In her new book, Flip! For Decorating, Elizabeth Mayhew provides a step-by-step guide to decorating. Using her own apartment, she begins with a blank canvas, or rather, an empty room. By the time you flip through all the pages, you witness the room begin to take shape, one design element at a time. And if you flip fast enough, you can literally watch it happen right before your eyes.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
"The Leading Lady"
In her book, Mayhew covers everything from what kind of furniture you should have in any given room, to its proper proportion and shape. She calls the sofa "the leading lady," saying, "without it, the show cannot go on."
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
The Rug
While a rug provides a way to connect the furniture, Mayhew doesn't believe it should dictate a room's design scheme. "A lot of decorators will say to start with the rug," she says. "I would never say that because they are so expensive! I'd rather spend money on something else."
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
Rug Shopping
Mayhew covers the basics of choosing rugs, and how their "size, shape and material should be influenced by the room's decor." She goes over everything from how much furniture to fit on a rug, to how to tell if it's handmade or not.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
Setting the Stage
"When arranging furniture in tandem with a rug, think of the rug as the stage," Mayhew says. She goes on to give tips on how furniture should be positioned on and around the rug.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
The Coffee Table
Mayhew believes your coffee table makes a statement, and its contents are an expression of the room's feel and tone.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
Side Tables
Mayhew suggests adding a few different types of surfaces to a room, rather than buying matching end tables.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
Surface Diversity
Mayhew offers advice on what styles and shapes go together, and what you can put on side tables that give them extra character.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
The Chair
Mayhew outlines many different types of chairs and what they provide in terms of comfort, size, shape and style.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
Why Chairs Rock
"If I were any piece of furniture, I'd be a chair, 100 percent," says Mayhew. "They have the nicest lines, they are the most moveable and adaptable. They are the friendliest and most diverse. That's the thing I would be time and time again."
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
Provide Different Types of Seating
Mayhew advocates having different types of chairs in a room, no matter the room's size. She notes that different styles of chairs can make a room look larger or smaller.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
Furniture Arrangement
Now that you have all the furniture components, you have to put them altogether in a way that makes sense. Mayhew provides examples of different layouts, and how they can work to your benefit depending on your furniture and room size.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
Lighting
In addition to covering the basics, Mayhew gives tips on how to pick the perfect lampshade, and how one type of lighting can give your room a complete makeover for just around $15!
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
The Finishing Touches
While accents are usually the last items on the list, they can make or break the decor. Mayhew gives tips on what messages accessories send, where they should go and how much is too much.
Like the way this room was put together? Watch other rooms unfold in Flip! For Decorating.
Photo Credit: Anne Schlechter
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Putting the Pieces Together
In her new book, Flip! For Decorating, Elizabeth Mayhew provides a step-by-step guide to decorating. Using her own apartment, she begins with a blank canvas, or rather, an empty room. By the time you flip through all the pages, you witness the room begin to take shape, one design element at a time. And if you flip fast enough, you can literally watch it happen right before your eyes.
