The Styling Principles of Justina Blakeney

I am so thrilled I have found Justina Blakeney and her Skillshare class on styling, Style Your Space Like a Pro.

My first assignment is to identify all eight of her principles for successful styling in an inspirational photo.

Here we go:

source

1. Needs: An attractive dresser top

2. Shape: I love the way the sails in the painting are echoed in the shape of the lamp shade. Also surprising to me is how it doesn't take very much--just the topiary and the knobs--to add some variation and contrast to all those rectangles.

3. Colour: This surprised me too. Just how many colours are happening here? Essentially, two. Brown and blue. Well, ok, three: white, too. OK, ok, I see it: Four, if you insist we have to include the yellow from the books and the frame!

4. Pattern: Again, minimal.

5. Texture: now, here, in this tiny vignette, we have quite a few. Rough: basket, books,  Soft: the lampshade, the plant. Smooth: the beautiful wood of the dresser, the china lamp base and plant pot, the dull gold of the frame.

6. Placement: Symmetrical "smile." Great balance of verticals and horizontals.

7. Bling: The gold frame.

8. Botanicals: The topiary.


That was fun: let's do another.


A minimal example: but it's all here!

from decor8

I am just analysing the credenza and the wall behind it, not the room as a whole though this is a most excellent room.

1. Needs: an uncluttered surface, so you can lay out dinner in a jiffy.

2. Shape: The sconces, the plant pot and the big glass balloon thingy are a fabulouscontrast to the  rectangular lines of the photograph (painting?) and the buffet.

3. Colours: Pink and green. Opposites. Lots of energy.

4. Pattern: All in the artwork.

5. Texture: Rough? The plant pot looks vaguely cement-like, the plant is certainly rough around the edges. The books. Yes, the books. Soft? Can the plant be both rough and soft? Smooth: glass, the metal in the sconces, the polished wood of the credenza.

6. Placement: Again, symmetrical.

7. Bling: All the shiny things.

8. Botanicals: the plant, obviously.

Love how everything for a successfully styled vignette is there: and it's so minimal!


I can't wait to share the rest of the class and my assignments with you!