LIFE & CULTURE

How to make your home a stylish sanctuary

Interior designer and stylist Claire Delmar shares her tips for transforming your home with raw, natural neutrals colours
CLAIRE DELMAR

“As a designer I have always been interested in colour and texture and the effects it has on the way we live and feel in our space. I am constantly looking to natural forms to inform my aesthetic – I’m drawn to natural rawness. I’ve found that simply adding elements of texture through products such as linen throws or raw woods gives the home a lived in, warm, nurturing feel.

Simplistic styling (Credit: CLAIRE DELMAR)

Pictured above: Sheridan Abbotson linen sheeting and bed cover.

Choose luxury – and comfort – in your bedroom

My dream bedroom is an oversized luxurious bedhead in velvet or textured linen with a contrast of neutral silk and raw linen bedlinen, such as Sheridan’s Abbotson Marl in beautiful Oatmeal colourway. For lighting, a Serge Mouille rotating sconce wall light off-centered to the bedhead in a soft grey and one-off bedside tables. My dream bedroom is a place where I can restore my energy, become relaxed and rejuvenated, ready to take on what the next day holds.

My main checklist when it comes to bed linen is quality, softness, texture, washability and colour. I love natural fibres. I also steer away from anything that needs a really good iron! Life’s too short to spend ironing and my ultimate preference is in fact that lovely clean yet relaxed and lived-in look.

A home should always promote calmness. (Credit: CLAIRE DELMAR)

Pictured above: Sheridan Abbotson Marl Linen Quilt Cover and Corrigin Throw

Create hubs around your home

Creating sanctuaries of calm in a home should always be a priority. I love to cook so most of my design and planning went into the kitchen. I also made it a priority to design and display my collection of ceramics and linens. Creating hubs for everyone in the family should also be considered, to promote balanced, harmonious living. A simple small window seat is where I love to read and escape.

Neutral tones. (Credit: CLAIRE DELMAR)

Pictured above: Sheridan Westbay throw and Earley cushion.

Choose colours *and* textures

When planning an interior, I select three neutral colours which complement each other. Then I choose three contrasting materials to add interest and dimension to a home.

When layering contrasting neutral tones, always focus on balance and texture. The cement backsplash in our kitchen is a good example of a material in its raw state. It is grey in colour but through the texture in the cement, it avoids being dull and adds life to our home. I love styling with this backdrop as it really complements my white ceramics and raw textural pieces.

Create moments (Credit: CLAIRE DELMAR)

Don’t forget the finishing touches

 I always start from the ground up. If the floor is right you can make a space work. Then you can keep furniture to a minimum always considering their form and function. Once you are at this stage the fun begins!

The styling and final touches are really what makes a house a home. I have small vignettes of ceramics on shelves and tables among photographs, art and personal works which have been styled for my blog The Palate Project.

There isn’t any need to over clutter – rather I have selected my favourite pieces and when displaying them I consider colour, texture and balance. I like to be surrounded by pieces which make me happy and reflect who I am. I rotate them every few months so nothing special is hidden away, however I don’t feel like I always have to display everything.

Start from the ground up. (Credit: CLAIRE DELMAR)

Pictured above: the Sheridan ‘Decorate’ collection of cushions and throws

Keep it practical

With two young children and constant laughter, it’s easy to create a home. In a practical sense, every item has to not only look good but also function. Joinery is of utmost importance to keep all of our family’s bits and pieces hidden away and to make our life more streamlined. Most of our furniture consists of original pieces with a story which triggers memories, either from travels or gifts given to us by special family or friends.

Gather inspiration to make your *house* a *home* (Credit: CLAIRE DELMAR)

Create the look

The key to creating the look is to work with levels of neutrals and layer textures for a relaxed yet refined aesthetic.

 

Textural linen such as the Abbotson Marl Quilt Cover in Oatmeal is perfectly complemented by tactile layers in the form of cosy throws and cushions. The Corrigin Throw in Chalk and the Earley Cushion and Throw in Dove create perfect moments of texture, anchored by the deep denim tones of the Indigos Cushion for a luxurious and casual feel.

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