What’s the difference between a stylist and a designer, & which one do I need for my home?

{by Emma Blomfeld of Nest Designs}

People often refer to me as a designer which isn’t exactly true. I am a stylist or a decorator.  I don’t have much interest in where the walls and floors of a house go, I much prefer coming into a finished home and working with my clients on the furniture, soft furnishings, the finishing touches for their home.

So what’s the difference between the two? The way I see it is we work together to make each other look better. 

• A designer reworks the bones of the house to make the space work
• The stylist waves a magic wand and provides the finishing touches to make a well designed house look like an inviting home.

Stylists do presentation and the finishing touches, such as:

• Sourcing soft furnishings such as fabrics for curtains or cushions, rugs and linen. 
• Refreshing your furniture layout and suggesting new pieces to suit the room
• Accessing trade suppliers and often passing on their trade discounts to you
• Suggesting paint and colour options throughout the home
• Presenting you with fresh ideas for your home that you can execute in your own time.  This is something I’m big on.  I like my clients to have input so the final result is a reflection of the households personalities, it’s not about my ego and portfolio.  You need to be happy with where you live, after all I’m not going to be living there!
• Events styling - bridal and baby showers, dessert tables for a dinner party or birthday celebrations
• Magazine or catalogue shoots 

Designers do design concepts, detailed drawings for trades:

• New kitchen or bathroom designs
• Full renovations
• Custom joinery design and finish specifications
• Detailed CAD drawings for trades to use
• Space planning for each room of the home
• Advice on working within council guidelines so your renovation plans are approved faster

Designers are a bit like the undergarments of an outfit for the house and a stylist is the statement jacket, scarf and accessories - you need both to create a harmonious and balanced look. 

So if you’re about to start major renovations where you’re moving walls, knocking out the kitchen and bathroom or completely demolishing the house a designer is the right person for your job. If you’re happy with the functionality of the rooms in your home but just need to give the home a refresh and some loving then a stylist/decorator is who you need. 

{All images from the magic wand of Emma of Nest Designs}

Read More

Seasonal styling with Emma from Nest Designs: Winter Wonderland

It appears that despite how hard we’ve tried with the weather the last few weeks, we can’t ignore that Winter is finally here in Sydney. There’s no going back now! So I thought it would be the perfect time to share some of my tips and tricks for winter seasonal styling.

Winter is my favourite season and I often choose to travel to the Northern Hemisphere in winter on purpose as Australian winters aren’t really a proper winter! Snow falling outside a cabin window, a log fire crackling and a cup of hot chocolate are a recipe for the perfect holiday for me.

So, how do we recreate this in our homes? Here are the elements I tend to rely on to create that cozy Winter feel. 

{1. Texture}
Think knitted throw rugs, velvet feather stuffed scatter cushions, a deep sofa wide enough for you and a loved one to snuggle on, don’t forget wood is mother natures best texture so adding some textured timber statements to the room will do wonders for the winter theme you’re going for.
{2. Layering}
It’s important when using different textures in a space to layer them through out the room, so a woollen loop pile rug layered with a linen slipcover sofa covered in rich jewel coloured cushions in soft textured fabrics topped off with a floor lamp with a textured timber base and round linen drum shade throwing beautiful warm white light across the room. 
{3. Greenery}
One of my golden rules of decorating is always add greenery, it doesn’t matter the season, there’s always a plant or flower in bloom in winter time that adds a beautiful and life filled element to the space. 
{4. Lighting}
Often overlooked when planning a room but one of the most important elements is the light in the space, in winter to create the comfy cozy feel floor lamps, wall scones and candle light ooze cosiness where as harsh bright white down lights feel stark and lifeless. Always go for a warm white light globe rather than a cool white light globe, warm white light is much more flattering. 

Now, what should you swap out for winter vs summer styling?
 Start with the soft furnishings, this doesn’t need to be an expensive exercise, you can update these elements for less than $1,000. Switch out your sisal summery rug for a longer pile woollen rug in a similar colour tone, swap your hessian and linen cushions for velvets or knitted wool, pop some heavier weight curtains over the windows (this also keeps the warmth in - bonus!), add some pinecones collected in the streets to your fireplace mantel, a beautiful floral display of red berry flowers and a tray on your coffee table for 3-4 candles to burn subtly at night. 


Wintery throws by west elm, yellow chevron knitted pillow, native arrangement by Adam's Garden Florist

Voila! Instant winter makeover for your living space. 

This wonderful blog post was written for us by Emma from Nest Designs.

Image credits from top: winter lounge, lounge with coral accents by Better Homes & Gardens, souk wool rug by west elm

Read More

over a cuppa with...Emma Blomfield of Nest Designs, our new contributor!

Today I am very excited to introduce you to Emma Blomfield of Nest Designs.  Emma is a talented Interior Stylist with a flourishing business doing styling, e-decorating packages, decorating workshops, furniture sourcing, personalised mood boards, and from now (drum roll...) contributor to Build House Home.

When I sat down over a coffee with Emma a few weeks ago I just knew she would be fabulous for Build House Home.  We both want the same things from a blog, pretty pictures, useful information, and clear diy instructions.  We like things to be pretty, and practical, and where possible affordable.  Now I know what I like, but I am always looking for fresh inspiration, and Emma is an expert.  She brings a wealth of styling and sourcing knowledge which she plans to share with us right here, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with either.

Lets get to know Emma a little better

Favourite time of day...
When I jump into bed at night and scroll through my iPad to read my favourite blogs and catch up on social media for the day.

I have an hour to myself, the first thing I do is...
Probably refresh Instagram over and over, I’m almost obsessed with it.. Otherwise you’ll find me with a magazine on my lap, nail polish in one hand and the TV remote in the other flicking through rubbish reality tv…

A simple style secret I use myself is...
Look through the lens of a camera or your phone to see how what you’ve styled really looks. It’s ALWAYS different to how you see it in real life.

My favourite flowers are...
Freesias for their smell and ranunculus for colour and their happy faces.

Champagne or lemonade
Ha, easy, champagne. always.

Cheese or chocolate
Chocolate! If you knew how much chocolate I consume in a day you’d be shocked…..

What will be happening at Nest Designs this year
Good question! Each week brings new clients and new projects, in the next few months it’ll be a few retail re-design projects, including the re-design of a day spa (I’d be happy if they paid me in facials & massages to be honest!) plus decorating workshops in rural areas too. I love travelling to see rural towns and meet my e-decorating clients in real life!

No wonder we get on so well: blog obession (tick), reality tv watcher (don't tell anyone - tick), freesias and ranunculus (tick), champagne (tick), facials and massages (tick).

I can't wait to see what Emma gets up to this year and I am so excited that Emma is going to be adding a new voice to these pages! 

Read More