PushYourDesign lifestyle tips for a more balanced and beautiful every day: light, clutter, colour, sleep, corners to work in and habits that last.
Most advice about living well comes in the form of a purchase list. A new rug, a better lamp, something chunky that can be mistaken for a decorative pebble and made of ceramic. I appreciate a good rug, but the tips I return to most often are those that require no expense, little energy and occasionally even some weirdness.
Here’s my confession. I used to believe a well-designed life was all about taste, but I think it’s actually about friction, and what our interiors allow us to do with our lives.
Grab your drink of choice. What follows is the long-winded version of what I would say if a friend invited themselves round for a cup of chia and wanted to discuss where to start.
What “Lifestyle” Means In This Context
Let’s settle this once. When people say lifestyle, they often mean a mood board. Linen, eucalyptus, someone laughing over a salad.
I mean something simpler: what we do every day, and design as the things that affect those routines for better or worse. A hook on the way in, a lamp on the side of the sofa, a counter not covered in shoes.
How Design Creates Friction
Think of the last time you felt annoyed at your own home, just slightly. The cable that won’t reach the bed, the pile of coats and the way your drawers stick shut.
All design problems, and why I’m more likely to trust advice that solves them than what to buy.
Trends Are Suggestions, Habits Are Facts
We follow trends, but it’s the habits that we have to follow us. I always start with the latter when giving advice. A beautiful open shelf is pointless if you loathe tidying, however much it features in someone’s feed.
The First Five Feet Of Your Home
If there’s one spot in your house I’d urge you to fix, it’s the entrance. It’s where we arrive and leave, and it’s where we decide how to greet the day and how to bid it farewell.
A cluttered front door says chaos before you’ve even taken your shoes off, and a tidy one reassures that you’re home. It’s worth it for no other reason than the alternative is an accent wall.
Hooks, Tray, Seat
You need three things, and all are cheap. Hooks for coats and bags at a height that’s easy to reach, a tray or bowl for keys, wallet, sunglasses and somewhere to sit while you put your shoes on, or take them off. If there isn’t space, a slender shelf above the door with hooks underneath takes up the same floor space.
A Mirror Does Three Jobs
Hang one in the entry, so you can check your appearance before heading out, bounce light into a dark hallway and give a room a sense of space. I’d suggest something plain, to keep the focus on other decor.
The Shoe Rule
Choose a rule and stick to it. Limit the number on display to five pairs, or only what you’ll wear that week. Without a rule, shoes multiply.
Decluttering Advice Shouldn’t Be Preaching
We are often told the advice to declutter is cruel. Sell your possessions, keep only what brings you joy, own exactly thirty-three items. All are exhausting, not least because they present cluttering as a moral failing, rather than a habit.
My advice leans away from judging and towards editing. Like a magazine, not a demolition team.
A Good Way In
I recommend starting with a room-by-room decluttering guide that suggests looking at your space as if visiting for the first time, and deciding if it reflects the kind of person you are now.
That’s a question that’s sneakier and kinder than asking if we need something.
Questions For Things
The same guide suggests asking if something works for you, is broken or not used at all. I love the basic approach. If it fails any of these tests, it has no business being in your home. Heirlooms and gifts are a special case, where sentiment outweighs suitability. I’d advise photographing them and saying a silent thank you as you put them somewhere else.
One Drawer At A Time
Don’t start with the garage. This is the advice I follow as I clear my own home, because it’s easy to start with a big job and not finish it. Open one drawer and call it done. Twenty minutes’ work makes a noticeable difference and gives you the boost to do another.
The Three Boxes Test
Keep, donate, not sure. The third category means putting it aside for six months and reconsidering. Tape the box shut and mark the date. If it still isn’t needed when you reopen it, throw it away.
Sorting By Storage
Give everything a place, or find a place for everything. If we have to think about where things go, we’re likely to leave them until we’ve found a way to organise.
Lighting As The Fastest Upgrade
Here’s the thing most people miss: no amount of new furniture can fix boring light, but one good bulb can turn a room from drab to dramatic.
Of all the tips I’m likely to give, this is the simplest and most cost-effective way of improving almost any space. Warm, layered lighting creates depth and makes a room feel larger.
Light Layers
The lighting guide from Homes & Gardens suggests using ambient, task and accent lights to layer depth rather than relying on one large source, such as a ceiling light. That’s a quick change to any room: a table lamp, floor light and a bookshelf lamp.
You don’t need all three but I’ve found adding one light source improves a room more than most people expect.
Dimmers And Warm Light Bulbs
The same guide mentions dimmer switches as one of the fastest ways to alter a room, and the suggestion of very warm white bulbs to create a cosier, yellower light rather than bluish white. I’d take it further. If you’re going to change any light bulbs, change them all to warm white and buy a lamp. It’s cheap, takes five minutes and makes people look better in your living room.
Avoid Uniform Lighting
The article also warns that rows of downlights can cause harsh shadows. I’ve seen rooms where they’ve been used to create the effect of an operating theatre. If you have them and cannot replace them, put them on dimmers and buy lamps for your evening lighting.
Colours Shouldn’t Terrify You
Paint is the thing most people fear when it comes to decor, and this is the advice I give about it. We tend to go for white, then beige, then something slightly different from beige and live in a house that looks like a waiting room.
I’m not against neutral shades. I love them. I’m against the fear that prevents us from using colour.
The Three Colour Rule
Choose three colours for a room, and furnish according to your tastes. Walls, sofa and cushions might be an option, or walls, curtains and a vase. When a room feels cluttered, it’s usually because six different colours are fighting for attention. Repetition in two or three smaller items makes a room feel curated. It’s a cheap trick that works.
Test Paint Before Committing
Paint a large patch on two walls and observe the results in morning, noon and evening. Every colour behaves strangely in different light, and one that looks elegant at midday may turn gloomy as the sun sets. Live with the swatch for a week if you need to.
Dark Colours In Small Rooms
This may sound counterintuitive, but a dark-coloured wall in a small room can create a feeling of snugness rather than oppression. Try it in a powder room or reading nook first. If you don’t like it, it’s a weekend’s work to repaint.
Texture Adds Depth
Have you ever thought a room looked good in pictures but felt cold when you stood in it? Chances are, it lacks texture, and that’s easily remedied. A woolly throw on a leather chair, a rough linen curtain next to a glossy table, a woven basket beside a painted wall. Mixing materials makes a room feel lived in, and is cheaper than buying new furniture.
Soft Furnishings Are Your Friends
Cushions, rugs, throws and curtains all contribute to a room’s warmth, and if a space feels empty or echoey, something soft and heavy will fix it.
The Rug Size Rule
A rug that’s too small looks like an afterthought, so go bigger than feels right. Ensure there’s at least a few inches of floor showing along the front of the sofa so that the furniture seems to float above it.
Furniture Positioning And The Paths We Take
Here’s one of the easiest improvements you can make to any room. Stand in it and imagine where you walk from one point to another tomorrow, and where you hesitate or have to squeeze past. This will identify problem spots, and it’s always worth knowing what they are.
Leaving Space To Move
Leave a path through any room, and make it wide enough that two people can navigate it without one having to step aside. I’ve seen beautiful living rooms where the only access to the window required a slight shuffle, and it’s irritating enough to notice instantly.
Floating Furniture
Most of us push our furniture against walls, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Pull a sofa out by a few inches and create depth, or use a console table to make a space for lamps and drinks.
Creating A Conversation Corner
Arrange seating to encourage conversation, by placing a group of chairs or cushions facing each other rather than a television. If the TV is the focus, that’s fine, but give the conversation corner a chance to exist.
Bringing Outside In
Plants are the only decor that change with the seasons, which makes them the subject of many lifestyle tips. They also have feelings. They wilt when they’re unhappy and reach for the window when they want to grow. That’s why we buy them, and care for them.
I’m not a big fan of plants as decoration, but one or two healthy specimens are better than a jungle of dead ones.
Choosing The Right Plants
Start with the forgiving ones, of which there are several. Snake plants, pothos and ZZ plants are popular for a reason, as they can withstand the occasional neglect. Decide on a spot in your house and choose plants that will thrive there, rather than the other way around.
The Odd Number Of Pots Trick
Three potted plants, at varying heights, look better than a pair of identical ones. This is a long-standing design rule, and it works. Vary the size and shape of the containers, and keep the colours simple.
Flowers On A Budget
A bunch of store-bought flowers in a simple vase makes a better bouquet than an expensive one in a dramatic arrangement. Choose one type of flower, and buy a bunch rather than a mix. Trim the stems short as well, for a more casual look.
The Kitchen As A Theatre
If any room is performed in, it’s the kitchen. We sit, eat, gossip, fight and laugh, and it’s easy to forget the effect lighting has on this drama.
Clear Counters Are The Best Upgrade
Clearing your countertops is the fastest way to transform a kitchen, and it requires no expense. Store any rarely used items in cabinets or on high shelves, and keep frequently used objects within reach, such as the kettle and chopping board. Empty countertops make cooking feel less of a chore.
Things Within Reach
Store pans near the stove, mugs next to the kettle, knives by the board and your cutting mat where you usually stand. It sounds obvious, but I’ve seen kitchens organised in the reverse way, and it creates a constant search for objects during cooking.
Making The Kitchen Inviting
A bowl of fruit, a good chopping board left out, a stool at the kitchen island. These are all ways of making the kitchen more appealing. If you want guests to loiter near the door, you’ve succeeded.
The Bedroom And Winding Down
Most of the tips I follow are related to sleep, simply because everything else suffers if we don’t get it. I’m not a fan of screens in the bedroom, or anything that shines at our backs.
The Less Decoration, The Better Rule
Keep bedside tables simple, with a lamp, book, glass of water and phone charging point. If the surface becomes cluttered with wires and magazine clippings, it’s hard to relax.
Buy Good Bedding
If I had to spend money on one item, it would be bedding. Good-quality sheets, a warm pillow and a cosy blanket make a huge difference, as we spend a third of our lives in bed.
Blackout Blinds
Heavy curtains or blinds make a big difference, especially if you live somewhere with street lighting. If your room is too bright at dawn, you’ll feel tired by midday.
Move Your Work Space
This is easier in some homes than others, but try to place your desk or laptop elsewhere if you have to work in the bedroom. Cover it with a cloth at night or turn your chair so it faces the wall. Anything that signals the end of the working day will help.
A Work Corner That Doesn’t Bother You
More of us are working from home than ever before, often at the end of the kitchen table. I’ve done it myself, and it’s fine for a short time but miserable after a month.
We don’t need a separate room, just a corner with some organisation.
Light From The Side
Place your laptop or desk so that light falls on the side of the screen, rather than at the back or in front. Avoid glare as much as possible, and take advantage of natural light to brighten the corner.
A Comfortable Chair
Don’t cheap out on this purchase. A reasonably priced chair that supports you is one of the few where comfort equals value. If you’re on a budget, consider a second-hand one.
Visual Boundaries
Even a small rug, plant or screen can act as a boundary for a work area. When you finish for the day, turn off the lamp and move away. The action of tidying up signals the end of the working day.
Tidy Up Cables
Cords that snake around the floor make a room feel untidy even when it isn’t, but clips under the desk or in a tidy box will fix it in minutes.
Clothes, Style And The Weekly Rotation
Lifestyle isn’t limited to our homes, and as much as we like to pretend, it extends to our wardrobes and personal style. This advice covers the things we wear on a daily basis, what we buy and how we like to present ourselves.
My opinion, and one you can disagree with, is that a smaller wardrobe that we like is better than a larger one we tolerate.
Rotation Buys
Among style-oriented lifestyle tips, notice what five or six outfits we wear most often, and build a rotation around those. Buy more of what we like, and less of what we don’t.
Invest In Quality
Spend more on shoes, coats and anything we wear regularly, and less on fashion items that we’ll only wear a few times. It doesn’t mean everything has to be expensive, just that we spend more on the things that last.
Colours In Our Wardrobes
We tend to follow the three-colour rule for home decor, and it works just as well for clothes. It makes getting dressed simpler, and I don’t believe in capsule wardrobes as they suggest we should only wear one outfit. I stick with a few favourite clothing items.
Scent And Sound Aren’t Decor, But They Matter Just The Same
We spend a lot of time on visual decor and not enough on scent or sound, but all three combine to make a space feel welcoming.
Keep Smells Simple
Fresh air is always the best option, for ten minutes each day. After that, one pleasant smell is better than several. Avoid strong scents that announce themselves from the hallway.
Reducing Noise
Hard floorboards and bare walls reflect sound, and can make a house feel echoey. Thicker carpets, heavier curtains and upholstered furniture absorb noise. If you live in a busy area, heavy curtains make a big difference.
Having Quiet Places
Sometimes the best design feature is an empty space, to sit and think or simply rest. A chair by a window, or a bench in the hallway. Not everything needs to have a purpose.
Doing This On A Budget
Let’s be realistic. Most of us can barely afford to redecorate one room, so here’s how I’d prioritise spending if I had to.
Spend On What We Touch
This includes the bed, most obviously, but also the things we handle regularly, like the kitchen knives. Buy good quality in everything we use.
Save On What We See
Buy cheap or second-hand decor, and anything else we only look at. Thrift shops, markets and friends’ parents’ houses have some of my favourite furniture.
Fix Before Buying
Before buying anything new, try rearranging what we have. A fresh coat of paint can transform a tired cabinet. Changing the handles on a dresser we’ve grown tired of can give it new life.
Wait Thirty Days
If we’re unsure about a big purchase, put it off for a month. If we still want it, buy it. We’ll be surprised how many ‘must-have’ items we forget about.
People Also In Rental Homes
People who rent often don’t bother with any of the above, because they feel they have no option.
They do. We can make a space feel like a home without changing anything. Swap the bulbs for warmer ones and buy a couple of lamps. Use a large rug to cover tired floorboards. Hang curtains higher than the window to make the ceiling seem taller. Use removable hooks, plants and good bedding. Take the same items with us if we have to move, and we’ll be surprised how quickly it feels like our own place
Ask Before You Paint
Many landlords are more receptive to change than we expect, especially if we promise to repaint before we leave.
Finding Our Own Style First
Before I recommend any of the above, I ask myself a question. Which rooms in my house make me feel most at home? Where do I like to sit? How do I like to see the view? These are the things that matter, and they dictate what to do next.
