How to Style an Urban Loft
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Just steps away from Trinity Bellwoods in the vibrant and dynamic neighbourhood of Queen West, we had the pleasure of working on a fabulous urban loft that exudes everything Torontonians’ love about this part of the city. As a starting point, our client sent us beautiful inspiration photos of spaces complete with tonal, earthy-toned furniture but with dashes of Parisian apartment flair. As various pieces of furniture started to arrive (Pierre Jeanneret- inspired dining chairs, bouclé occasional seating, sculptural coffee tables and the like…), we began to see our client’s vision take shape but ultimately, it isn’t enough to simply place the furniture and say voilà! To truly see a space come to life, it’s all in the details. With a carefully curated selection of decorative accessories, we were able to bring what was already a beautiful space to the next echelon. Here are a few examples of some of our favourite styling moments from this shoot, as well as a selection of pieces to create a similar look in your own home…
In a space that is as calm and neutral as this loft, there is plenty of opportunity to add drama through styling in the form of unexpected colours and textures. With that in mind, Forsythia is conveniently in season and served as a wonderful starting point with a fabulous spray of yellow blossoms in a simple but sculptural vase, which we placed on the console table. To further play on the yellow accent, we found a pair of yellow-hued decorative glass carafes to rest on a stack of coffee table books for variation in height. Instead of a table lamp, we wanted the option of soft candle light and with the console’s close proximity to the dining table, this seemed like the perfect place with a wood-framed mirror hanging behind to bounce the flickering light. To finish, a decorative marble knot was a whimsical contrast piece on the dark lacquered surface.
In a previous post we’ve talked about the different ways to go about styling a coffee table. Ultimately, what it all boils down to is finding the right balance of a variety of textures and materials and then arranging them in such a way that you have variation in height. For this particular living room, we wanted to select pieces that would be visually appealing but wouldn’t detract from the coffee table itself, as it is quite stunning with its swirling veins and colour variations. To do this, we kept things simple by starting with two pairs of stacked coffee table books on either end. This created a bit of symmetry in a way that didn’t feel too precious. Candles and candle stick holders were arranged in a marble tray to create verticality and ambience and to finish, a black earthenware bowl was positioned in the middle for depth and a focal point.
The old adage “Less is More” still holds true and, contrary to popular belief, can also apply when styling surfaces. For the entryway, we wanted to create an unexpected friction and contrast of styles and materials with as few pieces as possible. The beautiful European white oak console table is a stunner on its own with its striking shapes and natural finish so to really exaggerate it, we went with a mirror that felt completely opposite: an ornate gilded-framed mirror! Instead of mounting it on the wall though, we made the decision to have the mirror simply rest on the console’s surface and lean against the wall to create the aura of the relaxed glamor that the loft is all about. To serve as a vessel for the branches of magnolia, which are on the verge of displaying delicate pink blooms, we used a rustic jug. The result is a simple yet stunning look that’s an example of things being so wrong that they feel (spectacularly) right!
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