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6 In Interiors

Creating Personality Without Chaos in Your Home

Interior Personality without Chaos. The six key elements I use to create a space that’s visually interesting without overwhelming the senses.

cover image, bedroom, white walls, rattan sconces, star lumbar pillow, white striped throw pillows, grey linen duvet, beige drapery, vintage portrait

Thank you guys for your excitement over the Treehouse master bedroom reveal this week!! We’re all SO excited with how the space came together!

I’m teaming up with one of my favorite furniture brands, Article, to share how to navigate adding personality without chaos to our homes–especially in spaces like the Treehouse master bedroom where rest is our #1 priority.

bedroom, white walls, linen upholstered bed, rice paper lantern, beige pinch pleat drapery, grey linen duvet, crochet bed scarf, persian rub, gold, framed landscape art, layered bed, light wood night stands, antique bench at end of bed with stack of books, tessu bed, article

My parents and I were super inspired by Article’s 2020 Refresh Lookbook which is a beautiful example of cultivating personality-without-chaos. Their collection is all about bringing life to your space while removing inefficiencies and clutter.

While a space full of personality/depth without chaos sounds like somewhat of an oxymoron, achieving this balance is really just about focusing on elements like texture and contrast (as opposed to big pattern and color) that bring visual interest, without being ‘loud’.

Let’s talk specifics on how to achieve this balance. There are 6 key elements I look to:

bedside tables, upholstered linen queen bed, vintage portrait of young girl, grey, beige and white beeding, white walls, light wood night stands, vintage clock, tessu bed, article

Texture.

My best tip for creating visual interest in the absence of color or large pattern is texture. Everything from dry linen, to cozy sheepskin and buttery leather. As the focal point of the room, the Tessu Bed from Article in it’s delicious heavy textured linen-look upholstery sets the stage for layering up bedding.

And don’t forget to think beyond textiles like the distressed antique surfaces like the bench at the end of the bed.

view from foot of bed, neutral bedding, grey duvet, star muong lumbar pillow, white striped pillows, rattan swing arm sconce, landscape art with gold frame, white walls, tessu bed

Contrast.

When it comes to contrast, the goal is to create depth. Working with a neutral or monochromatic color palette, it’s helpful to bring in light, dark and mid-tone variations of your color(s). The differences between these tones is what helps it feel so engaging.

For example, when dressing the bed, we worked entirely with neutral textiles (minus the lumbar pillow) in whites, beiges and greys in varying tones. We layered the neutral clay Tessu Bed with crisp, white sheets, a natural linen Kantha quilt, dark grey linen duvet, and striped white and black throw pillows. Then added the blue/green lumbar pillow for a bit of irreverence.

article, beau mirror, woven lidded basket, white walls, persian rug, antique bench at foot of bed, crochet blanket, rattan swing arm sconce, vaulted ceiling, rice paper lantern

Mix Furniture Styles.

Incorporating a melange of furniture styles with a common denominator such as a similar color palette, scale, or introducing an irreverent style as a pair of two helps create personality without chaos.

Drawing on our family’s Scandinavian roots and my mom’s love of Mid-Century, we chose pieces with utilitarian Nordic moments, like the Beau mirror with exposed leather straps, and juxtaposed them with the clean MCM lines of the bed. Then we added vintage art and accessories for a collected look.

bedroom with white walls, serene art, upholstered linen bed, tessu bed, article, rattan sconce, antique wood bench, striped throw beige drapery

Mix Wood Tones.

Have you heard that age-old designer advice about not buying all matching furniture? In the same way that mixing furniture styles brings life and interest to a space, take it one step further by working with different wood tones too. It’s good to mix it up!

bedside, upholstered linen bed, tessu bed from Article, rattan swing arm plug in sconce, light wood nightstand, gold frame mirror, white walls, neutral bedding, kantha quilt, grey duvet, persian rug, stacks of books on nightstand, star throw pillow, striped throw pillow

Natural Elements.

Inherently, plants bring a calming sense to our homes, and many of them even purify our air while they’re at it. On the flipside, I’ve also been in spaces where plants can feel very dynamic and sometimes overwhelming if there are too many. I say use your best judgement. For me, two to three plants and/or floral arrangements go a long way in bringing a space to life.

Say No to Clutter.

Pair down your accessories and run with the less is more concept. A cluttered space is inherently more overwhelming to experience.

So that’s a little bit about how I create interesting/engaging space without evoking chaos. No matter your style and color palette affinities, I hope you take away some insight in adding personality to your space without necessarily adding chaos. Afterall, removing inefficiencies and clutter with intention might just be a valuable goal for all of us as we take stride in this new decade.

This post was sponsored by Article. Thank you for supporting brands I truly love and personally use!

Keep The Inspo Coming:

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  • Lisa Peck
    March 9, 2020 at 7:15 pm

    Erin- Your parents must be thrilled! The bedroom turned out so beautifully

  • Create/Enjoy (@suzannahstanley)
    March 9, 2020 at 9:19 pm

    These are great tips! You totally created a unique, personality-filled room here that is still minimal and relaxing! I love it!

  • across
    March 18, 2020 at 1:51 pm

    Hi! i loved reading this post. This is a really beautiful room with a great combination of wood tones, warmth, and brightness! My husband and I have been thinking about getting this bed from Article. Our concern is that it seems to be a fairly low bed (or at least lower than our current bed). Does it seem too low? Like does it feel low in the space? Or is it a nice comfortable height? Thanks!

    • francoisetmoiblog@gmail.com
      April 17, 2020 at 8:40 pm

      They use bed risers to bump it up about two inches, and it’s the perfect height for my parents. They’re coming from a pretty tall bed and they actually say they like this height better, though they’re 5’2″ & 5’6″. Hope this helps!


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