Unleash Your Inner Design Maverick
A No-Fluff Guide to Thinking Like a Pro
Let's kill the "I can't decorate" myth once and for all. Your beige phase is officially over.
Listen up, gorgeous.
Let’s have a little heart-to-heart. You, me, and that weirdly empty corner of your living room that’s currently mocking you. I see you.
I see the Pinterest-induced paralysis, the endless scroll through rooms that look like they were built for people who don’t spill, sweat, or have questionable taste in 90s music.
And I hear the little voice in your head, the one that whispers, “I’m just not good at this. I don’t have ‘the eye.’ I should just buy the gray sofa everyone else has.”
To that voice, I say: LOL, cute.
The biggest, most boring lie the design world ever sold you is that creating a home with personality is some mystical talent you’re either born with or you’re not. It’s nonsense.
Thinking like an interior designer isn’t about having a secret, magical gene. It’s a mindset. It’s a series of questions. It's a permission slip you write for yourself.
So, pour a stiff drink (or a kombucha; you do you) and let’s rewire that gorgeous brain of yours.
Here’s how you start thinking like the confident, bold, authentic design maverick you truly are.
1. Stop Asking "What Matches?" and Start Asking "How Do I Want to FEEL?"
Amateurs worry about matching. Pros, my friend, are vibe curators.
Before you even think about a paint chip, stop and ask yourself the real question: How do you want to feel when you walk into this room?
Sexy and mysterious, like a film noir detective? Okay, we’re talking dark, moody colours, velvet, brass, and dimmable, dramatic lighting.
Energised and creative, like you just snorted a line of glitter? Bring on the saturated colours, the clashing patterns, the weird art, and a workspace that doesn’t hide from the world.
Calm and cosy, like you're wrapped in a hug from a lumberjack who smells like cedar and Earl Grey tea? We need textures, baby. Chunky knits, worn leather, soft wool, warm woods, and a million candles.
See the difference? We’re not decorating a room; we’re building a feeling. The feeling comes first. The stuff is just the supporting cast.
2. You're the Main Character. Your Home is the Set.
A generic, soulless room is a sign of one thing: the designer forgot to tell a story. Your story.
Your home should be a physical autobiography. It should spill the tea on who you are, where you’ve been, and what you love.
Stop trying to create a sterile showroom that will impress strangers on the internet. Start creating a set that reflects its main character: YOU.
That tacky souvenir from your trip to Mexico? Don’t hide it in a drawer. Frame it like it’s a goddamn masterpiece.
That collection of vintage sci-fi paperbacks? That’s not clutter, darling. That’s a personality trait. Stack them proudly on a side table.
That slightly-too-loud floral wallpaper you can’t stop thinking about? That’s your soul trying to talk to you. LISTEN TO IT.
A designer’s job is to extract the client’s story and splash it all over the walls. Your job is to stop hiding your story behind a mountain of gray throw pillows.
3. Play Detective in Your Own Home
Designers are, first and foremost, problem-solvers. They don’t just plop pretty things down. They look at a space and ask, “What’s not working here?”
Put on your detective hat and investigate your own space with brutal honesty.
Where does the crap always pile up? That spot needs a "drop zone"—a sexy bowl, a cool tray, a basket. Give the clutter a designated, stylish home.
Which corner is so dark it feels like a sad little black hole? That’s not a lost cause; it’s an opportunity for a killer floor lamp or a picture light over a piece of art.
Why do you never, ever sit on that one armchair? Is it uncomfortable? Is it facing a blank wall? Move it, reupholster it, or get rid of it. Life’s too short for furniture you don’t use.
Fix the function first. A beautiful room that doesn’t work for your life is just a pretty prison.
4. Learn the Rules... So You Can Break Them with Style.
Yes, there are design “rules.” The 60-30-10 color rule. The guidelines for rug size. The proper height to hang art.
You should Google them. Spend ten minutes learning the basics.
And then? You should earn the right to look those rules in the eye and say, “I think I’ll do it my way.”
The rule: Hang art at eye level.
The Maverick Move: Create a floor-to-ceiling gallery wall that drips with drama. Or lean a massive piece of art against the wall for an effortlessly cool vibe.
The rule: Don’t use large-scale furniture in a small room.
The Maverick Move: Put an unapologetically huge, gorgeous antique armoire in a tiny bedroom. It becomes a stunning, statement-making focal point instead of a collection of dinky little pieces.
Knowing the rules gives you the foundation. Breaking them with intention gives you the swagger.
So, are you ready to stop being a vanilla bystander in your own home?
Designing your space isn’t a test you can fail. It’s an act of self-expression. It’s a joyful, messy, ongoing conversation with yourself. There is no “right” or “wrong,” there is only “boring” and “brave.”
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make one bold, authentic, sassy decision in your home this week. Buy the weird lamp. Paint the damn wall. Hang the picture of your dog dressed as Dolly Parton.
Stop waiting for permission. You are the designer now.
Go make some magic.
Stay Sassy, beautiful
Love, Penelope xx
Chief Uber-Fabulous Campaigner
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