Warm and Eclectic
This house tour is one of the best I’ve come across in a really long time. The home is so warm and eclectic, mixing furniture and decor from different styles and times. I really love a home that seems to be decorated with objects over time from travels and life well lived.
The home belongs to stylist Natalie Nassar (she does a lot of work for Ballard Designs, so you might recognize a lot of their stuff). The textiles through out the home are amazing, and all the rugs are from an antique market in Atlanta. You may recognize the photo below from a post last week, which is when I discovered the tour.
I’ve included some of the Q+A’s from the house tour, which can be read in full at How To Decorate by Ballard Designs.
Ballard Designs: There’s an immediate warmth when we step into your home. How do you create that warm feeling with furniture pieces and accessories?
Natalie Nassar: I really like to mix different styles of furniture and accessories. I have a lot of mid century modern things, antiques, classic pieces and global looking pieces. I have found that I like the mix because it makes my home feel more collected and not so stale.
BD: It seems like there’s no space in your home that’s too small to be styled or given proper attention. What are your strategies for giving mundane or functional areas personality?
NN: As I mentioned before adding plants like cacti and succulents really helps a space. Green life can change everything! Also I use a lot of trays and containers to wrangle accessories or functional things in. For example, I keep my kitchen scrub brushes in a cylindrical vase and my soaps are sitting on a tray so it looks neat. I love to use different decorative bowls for accessories and for functional use.
BD: So many people struggle with making their home both stylish AND functional for their busy families. You seem to have struck that perfect balance! How has your home changed since your 18-month old Noura has joined the family?
NN: I have tried to keep the house in the same state that it was pre-Noura with just some alterations. Of course you have to baby-proof once they start to move about but there are a few little adjustments I have made for organization and ease for her and me. I am naturally a very neat and organized person but once Noura came into our lives a lot of that went out the window! I had to learn to relax and realize that things can’t be perfect all the time in the house. Usually the house is a wreck until we put her to sleep at night and then I straighten up. I find that cleaning up at the end of the day De-clutters my brain and refreshes the space for the next day to begin.
1. Baskets are key! I have 2 large baskets from ikea that look great and hold a lot of toys. Makes for easy clean up to throw toys into baskets at the end of day.
2. If you’re like us, furnishing your home seems like a constant thing so make sure you’re making smart purchasing decisions. When choosing upholstery, go for something not too light in color and that is durable. I know Ballard offers a lot of great outdoor fabric options that don’t even look outdoor. These fabrics hold up well to stains and are great for high traffic areas. Also Scotchgard your new pieces! For picking coffee tables, I recommend choosing things that don’t have sharp corners. Our coffee table is not an upholstered ottoman but there are no sharp edges to it.
3. Choose a pretty throw or blanket to cover up the seat cushions on your couch. We are always on the couch with snacks or crayons or things that can be messy which is just real life- a pretty covering is great because it looks good/can add color and style and protects your couch!
BD: You mentioned in our podcast episode that you typically choose more neutral colors for your large furniture pieces so that they’re more versatile long term. How often do you move things around or switch up accessories?
NN: I personally like to choose my big pieces in neural colors. If you ever want to move pieces around, it makes it easier. I always keep in mind that we might move one day. Of course, I move accessories around all the time. It freshens things up and makes things look new and different. I change the pillows and textiles out on the couches and swap bedding probably once a year. It really can make a difference!
BD: So many people struggle with making their home both stylish AND functional for their busy families. You seem to have struck that perfect balance! How has your home changed since your 18-month old Noura has joined the family?
NN: I have tried to keep the house in the same state that it was pre-Noura with just some alterations. Of course you have to baby-proof once they start to move about but there are a few little adjustments I have made for organization and ease for her and me. I am naturally a very neat and organized person but once Noura came into our lives a lot of that went out the window! I had to learn to relax and realize that things can’t be perfect all the time in the house. Usually the house is a wreck until we put her to sleep at night and then I straighten up. I find that cleaning up at the end of the day De-clutters my brain and refreshes the space for the next day to begin.
