3 minute read
AT HOME
from OTK Issue 02
by One To Know
Home Design Tips on a Budget
By Celestina Blok
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Illustrations by Amber Davis
Fort Worth-transplant Kylie Broton — an electrical engineer by trade-turned interior designer — knows how to cut corners when it comes to achieving the look of highend home design. When she offered her design skills gratis last year during the pandemic shutdown to help build her portfolio, folks jumped on the opportunity. Now she’s in high demand for her on-trend yet cost-cutting design eye. Here are her most important tips for making a home beautiful without wiping out the bank account.
First and foremost, get rid of the clutter.
For Kylie, more is not more.
“Some people think the more stuff, the better — not necessarily,” says the 28-year-old Indiana native. “You don’t have to be minimalistic, but you don’t need a lot to make a room feel homey.”
Add textures with blankets or pillows, she recommends, and lose the trinket collection.
“I love trinkets,” she says. “But you don’t need 50 trinkets in a room.”
Look for a theme.
Whether inspired by a particular piece of furniture or an overall setting, Kylie suggests finding the space’s vibe and sticking with it. Her favorite style right now?
“Modern minimalistic and very Italian — like an Italian villa,” she says.
Don’t forget functionality.
One of the biggest mistakes Kylie sees in home decor is the lack of functionality in a space, she says.
“People don’t use their space to help them,” she says. “Shelves and storage spaces can provide functionality but also still look great.”
Use Facebook Marketplace.
There’s no shame in Kylie’s game. The social media site’s buy-and-sell page allows users to filter items by location, category and price, resulting in countless new and used finds located near and far — and it’s one of Kylie’s favorite tools for décor shopping.
“You can literally find anything in any style on Facebook Marketplace,” she says. “It’s great if you just want to replace one item — like a shelf or piece of furniture.”
Price check before buying.
This might sound obvious, but according to Kylie, many folks overlook this important step before purchasing a piece of furniture or appliance.
“Google the item name,” she says. “There’s going to be five or six retailers that sell the same product or at least something similar. You could save hundreds or even thousands by doing a little price research first.”
As for the kitchen, think beyond cooking.
One of the most popular home design trends right now, Kylie says, is kitchens that don’t look like kitchens.
“They look more like entertainment areas — and the kitchen truly is for entertainment,” she says.
Consider cabinets and appliances that seamlessly fit into walls and giant islands that might serve as an open bar.
“We don’t use kitchens like we used to,” Kylie says.
Also trending are “dark, moody” kitchens, she adds, noting that she’s seeing more completely black kitchens with maybe stark contrasts of white, further playing into the after-hours dinner party theme.
At the very least, update the rug.
“Add a rug or get a fresh one once a year,” she says, noting that it’s the quickest way to update a room on the spot.
“You can find cheap ones on rugsusa.com, Home Depot, Wayfair and overstock.com,” she says.
INSTAGRAM: @kyliecodesign
kyliecodesign.com
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