Hello Reader,

So, over the years I’ve lived in quite few homes, that’s just how life has unfolded. From a super boxy but cute 1920’s cottage to a remodeled open layout ranch style house – I’ve tried them all it seems. And you know, they all have their charm as well as a host of challenges. One thing I noticed, in my own homes and with clients, is that open concept spaces can be harder to style than it first seems.

What is open concept? Well, in short, it's a floor plan where rooms are not divided by walls - maybe just kitchen + family or maybe, an entire section like kitchen + dining + living room + main hallway.

This can be challenging for lots of reasons (and some folks are moving away from open concept design all together...) but how do we approach this to make it functional + appealing?

In my recent post, I share 7 decorating tips for decorating open concept homes. I'll share my top tip here along with a peek at a recent virtual design + a new trusted decor pick below.

Tips for Open Concept Decorating

Ok, my number 1 tip for decorating an open concept space (or any room really, but it's more obvious here), is choosing furniture that is proportionate.

What does this mean? Well, it's the Goldilocks Rule - you don't want too big or too small, you want juuuust right.

Seems simple but so often folks fill a space with ginormous sectionals making it feel like a maze or, on the other hand, opt for teeny tiny tables that look like they're floating alone.

Let's look at the photo example above. It's a beautiful space:

• The dining room table is same shape as room (rectangle) which is an easy reference point. And it has room to walk around all sides. It looks to be a good size for that space.
• Even though there is more space, the living room is set up with furniture & rug for it's actual size - not filled with extra big furniture just because there's room around it
• If we drew an imaginary outline of the living room, the accent chairs + table take up about 2/3 the length. That is a perfect guideline!

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This is just ONE of the tips I've lined up for decorating open concept homes. Click below to get more decorating advice:

Inside Peek: Client Mood Board & Design

Over the last few weeks, I've been working with many of you on your own rooms through my Virtual Design Services.

It's an honor to be 'invited' into your home to share my ideas & help create a more functional and styled space. I thought it would be fun to share a little piece of what I created for one client:

Curious about my virtual design services? Just hit REPLY & I'm happy to answer - or check out the link below.

Trusted Picks

My goal in home design is not about buying a bunch of stuff... no one needs that. I try to be really focused on what is needed & intentional for a space. Because, of that, I thought I'd start sharing some of my tried & true brands.