SHOP EXCLUSIVE
Explore Nabela’s Spring Living Room Refresh
March 2023
Spring is finally here and if you’re an East Coaster like me, the return of warmth and extra daylight calls for a fresh welcome to the new season!
I am both a creature of habit and a lover of exploring new possibilities, especially within the home. As a design lover, rearranging furniture, changing up a space and reimagining corners of my home is truly my favorite form of creative expression.
So as I welcome Spring with open arms, I am thrilled to reflect the same energy within our home. Starting with our living room, which takes center stage in our main living area with its open concept. I repurposed nearly everything from my existing living room with the exception of our Restoration Hardware cloud couches. Those comfy beauties now have a new home in our lake house project as we made space for something new and a little more firm.
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The Power of Rearranging
When Jake Arnold unveiled his new collaboration with Crate & Barrel, I immediately fell in love with the box-pleated, slipcovered sofa from his launch. I knew they had to be in our home and immediately ordered when they made their debut. I am happy to say I have no regrets - from the color, texture, firmness, and structure, these sofas are truly a work of art.
The key to our living room refresh lies in the rearranging of the furniture, and the new configuration is absolutely Ami-approved. We wanted to create a more seamless path of travel for Amalia as she glides around in her walker and crawls to her heart’s content. So we opted to set our two new matching sofas parallel to each other, while framing the back of our living room with our pre-existing swivel chairs. This orientation serves as a loose divide between the living space and our kitchen and dining.
I stole my side table from my bedroom and changed the orientation of our coffee table, which felt like an instant upgrade. For decor, I pulled from different rooms around the house and suddenly, it felt like a brand new item in our newly reimagined space. Again, apart from the sofas, I purchased no new items for our Spring refresh which aligns with my next favorite thing to do come Springtime — a good old Spring cleaning.
I always tell clients and loved ones: Never underestimate the power of rearranging your furniture. Just a fresh take on the same space with the majority, if not all, of the same furniture can make a massive difference. You don’t need brand new everything. Sometimes a singular swap and a fresh configuration can make the world of a difference.
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With Some Decor, Less is More
I wouldn’t call my decor style minimalist by any means, but I am not necessarily a maximalist either. I think for certain areas of design, layering can add depth and warmth to a space. And for others, too much can just feel cluttered.
As the proud designer of the Bari pillow covers for my home brand, Nabela Noor Home, one might assume that I’d encourage rows upon rows of throw pillows when styling. But in reality, while that look *can* work, something about just a few throw pillows on each corner of our sofas felt right. Especially as I integrate my Bari pillow covers, which are adorned with beautiful and complex patterns from the rich sari fabrics used to craft them. My advice? Pick your favorite pillows to bring into your new space when refreshing, OR allow the change of the throw pillows to *be* the refresh.
Chase a Feeling, Not a Trend
However you choose to style, just think about the overall feeling you're trying to convey in the space and make your decisions accordingly. For me, it’s always centered in creating calming spaces that amplify my #pocketsofpeace.
Back when I first began exploring the world of design, I constantly chased after the latest trends. We can explore my design evolution on a different day, but just know - it’s been a journey. My biggest issue was that I focused more on what was popular and not nearly as much on what lit me up inside. Now, I pay little mind to the opinions of others and what’s considered the latest and greatest trend in the design world. While it's great to be inspired by what is gaining popularity, I only apply the trends that make sense with my existing design ethos and aesthetic.
I’d describe my design aesthetic as tranquil, relaxing, bright and neutral. Notice how some of those descriptors are feelings. Once I realized how I wanted my space to make me feel, making design decisions felt much easier and more organic. And the rest has been history. Whether someone finds it visually appealing or not, that doesn’t concern me. When refreshing your space this season, I hope what inspires you most is fueled by a feeling.
Happy refreshing!
Images by: Kinna Shaffer
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