For Liberty Interiors founder Nicole Rosenberg, luxury is in the eye of the beholder.
The home decor expert is predicting a big moment for all things luxe in 2022 — but how can people achieve that high-end look on a low-spend budget?
Rosenberg says it all comes down to planning — she’s a major proponent of meticulously curated Pinterest boards to inspire everything from tapware to couches, using the platform to plot her ideas, channel her creative thinking and present design specs for clients.
“It’s the idea of having a digital version of my old design scrapbook, where I would compile my ideas in a paper format. Now, I have perfectly categorised boards, from ‘Art I Love’ to ‘Couch Crush’ — a collection of all the chairs I’d ever want to buy; Pinterest has really changed the way I work.”
And she’s expecting big things in the design world in 2022, particularly as people look to bring a touch of luxury to every area of their home, including the hard-to-reno rooms (luxury laundry, anyone?).
She believes any luxury make-over should start with a defined colour palette, which can be enhanced by lush accessories, light fittings and florals.
“The best way to transform your space on a budget is with paint,” Rosenberg says. “At the moment, very neutral, natural brown/cream tones are on-trend. Painting a room in one block colour screams luxury, especially when that colour is beige, and everything else is styled white; the results are irresistibly high-end.”
Add a vase of fresh flowers, a beautifully labelled candle, and a statement lamp and you can bring a touch of glam to any space without spending a fortune.
As for the laundry or the garage luxury make-over, Rosenberg suggests other items to bring a sense glam to an unexpected corner.
“It sounds a bit unorthodox, but add greenery, and some art to your laundry room,” she says. “We spend so much time in the laundry, and there’s always an empty wall. Putting up a piece of art that portrays nice scenery or nature can really bring a fresh feel to your laundry space.”
As part of her design process, Rosenberg now uses Pinterest to share her creative thinking with her clients, putting together a mood board of colours, furniture picks and design ideas that matches their desired look and feel.
She loves sourcing inspiration from interior design magazines, real estate photography, and even fashion publications, using Pinterest as her virtual sketch pad, and a place to seek out new ideas and emerging trends.
“It’s like an interiors’ encyclopaedia for me, I’m constantly banking ideas,” she says. “I never want to forget that divine chair I saw online that could be great for a client, or that unusually shaped piece of furniture. I think weirdly designed furniture is getting a bit of a cult following at the moment and textured items too, so I’m always on the lookout for pins that show these concepts off, and really helps put them in context for clients.”
With the rise of hybrid working in the new year, Rosenberg is anticipating a slew of clients looking to give a glam makeover to their home office space, wanting to combine functionality with swathe.
She recommends investing in a stunning work desk and some cool art to bring a little bit of grandeur to your 9-5.
“People shouldn’t always think about a conventional desk — why not opt for a beautiful marble dining table as an alternative?” she says.” Grab an unusually shaped lamp for a real feature piece and add a piece of art that really resonates with you. You can even go for a collage look where you have a large piece of art with one or two extra smaller ones underneath it.”
Whatever your design goals for 2022, Rosenberg suggests starting your planning with mood boards and keeping the styling simple. If you’re going heavy with colour or wallpaper on the walls, par back the soft furnishings and use lighting to give the room dimension. Use colour charts and boards to plan each room and think about the vibe you want to achieve.
Everyone is different and so is each home — there’s no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to interior design. As a person’s sanctuary, it should really celebrate who you are, while also being functional, comfortable and relaxing.
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