The recent issue of Southern Lady features a special look into how interior design maven Phoebe Howard got her unexpected start in professional decorating. Among the rooms included in the magazine are a series of blue and white interiors that I absolutely love.
Of course, you know my love for blue and white china. I so enjoyed seeing that aesthetic replicated across a room. Not that I can give up some of by beloved red pieces, but these cool and calm rooms are sure to inspire.
Now with a new book, Mrs. Howard Room by Room, Phoebe shared some of her decorating tips with us.
One of the beautiful dining rooms featured in Phoebe’s new book. I love the calm created by the cool blend of blue and green.
Such a lovely and open kitchen. I especially love the collection of blue and white pitchers displayed at the end of the island.
Phoebe Howard’s tips for decorating with style:
- Keep your house spotless, from door hardware to windows to countertops. Even the most humble place looks so much better if it’s clean.
- In living rooms, dining rooms, and family rooms, use lamps where possible to create soft pools of light. They illuminate the room and make it so much softer and more ambient at night.
- Make sure your family room and other areas where your family lives every day are durable. There are lots of great outdoor fabrics and wipe-off fabrics, such as washable suede. Don’t set up heavy-use areas for failure by making delicate or inappropriate choices; put things in there that can take the wear and tear.
- Use fresh flowers and fresh greenery indoors whenever you can. They bring light and color and fragrance inside—in a way that you can’t get with an artificial product.
- Take your kids’ rooms off the house tour. They can be a showplace, but they need to be a showplace just for the children. Paint the rooms a fun color, put down a rug for kids to play, and let them enjoy themselves. It’s important for them to have a safe zone for their imagination.
Learn more about the Phoebe’s story in the January/February issue of Southern Lady.