But before you also buy a coffee table in one fell swoop, Hayslett suggests taking a beat. “It’s best to wait and see how you, friends, and family use the sofa and the space. Maybe an ottoman is best because everyone puts their feet up, or perhaps you go with a glass table because it’s more of a formal space in the house,” she says. Also worth waiting on until you understand what you need most: accent chairs, side tables, wall art, and rugs.
Primary Bedroom
While the kitchen and living room are about function foremost, the primary bedroom is where Mullen likes to set the tone first. “Here’s where I’d build around a great piece of art or a vintage piece of furniture,” she says. “Of course a good mattress is important, but this is your sanctuary, so try to find something that brings you joy or settles you the moment you enter.” For her, it’s a Montana landscape hung above the bed, but it could be an antique headboard or an oversized textile hanging.
Bathroom
For the bathroom, says Mullen, decide if you’re looking for a design-focused space with bright pops of color, or if you want “a spa-like environment that’s all white.” The shower curtain is a great place to start because that’s typically the largest item in a bathroom, and then you can get towels that complement it.
Beyond the textiles, “a good shower head with nice pressure is a must,” Hayslett says. “But wait on the shower bench. Freestanding shower benches can be fun and cute in photos, but most people don’t really use them.”
Kids’ Rooms
Though kids’ tastes can change radically from year to year, Labrum says an antique wardrobe or dresser can stand the test of time. “It’s both functional for storage and can bring sophisticated personality and patina to a kid’s bedroom,” she says. “While their color and theme preferences change over the years, this piece can work in any scheme.”
Mullen says to think long-term about all the major pieces of furniture in a child’s room (so you may have to nix that race car bed). “Once we’re out of the nursery phase, I’m all about furniture that will extend through the teen years, so from about 4 to 18,” she says. “All the furniture stays the same, then you can change the paint colors, bedding, and other decorative elements.” She recommends getting a queen-size bed right off the bat, and a desk might be used for crafts in the early years, but will be a homework zone as kids get older.
Home Office
“Find a desk—new or antique—that you love and take your time building the space around it,” Labrum says. And if your dream desk doesn’t come with a matching chair, Mullen recommends embracing the design opportunity. “My desk is a beautiful slab of black marble and my chair is bright pink,” she says. “If you get to work from home, don’t make the space feel like you went into a corporate office.”
She also suggests giving the wall you face extra attention by adding wainscoting or hanging artwork. “It’s about creating a space that makes you feel empowered, confident, and calm. So absolutely design it!”
