Aug.

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Petite Luxe

Question: Yolanda, love your design posts, but what about those of us who don’t own a home or a fancy apartment, how can we incorporate great design into our living environment without breaking the bank?

I get this email question more often than not, and my response is always look at each design post as inspiration and take from the photos what WOULD work in your home. A color combination. The artwork. The way the bed is made. The lamps. The position of the chairs. And remember that great style or design is not about money, it’s more about how you choose to put things together. How do I know? How many episodes of MTV Cribs have you seen where some million dollar athlete has clearly hired the wrong decorator? As the star athlete walks proudly from room to room you soon realize that someone told them that any sofa priced at $10,000 was worth the money no matter how ugly. Or that they needed to buy a matchy matchy oversized bedroom or living room set. Bottom line, great design is good taste and good taste can be reflected in something as simple as finding practical, everyday solutions in a small living space.

To show you a great example of how you can add WOW to any living environment, take a look at interior designer Lindsey Coral Harper’s studio apartment and how creatively she decorated every corner for maximum impact. She designated areas for living, sleeping and even her massive book collection. And while Lindsey describes her style as traditional with a twist, she clearly believes in layering because she combined unique color combinations, patterns, and textures with great success.

Lindsey is also a custom furniture designer and you can see her collaborations with Maggie Currey at their website Lamshop. A native of Georgia (and a Georgia Bulldog), Lindsey is a Southern girl with limitless style who knows how to add a bit of functionality and glamour to even the smallest spaces.