Top 10 vignette styling tips from Chelsea Hing & Emma Barnett

Interior designer Chelsea Hing and stylist Emma Barnett have collaborated on StillLife, a concept which lets you ‘shop the look’ for your home, with an exclusive range of limited edition pieces, ready to be displayed as the perfect vignette. If you struggle with styling or have no idea what a vignette is, StillLife does all the hard work for you, allowing you to buy an expertly curated collection of pieces to instantly transform your coffee table, entrance hall or mantel.

Here, Emma and Chelsea share their top 10 styling tips with us, while showcasing their StillLife collections.

Emma’s Top 5 Styling Tips 

1. Coffee table vignettes

Use a classic tray to create a vignette on your coffee table.  Stack some books, add your favourite candle and place a simple bloom to add some life.  Not only is it easy to change and update your look by re-styling your tray,  but it’s simple to relocate when you need to move it aside for your dinner party platter.

2. Books are for more than reading

The uses for books as styling objects are endless. Stack a few and place a candle or special object on top, colour code them to bring your shelves to life, stack them both vertically and horizontally to give shape, or lean on the back of a shelf to layer against.

3. Investment pieces

Just like your wardrobe, your home should have its classic pieces. Invest in these timeless pieces as they will never go out of style.

4. Styling with foliage

Flowers are fabulous but can be expensive to maintain. Why not use some leafy branches that are longer lasting and give great height, shape and silhouette? And of course, make sure your vases are beautiful in their own right, so even when empty they will look amazing.

5. Rein in the colour palette

Mixing colours can look amazing, but if you feel more comfortable keeping to the one, add depth and interest by using contrasting textures and adding metallic accents. Sometimes the simplest combinations are the most stunning.

 

Chelsea’s Top 5 Styling Tips 

1. Inject personality

Go for pieces that will inject real personality into your interior. This means taking risks and having fun with colour, texture, scale and combination. Don’t hold back and don’t be too safe!

2. Make it personal

Great styling tells a story about you and your home that feels right. Work in art, lamps, flowers and candles to give it a personal vibe and make it come alive.

3. The rule of threes

Style with three to four  elements per look as a rule, making sure that the major pieces you use have real presence. Vary the scale and heights of each piece so they don’t compete for attention or look messy.

4. Styling with art

Art doesn’t always need to be hung on a wall. Use your art as a styling object, propped on shelves, a bench or console to connect it with your other pieces.

5. It’s all in the detail

Styling a look is all about the elements you put together, which is easier said than done. First and foremost, it needs to make sense for where it is and needs to reflect how you use your space. A dish in the right spot or a single bloom in a vase to greet you, makes all the difference.

The first collection, launched last month, features 15 pieces that Chelsea and Emma have designed in collaboration with emerging Australian makers Thread Architecture, Andrei Davidoff and Brahman Perera. It’s been well received, with some collections having already sold out. Planning to launch two collections per year, the next range will see the pair partner with other designers, as they hope to provide a distinct and different look to each collection.

Products can be bought within a pre-styled collection or individually. A concierge service is also available for Melbourne metro customers (and free on orders over $300 this month) where Emma will personally deliver to and style the look in your home.

Shop StillLife.