Happy New Interior! 4 Easy Design Tips to Kick-Start Your 2019

by Leah O'Neill on December 27, 2018 in Lifestyle, Home, Living Texas, Austin,
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A home should be all about the people living in it.

When I’m creating a space I want to know everything about the people— their style, preferences, and how they live their life so I can make their home functional and stylish. I recently stopped by Made by Milling Around Interiors and fell in love with the shop, owner and employees. The shop is all about custom design, furniture and pillows, and the style is relaxed and playful! I got together with Amanda Haynie, the owner, to come up with four interior design tips to make your home all about you.

1. Declutter and only keep what you LOVE

The first (and hardest) step is to get rid of all the junk. There is no point in keeping odds and ends around your home unless it serves a functional purpose—or you love it. Anything beyond that is really just clutter and takes attention away from the stuff you actually do like. Plus, clearing space in your home is the perfect way to make space for something new (that you actually love). Here are some guidelines when you’re on a mission to declutter…

2. Customize your sofa by adding fun pillows and throws

Throw pillows are a key component to establishing your color scheme. If you’re going for a monochromatic look, focus on varying textures among the pillows while maintaining a single-hued color scheme. For example, mix faux fur pillows with velvet or linen blends. On the other hand, if you want pops of colors, focus on mixing hues and patterns and not so much on the texture. Amanda’s shop is an awesome source for custom throw pillows. She has an incredible selection of whimsical, colorful, textured and all around amazing fabric, and the quality of the pillows they create is top notch!

This custom green velvet sofa at Made By Milling Around Interiors can be customized in dozens of fabrics. Plus, you have free rein among their hundreds of fabrics to create matching throw pillows you’ve only dreamed of. Photo Leah O’Neill
Made By Milling Around Interiors has an incredible collection of in-stock fabric and a variety of home decor items. Photo Leah O’Neill

3. Find art you LOVE

One of the best ways to personalize a space is to have a few pieces of art you absolutely love. There are so many fabulous artists in Texas, and what better way to find something unique than to buy from a local artist? I adore the feminine artwork of Maren Devine, the modern and bold works of Jason Eatherly, as well as the incredible use of color representative of Arielle Austin’s designs.

I love these faces by Maren Devine. I sell a variety of her prints and framed pieces at beteabode.com, and you can see her entire line of originals and prints on her Etsy shop. Photo Leah O’Neill
One of many amazing pieces of art at Made by Milling Around Interiors. I love this piece in combination with the cool tones and soft lines of the throw pillow. Photo Leah O’Neill

4. Refurbish old furniture

We all have furniture that needs a little pick me up, whether it’s that old wooden dresser with crazy cool details, or a set of dining chairs you found at the vintage shop down the road. There are so many ways to give these pieces new life, and Made by Milling Around Interiors is your one stop shop to get it done. Besides their fabulous fabric, they also have the entire collection of Anne Sloane Chalk Paint, and tons of amazing knobs. Plus, Amanda and all the girls working there are beyond helpful, and can help you transform your piece into something you’ve always wanted. I stopped by the shop to pick up some Anne Sloane Chalk paint to refurbish this amazing sideboard I picked up at a yard sale last year, and I’m so happy with the results!

The before and after of the sideboard refinished with Anne Sloan Chalk Paint in Graphite. I replaced the knobs with these Abalone and gold pulls from Anthropologie. The Anne Sloane Chalk paint was so easy to work with and very little was required to paint two coats. It’s definitely my new go-to paint! Photo Leah O’Neill

These easy tips are sure to make your space feel a lot more familiar without too much time and (hopefully) not too much money. Check out my blog for more interior design tips and tricks.

Leah O’Neill is an interior decorator and jewelry designer living in Austin, Texas with her husband, daughter, dogs and horse. She writes a design blog and runs an online décor and jewelry shop called Bête Abode.