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2. Be true to the building
For Duffy, there’ s nothing worse than forced interiors.“ I feel a little bit jarred by applying a trend for the sake of it,” she says.“ For example, the Hamptons aesthetic when you’ ve got a contemporary urban building in the suburbs. You need to be true to your own style, but also, more than anything, you need to be true to the home – who lives there and the era and style of the architecture. Trends have to make sense within the space – that’ s how you get longevity.”
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3. Make your home unique
“ You can’ t simply just take something you see on Instagram or Pinterest and apply it to your space because your space will have its own specific characteristics,” says Duffy.“ Instead, apply the trends where they make sense and put your own unique spin on it. The most interesting spaces are the ones with confidence, commitment and thought behind them.”
4. Look for what you love
“ Some people have the notion that timelessness means choosing really generic finishes because they’ re worried anything outside of that won’ t stand the test of time,” Duffy explains.“ But I argue that it’ s better to love something for a period of time than to never have loved it at all. People settle a lot because [ they think ] it won’ t date. But if you invest the time and effort and stay true to what you like, you’ re going to get longevity out of your design.”
5. Invest in quality
Creating a long-lasting space has other benefits, including being kinder to the
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MINDI COOKE / CEDARANDSUEDE. COM. AU
environment.“ That is where it is important to invest in quality or just something you love,” says Duffy.“ It’ s about deciding what you value and considering where you spend and where you save. Maybe it’ s a beautiful rug that you invest in or a beautiful sofa, but then all your other pieces could be repurposed or found objects. Side tables are one thing you can honestly get from anywhere and it can be anything – even a tree stump!”
6. Make memories into art
When it comes to artwork and decor, Duffy encourages op-shopping and thinking outside the box.“ I like to buy things when I’ m on holiday or at a destination,” says Duffy.“ My advice is to be really open to
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pushing the boundaries of what defines a piece of art. It can be anything – I’ ve even framed beautiful pieces of fabric. I have a very eclectic art collection and I cannot live without that. It really keeps me happy.”
7. Style your space gradually
If good things come to those who wait, being patient with your interiors will reap endless rewards.“ In order to put things together in a really interesting way, you need to be open to that space evolving over time,” says Duffy.“ Don’ t just go to the one store and buy up, because you can’ t get that feeling of eclecticism from homogeneity. The best spaces are the ones that appear like they’ ve evolved over time.”
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NATALIE MCCOMAS / CEDARANDSUEDE. COM. AU |
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