mother-of-pearl frame.
8. Go nuts! A pretty dish filled with pistachios is so welcoming to visitors. So is a small bar cart with soda, ice, and Lillet, for that matter!
9. Bring a little feng shui home. Mirrors are a great place to start, which are said to give mental clarity, repel negativity, and provide added energy.
10. Remember: Nothing is glued in place! Don't be afraid to move around and rotate your accessories, art, or small pieces of furniture. It's amazing what you can do with the pieces you already have.
All images by Allison Egan Decor
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I couldn't agree more about flowers and plants. I love having a few living things in every room, where possible, which may be a simple fern or an elegant potted orchid (I rarely buy cut flowers, which cost so much and don't last very long). I also collect small items during our travels that we can work into our home design. Also, for throw pillows, Ikea actually has some pretty great basic options, if not for cases, then for the throw pillows themselves (many Etsy designers only sell the cases). These are really great tips for any kind of living situation! Thanks!
Thanks for this post! I also find that plants really go a long way in giving visual interest to a space. The first photo is great. It shows so much variety in texture and shapes but still maintains a clean look.
These tips ring so true! For anyone not so good with house plats, Jade in a contemporary pot look stylish and is impossible to kill. Love this post -- such a lovely aesthetic.
Love seeing these tips a play in the designer's home, warming up the cool.
Great post!! I love the pistachios--and the idea of Lillet!
Love this post! These are great simple tips anyone can use and I love seeing how seeing how she's put them to work in her space. More posts like this please!
Just curious, how often do you guys buy fresh flowers? I always really enjoy having flowers around but I rarely buy them for the house. I'm not sure why -- maybe because I can't get over the cost and how quickly they wither!
Sadly, the only bouquet I've ever had last longer than one week was a $150 confection somebody sent me. My own $10 supermarket bouquets hardly ever make it a week.
Yes! I love point 4. Everyday items are what keep spaces fresh and beautiful. Noting spices a room up like a trip to the farmers market: a bouquet of herbs, a pile of lemons, a big beaitiful melon. That's art!
So good to be reminded not to be afraid to move things around. Sometimes rooms need a little spicing up and all it takes is changing a piece of art, adding a plant or throwing a different blanket across the back of a couch or chair.
I also love to have fresh flowers around the house. I help extend their life by regularly snipping their ends and putting them in fresh water.
So much Ikea! But well personalized.