A home you love will have a special feel to it.  

It’s much more than the way it looks. You'll come home with a feeling that it's your safe haven. 

“It’s the sense that it’s a haven, you feel relaxed, you feel safe, you love walking into home, it gives you great energy.” - Swee Lim, Interior Stylist 

Here we share interior design advice from two top interior stylists – Swee Lim and Imogen Naylor – on how to a create a home you love.  

Featuring the Quay Indoor Dining Chair (left) and Dainelli Sideboard.

How to choose items you love

The advice to ‘choose what you love’ is common, but what does that really mean?  

For Swee Lim, going with your first choice and following that real gut instinct about what feels right can help you make a great choice on what to purchase. 

“If you fall in love with a piece of furniture or an artwork, then you should get it,” Swee shares “First choice, best choice… At the end, I almost always come back to that first choice.”  

When it comes to styling choices, Imogen Naylor goes one step further than advocating for timeless designs – practicality should be a key consideration. 

“If you’re going to invest all this energy and money into making a really beautiful home, don’t get caught up in what’s on trend. Timeless things are practical things,” Imogen explains.  

“Neutral tones and textures, soft curves, things that don't wear and tear easily.”  

Featuring the Kato Sofa, Oliver Tub Chair and Issho Side Table and Coffee Table.

Finding the perfect sofa

The sofa is one of the central points of the home. It’s a piece that needs to balance style, comfort and functionality. 

Both interior stylists talked about modular sofa designs as a great option. A modular sofa design gives you the flexibility to increase or decrease the size of the sofa, which can be ideal for families or anyone moving regularly who needs a sofa to adapt to their living space. 

“I love the Jasper because it is so versatile and timeless. And you can really build on the platforms as your family grows and you live in space.” Imogen shared. 

With a modular sofa design, you get all the functional benefits and won’t need to sacrifice on style. 

“I think the modular design is great for family living, it seats a lot of people but still maintains that stylistic edge.” Swee Lim explains. 

If you would like to learn more, you can read our article on the pros and cons of modular sofas. 

King Living offers a wide range of fabric and leather options.

Combining fabrics and textures

It’s incredible the difference fabrics and textures make in a home. Imogen loves “working with timeless and practical fabrics,” and believes fabrics can help to tell the personal story of your home. 

“You can achieve a low maintenance, aspirational home with a combination of KING fabrics,” Imogen explains.  

“Pair beautiful velvet with a relaxed linen. It’s the combination of the style of the furniture and then softened with a beautiful, floppy linen cushion. Fabrics tell the story of a life in a home. They turn a house into a home.”  

Imogen also appreciates furniture with removable covers, as they can really extend the life of the design – and it’s those sentimental pieces we have for years that make a home feel inviting and reflective of who you are. 

“If you can try and repurpose or recover, it’s good for sustainability and our environment, but you’re also delivering something with a new lease on life for the client,” Imogen says.  

“They can hold on to that piece of furniture and pass it on from generation to generation.”  

If you would like more fabric styling advice, learn how to select the right fabrics for each room with interior designer Marylou Sobel. 

Featuring the Dainelli Sideboard, Aspen Dining Table and Dining Chairs (left), and Cassia Bar Stools.

Be inspired to create a home you love

Like anything creative, finding inspiration is an exciting and necessary part of the process. Exploring other homes and styling ideas you love will help you learn which interior designs brings you joy. 

For Imogen, part of the magic is “Choosing finishes, furniture, and artwork that you truly feel connected to”. 

At King Living we offer an extensive range of timeless furniture that is designed to last and is customisable to both your lifestyle and style preferences. 

For more interior design advice from interior stylists, you can explore our articles: 

• Neale Whitaker explores emotionally durable design 
• Kerrie-Ann Jones on how to style with art 
• Adam Robinson on designing an outdoor space for winter