If you’re into decor shopping, you probably enjoy buying beautiful candles, new wine glasses (they always break, don’t they?) or end up being a vase collector. Shopping for those little decorative elements are way more fun than purchasing a new couch
or dining room table, because, for one, they are not as pretty as that handblown blue candle votive and two, they are so much more expensive. 

However, these big items with their hefty price tags are the bones of a room – they are the foundation that you use to build your room before you can fill it with your trinkets. Spending that kind of money can be daunting, and you don’t want to make a wrong decision, so finding reliable help is the way to go. We asked interior designer Sarah Ord and Kehumile Mate, a furniture and interior designer, for advice.

Turning Tables 

Side tables, coffee tables, dining tables – can your space even take it all? In the lounge, if space is limited, either ‘use a collection of smaller round tables or stools, so you have the option of moving them around or using them as side tables’, as Sarah advises, or try for a glass coffee table. Using glass furniture allows the eye to travel further, tricking it into thinking the room is much larger than it is.

Kehumile is on the same page: ‘For a compact lounge space, I usually look for a multi-functional coffee table, one that can either be used as storage or seating. The coffee table should also be aesthetically adequate in that specific compact lounge, too’. 

A Seat at the Table 

The couch is a vital part of any living area and is very much dependent on the size of the space. Do you often entertain guests or have a large house-hold? Do you need the couch to move around easily? Is this couch for lounging in front of the TV or
for a formal seating area? What fabric do you get? Kehumile understands that many of us are moving to smaller homes and when renting, you are mostly likely to move more often needing more flexibility from your furniture. He and Sarah also agree on
two significant elements when choosing this piece: Washable fabrics or scotch guarding are the way to go in preventing hands and paws leaving stains. They suggest using modular sofas that you can customise and reconfigure. 

Dining chairs can also cost you a pretty penny when you have to buy four, six or eight at a time. Using a bench across one side of your dining table sorts out half the problem, while on the other hand you can get creative mixing and matching different chairs you may find on sale or if you can’t decide which you like best. 

Storage Solutions 

Whether it’s a sideboard, chest of drawers or vanity, finding the right storage for a space requires looking at not only the size, but the style of the room, too. ‘I look for functional pieces that accentuate the look and feel I am trying to achieve within that specific interior space,’ says Kehumile. ‘A chest of drawers and sideboards usually catch your eye in a space because of their agile nature, so you want a piece that encompasses the overall aesthetic.’ Sarah keeps it practical while keeping in mind her love for bold pieces: ‘Check that the drawers and doors open smoothly and handles are a comfortable shape and size. The piece often anchors the room so I would usually go larger and more of a statement.’ If bright statement pieces aren’t your taste, find something simple but enhance it with your vast collection of vases and trinkets. A large art piece would also look incredible centred above the table or use lighting as an art feature. 

Words: Robyn Lane | Photography: Unsplash