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1. Shop your house.
Before purchasing anything, look around your house. A space shouldn’t appear as if it was bought whole from a catalog; rather, it should look as if its contents were collected over a span of years.
“If you have a wonderful collection of cutting boards or vases, try to feature those things first,” says Alise O’Brien, an architecture and design photographer.
“Looking inside people’s refrigerators and kitchen cabinets is a fetish,” says lifestyle and food photographer Carmen Troesser. “There are always gems in there waiting to be brought out.”
And no item is too ordinary to be beautified. Repackage items and display them, says Megan Lorenz, a photographer specializing in interiors and portraiture. “I put almonds in a decorative canister and display them on my counter,” she says.
2. Bring in the outdoors.
Plants refresh a space while adding color and texture. “Herbs in a jar of water on your kitchen counter is nice,” says Troesser.
“Plants love bathrooms for the moisture. If there’s a window, it’s a perfect way to add some life,” she adds.
Yet, plants don’t need to be large to make an impact. Lorenz likes to put a succulent next to her bathroom soaps. She also suggests adding a handful of silver dollar branches in a vase next to the sink.
3. Let the room dictate the style.
The space should be the focal point; the styling simply supports the look, says O’Brien: “If your kitchen is colorful, you can place colorful produce in the middle of an island, and it won’t take over, but if you have a neutral kitchen, the colorful produce might steal the show.”
“If you have busy bathroom tile or countertops, I like to go with a solid towel to give the eye a break,” notes Lorenz.
Bathrooms can take on a sterile look, especially when fitted with modern fixtures. “Mix it up with a vintage mirror or cup,” says Troesser. “I photographed a modern bathroom recently with vintage perfume bottles on the shelves—perfect.”
