On the Couch With Erika Powell

Mix It Up

MHI: Do you have any personal design secrets you'd like to share?

EMP: It doesn't have to match. Your cabinet hardware doesn't have to match your light fixtures, which don't have to match your appliances, and so on. If everything matches, the result is flat.

I think the same rule applies to furniture and art. If you buy all your furniture at the same store or buy bedroom or dining room suites, your house will look like it came directly off the showroom floor.

It's far more interesting to mix and match finishes and styles, and it adds character and layers to a room.