Tips For Styling Your Home: Q&A With Burlap & Crystal

Hey guys. I hope everyone is having relaxing weekend- maybe even one with a social media break?

Anyways, we’re here today because I want to talk about one of my favorite things: interior design. I remember when I lived by myself, very fondly I might add, ( sorry Michael! ) and creating my own space was the best thing ever. Designing my home the exact way I wanted was SO FUN. I loved every second of it.

Fast forward to Michael & I moving in together and…. eer…. there were some challenges to say the least. Obviously I called my stepmom, Julie, right away. It was clear we needed some help ( & a mediator – HA ).

Julie, is amazing with interiors and décor. She just gets it. You know this if you’ve been reading the blog for a while. I interviewed her here.

Recently she’s teamed up with my brother, Myles Mckeown, and they’ve totally revamped Burlap and Crystal. They are both extremely talented & have an incredible eye for design.

You guys have to go check out the site. Blog-doo designed it and it looks fucking amazing. There’s a direct link to the Burlap and Crystal blog where Myles & Julie share home and style tips, and even recipes. You Know I love value and Burlap and Crystal has it.

I also need to talk about how proud I am of Myles. He’s been hustling his ass off since he was 13, working at a restaurant, and is now working his dream job with his mom, Julie.

It really is the perfect fit because Myles is the Burlap ( a bit more raw & industrial ) and Julie is the Crystal ( polished & neat ). Their passions & styles totally align in this perfect way that you just have to see. I can’t think of a better duo when it comes to interior design.

They know how to perfectly capture their clients’ style and make each space unique to the owner. I know this because they’ve done both my houses & some TSC readers’ homes.

They have teamed up before to help Michael & I design our San Diego and LA home, but now it’s official and I couldn’t be happier for them. If you missed my home tours on the blog you have to scope them out: San Diego part 1 & 2.

Currently, they’re working on Alce 101 which is opening in Solana Beach in 2019.

I’m so happy to have them on the blog to answer questions about home styling your home & decorating on a budget. With that here’s Julie to kick us off:

Hi Skinnies, I’m Julie, Founder of the design firm Burlap and Crystal Interiors. I’ve been here with you lovelies before and feel like I know many of you just from reading the secret TSC facebook and comments on TSC blog. I’m thrilled to be back and really hope we give you some inspiration to capture your unique style with some of our affordable suggestions.

Designing on a budget for me is in some ways more fun and challenging than having an unlimited budget.  It forces you to think out of the box and come up with affordable solutions to accomplish a space with style.

Let’s talk starting points. Here are some of our budget shortcuts with big impact:

Tips For Styling Your Home

DEFINE YOUR STYLE

Take the time to define your style.  Use resources like Pinterest, Instagram and magazines.  Clip, copy and Pin away the images that speak to you. In each picture determine exactly what it is you love.  Don’t be afraid to like things that seem out of reach or budget. Once you feel like you have a direction and a style defined, it’s time to put yourself into action.

BIGGER IS BETTER

Less is best. Avoid having too many little things. Bigger art, bigger coffee table, bigger accessories.  As long as you keep the look/space uncluttered and bigger items in the rooms, the more space it looks like you have.

INVEST IN WHAT YOU LOVE

Some items need to be considered investment purchases, such as a sofa, good bedding, art or something you fall in love with.  There is no guilt in surrounding yourself with things you love and a few investment purchases should be intended to get you through to your next chapter.

WINDOW FINISHINGS

Windows shouldn’t be ignored and can make a space look undressed or unfinished.  If you have a sliding door, buy inexpensive draperies and rods ( Ikea/Homegoods ) and hang them above the windows or even up to the ceiling.  This makes the room look bigger and grander. Be sure to measure the height ceiling to floor so you buy drapes long enough to reach the floor.  For smaller windows you can find nice roman shades that can be hung above the window with sheers on a rood for the sides. It’s a soft look, but finishes the window.

ADD COLOR

Paint can do wonders, but some apartments or leases may object. Find out if you can paint a few walls.  Painting is easy, forgivable and can add that pop that you crave. I love a dark wall. It’s a big misconception that it shrinks a room. It adds depth and a really cool vibe to a space. Think navy, black, charcoal, if you’re feeling really adventurous you could throw anything from the color spectrum on there. As long as it’s YOU! And you love it!

GET THRIFTY

Consignment stores are a treasure hunt for undiscovered possibilities.  If you’re looking for a glass top gold coffee table, look at all the glass top tables and know that you can spray paint it gold to get your look.  If you’re looking for something dramatic, keep in mind you can paint anything and transform it. You can find amazing mirrors at consignment stores, all with a potential to be painted.

For extra seating you can often find two chairs alike with a good shape to them. Reupholstering can completely transform an ugly duckling to a swan. There is no limit to what you can find, just use your imagination.

LIGHTING

Lighting can be a forgotten addition while designing your space. If you’re in a lease, you won’t likely be pulling wire for new fixtures. However, you can consider replacing a standard existing fixture with something more to your liking for the time you are there.  Another option is finding hanging fixtures you love. You can have them converted to a plug in fixture and install them with hanging hooks. Adding custom lighting has big impact.

BOOKS

Coffee table books are a must with any coffee table. Pick one or two books that reflect something you love.  Maybe it’s a place to travel, or a music icon inspiration. Just make sure they are your passion and tell a story about things that you love.

TRIANGLE EFFECT

Lastly, to pull everything together create a triangle effect. For example if you’re bringing in a small pop of color, place that color in three spots throughout the space so it makes your eyes travel through the space connecting the triangle.  The same effect can be created with earthy elements.

Now let’s hear from Myles and his advice.

Hello, TSC readers! I’m Myles, Co-Owner and Designer of Burlap & Crystal Interiors. A little bit about me before we get going. When my mom asked me to co-own Burlap and Crystal with her I jumped at the opportunity. Design has always been a passion of mine and to finally turn that into a career path was something I couldn’t pass up!

My personal style leans a little bit towards the rougher, darker side of design. Choosing to blend both of our styles has really opened us both up to a whole new world of possibilities and has allowed us to create some truly exceptional spaces!

Long story short, I fucking love what I do and intend to do it until I can no longer get around on my own.

On to why you’re really here though! Designing on a limited budget is dependent on a few things; size, price points, and personal style. More often than not designing on a budget is usually in a smaller space and you’re limited to what you can do. My go-to’s for making a small space feel bigger and at home are almost always a select few pieces.

LIVING ROOM MUST HAVES

COUCH

A MUST for me is a half decent couch. Obviously not some super extra 5 figure couch, but something deep, clean, and comfortable.  Paired with accent throw pillows.  Ikea has surprised me time and time again with the overall quality. Some of their stuff is absolute shit ( sorry Ikea ) but some of their seating is on point! Take a little time to check the site and see if there’s something that flows with YOUR style and that you can picture yourself sitting in and passing out on for some time to come.

ENTERTAINMENT SEATING

We all have our spot on the couch where we like to curl up with our dog (or cat, lizard, hamster, book, whatever you cuddle on the couch is none of my business.) and watch our shows, but for when we have friends over for drinks or family over, additional seating is fairly important. I’d throw maybe 2 comfy chairs in there as well, if your space allows it. I’ve somehow managed to cram 2 chairs and a couch and a full sized bar into my 900 sq ft apartment and it’s still not too cramped in here.

COFFEE TABLE

There are SO many options in the couple hundred dollar range just about anywhere you look. I’ve always dug a little bit of an industrial feel to coffee tables, but that’s not for everyone. I like blending warm and cold elements together. I think it gives a space some depth and makes it a little more interesting.

AREA RUG

This is a big part of where mixing warm and cold elements comes together so nicely. As designers we have great options for purchasing. However, I’m always into checking out your local consignment store for big, cool and beautiful items.

CONSOLE

Something to put whatever it is that you use to entertain in your living room. I personally usually hang the TV and try my best to tuck the wires so they’re nice and hidden. The console allows a practical place for storage and it gives you more space for some accessories that make your space more you!

ACCESSORIES & ART

You can go minimalistic if you want to but you need a little bit here and there to tie everything together! One of our best friends for any install is Homegoods. They may honestly know us by name there now. This is another spot that can be hit or miss though. If you’ve got some time to dig around a little and search, it can be a fucking gold mine. We buy anything we see with value at Homegoods and throw it into storage for future use. Target is a really solid spot to look too, some of it is cheesy af but some of it is really good quality and really good looking. Again it really comes down to what you like personally.

Most important of all in any sort of design, is reflecting your personal self – to make sure that it feels like you. You want to walk in and feel the stress from your day melt away into your comfortable space! I think that just about covers my go-tos for a living room.

For other areas of your home, like the bedroom – bedside tables with matching table lamps are a must-have.  Make your bedroom super simple since this is the room where you relax.

In your Kitchen, kitchen cabinets are a must-have to store your spices, pantry supplies, etc.  You can have your piece of furniture custom-made or store-bought just as long as you follow your color pattern and room feel.tyy

If you want to have an in-depth room to room design guide, feel free to contact us.

We are more than happy to help anyone, anywhere, any time. We understand it’s easy to get stuck when creating a space of your own and have done more than a few budget projects to be able to guide the process and take on some of the busy work.

Be courageous, be you, take your time and love the rewards of a space that reflects you and makes you feel at home.Thanks for reading! Myles and Julie, Burlap & Crystal Interiors.

I just love their vibe.

See you tomorrow,

x, lauryn

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+ follow Julie and Burlap and Crystal on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest.

+ more fun posts for your home.

HOME DECOR INSPIRATION