As the editor-in-chief of Country Living, I have been fortunate to work alongside some of the country’s most talented designers, stylists, and tastemakers. After conducting hundreds of interviews and working behind-the-scenes on countless photo shoots, I’ve learned plenty along the way, including the value of slow decorating, the enduring appeal of an unfitted kitchen, and the best secret sources for buying antiques online. (It’s no secret that I have a thing for antiques.)
Despite the beauty of a home’s custom-upholstered sofas and original knotty pine walls and breathtaking views, what I find most fascinating on photo shoots are all of the little tricks and tactics designers and stylists swear by when it comes to making a room look camera-ready. While we can’t all afford to hire a designer or buy a shingled house on the Cape, we can steal a few secrets to make our own homes feel more polished and put together.
A well appointed sofa in a living room designed by Katie Rosenfeld
For example, for a truly high-impact arrangement, I now know there’s nothing quite like a giant tree branch—I’m partial to magnolia—slipped into the narrow neck of a demijohn. (I have since saved so much on flowers.) I have also learned that every household needs a good steamer and that—don’t ask me why—odd numbers of objects always make for a more visually pleasing grouping.
My favorite, trick, however—the one I have embraced for years now—is to always size up on your pillow inserts. In other words, that 22-inch pillow cover will look better, and fuller, with a 24-inch insert (preferably down or down-alternative), not a 22-inch insert, which is what most people would assume. (Psst: Those in the know swear that Restoration Hardware has the best inserts. If they don’t have your size, this Istanbul, Turkey-based Etsy shop has every configuration imaginable.) I’ve found that even cheap-ish pillow covers will shine when filled with a quality, larger-scale insert.
Still, if you’d rather not buy all new pillows (I get it!), Texas stylist Becki Griffin has another quick fix. She recommends filling the floppy corners of your not-so-plush throw pillows with a generous handful of Poly-fil. “It costs a few dollars, but your pillows will look like a million bucks,” she says.
For what it’s worth, a plusher pillow is also a lot more fun to karate-chop, if that’s something you’re into.
Rachel Hardage Barrett has written for and edited lifestyle publications for more than 20 years. As the editor-in-chief of Country Living, she has covered all things related to country life—including design, gardening, food, travel, antiques, crafts, and country pop culture—for more than a decade. Before Country Living, Rachel spent several years at Southern Living, where she served as Executive Editor covering travel, food, style, and features. Before Southern Living, Rachel was the Special Projects Director of Real Simple, where she wrote and oversaw books and special issues about food, travel, weddings, organizing, and parenting in addition to working on international editions and licensed products. Before working at lifestyle brands, Rachel started her magazine career at Glamour, where she wrote and edited relationship articles, celebrity interviews, as well as fashion and features content. When she’s not working on the magazine, she can likely be found poking around an antiques shop, perusing country real estate listings, or dreaming of opening a general store.
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