We swear by these 6 home styling rules

Summary

Podcast Summary: Style-ish – "We Swear by These 6 Home Styling Rules"

Release Date: May 13, 2025
Hosts: Madison Sullivan Thorpe, Joanna Fleming, Rhiannon Joyce (Guest Host)
Special Guest: Bri Turton, Interior Designer and Founder of Studio Bree
Sponsor: Lululemon

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Introduction

In this episode of Style-ish, host Madison Sullivan Thorpe, alongside co-hosts Joanna Fleming and guest host Rhiannon Joyce (filling in for Annika), delve into the world of home styling. Joined by interior design expert Bri Turton, the trio explores six essential rules for styling your home, providing listeners with actionable tips to create a warm, inviting, and uniquely personal living space.

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Rule 1: Follow the Three, Five, Seven Rule of Decorating

Overview:
The trio discusses the importance of grouping decorative items in odd numbers—specifically threes, fives, and sevens—to create a dynamic and visually interesting space. Bri explains that while even numbers can feel predictable and symmetrical, odd numbers add movement and depth.

Key Points:

• Dynamic Flow: Odd-numbered groupings prevent a stagnant feel and mimic natural patterns.
• Variety in Scale: Mixing different heights and sizes within these groupings enhances visual interest.

Notable Quotes:

• Bri Turton [09:10]: "Even numbers generally feel predictable and symmetrical... Odd numbers create a more dynamic flow and are more visually interesting."
• Madison Sullivan Thorpe [10:05]: "I'll always do photo frames in a trio because I think two together looks quite random."

Practical Tips:

• Use the rule when arranging candles, trays, and photo frames.
• Embrace uneven numbers in areas like coffee tables and bedside tables to add character.

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Rule 2: Scent as a Styling Method

Overview:
Scent is highlighted as an often-overlooked aspect of home styling. Bri emphasizes its role in defining different spaces and times through distinct fragrances.

Key Points:

• Invisible Layer: Scent adds an intangible yet impactful dimension to interior design.
• Signature Scents: Creating a unique fragrance profile can personalize a space, akin to how hotels use signature scents.
• Versatile Options: Incorporate scents through candles, incense, reed diffusers, and room sprays.

Notable Quotes:

• Madison Sullivan Thorpe [14:35]: "I think scent is so beautiful because you can add it as an important invisible layer in the styling process."
• Rhiannon Joyce [16:38]: "I love having a signature scent as well. It feels so personal."

Practical Tips:

• Assign specific scents to different areas or times of day (e.g., work hours vs. relaxation).
• Opt for high-quality candles with long burn times or use reed diffusers for subtle, lasting fragrances.
• Consider unique scent delivery methods, like Lumira's volcanic rock sphere.

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Rule 3: Building an Interior Style Takes Time

Overview:
The hosts discuss the importance of gradually curating a home's interior to ensure it reflects personal tastes and remains functional.

Key Points:

• Avoid ‘Dust Collecting’ Decor: Bri advises against filling spaces with meaningless items purchased all at once.
• Slow Build: Accumulate meaningful pieces over time for a more authentic and cohesive look.
• Functionality First: Ensure that each addition serves a practical purpose, enhancing the home's usability.

Notable Quotes:

• Bri Turton [22:53]: "I'd rather they have a completely empty bookshelf for two years and gradually start collecting meaningful pieces."
• Madison Sullivan Thorpe [25:27]: "Why don't we do the same with our home as we do with our wardrobe?"

Practical Tips:

• Start with essential spaces like the living room and kitchen before moving to personal areas like the bedroom.
• Use thrift stores and vintage shops to find unique, functional pieces that add character without overwhelming the space.
• Embrace the slow build approach, allowing your home to evolve naturally over time.

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Rule 4: Art Can Be Affordable

Overview:
Exploring ways to incorporate art into your home without breaking the bank, Bri offers various strategies for sourcing affordable yet meaningful artwork.

Key Points:

• Alternative Sources: Utilize Facebook Marketplace, Blue Thumb, and online platforms representing local artists.
• Limited Edition Prints: Opt for prints instead of originals to reduce costs while still supporting artists.
• DIY Art: Frame personal items such as tea towels, scarves, or handwritten letters for a personalized touch.

Notable Quotes:

• Bri Turton [33:47]: "Purchasing limited edition prints from your favorite artist is an amazing way to get art that you are excited about for a fraction of the cost."
• Joanna Fleming [35:07]: "Etsy is also a really good place to look for a few trinkets because they're handmade and support local artisans."

Practical Tips:

• Explore online marketplaces and local auctions for budget-friendly art options.
• Personalize your space by framing meaningful personal items or travel souvenirs.
• Invest in versatile frames from thrift stores to display various affordable art pieces.

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Rule 5: Determine a Good Trinket

Overview:
Trinkets add character and personal flair to a home. The hosts discuss criteria for selecting meaningful and functional trinkets that enhance their living spaces.

Key Points:

• Eclectic and Personal: Choose items that reflect your personality and experiences.
• Functionality: Opt for trinkets that serve a purpose, such as decorative bowls or candle holders.
• Avoid Trends: Select pieces that hold sentimental value to ensure longevity and personal connection.

Notable Quotes:

• Bri Turton [35:51]: "Each and every piece must tick at least one box, but the goal is for each item to tick two."
• Madison Sullivan Thorpe [37:17]: "I love matchboxes because they collect from places I've been—always a favorite."

Practical Tips:

• Collect trinkets during travels to infuse your home with stories and memories.
• Use trays, photo frames, and candle holders to display trinkets in an organized manner.
• Ensure each trinket has either functional value or sentimental significance to maintain a cohesive aesthetic.

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Rule 6: Learn How to Layer Lighting

Overview:
Effective lighting transforms a space, highlighting features and creating ambiance. Bri outlines the different types of lighting and how to layer them for optimal effect.

Key Points:

• Ambient Lighting: The foundation that provides general illumination.
• Task Lighting: Focused lighting for specific activities like reading or cooking.
• Accent Lighting: Highlights artwork or architectural features.
• Decorative Lighting: Enhances the aesthetic appeal while serving other lighting functions.

Notable Quotes:

• Bri Turton [40:12]: "By thinking about lighting with these principles, you'll always be able to create a different lighting sequence based on how you're using the home."
• Joanna Fleming [42:19]: "We can all agree that the big light needs to be canceled. I hate a big light."

Practical Tips:

• Use multiple light sources to create layered lighting effects, such as combining floor lamps with table lamps.
• Incorporate dimmers and smart bulbs to adjust lighting levels according to the time of day or activity.
• Highlight key pieces like artwork with spotlights or accent lights to draw attention and add depth.

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Listener Questions

Question from Harriet:
"When you were originally decorating your place, which room did you start with for styling and why?"

Hosts' Responses:

• Joanna Fleming [07:30]: "Living room. I just need my living space to be done first so that I can enjoy being alive."
• Madison Sullivan Thorpe [07:43]: "Living room and kitchen. It feels like an extension and integrates well in open spaces."
• Rhiannon Joyce [07:45]: "Same here, treated as one connected space."

Additional Tips:

• Focus on high-visibility areas first to immediately enhance the enjoyment of your home.
• Ensure that shared spaces are both functional and aesthetically pleasing to accommodate daily activities.

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Conclusion

In this insightful episode, Style-ish provides listeners with comprehensive guidance on home styling through six foundational rules. From the strategic placement of decorative items and the subtle power of scent to the gradual cultivation of a personal interior style, the hosts and their expert guest offer practical advice tailored to various tastes and living situations. Whether you're a seasoned decorator or just beginning to style your home, this episode equips you with the tools to create a space that’s both beautiful and uniquely yours.

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Notable Mentions:

• Sponsor Highlight: Lululemon’s new Align No Line Pant with no front seam, a decade-long bestseller now enhanced for even smoother comfort.
  • Rhiannon Joyce [13:36]: "The Align Pant has been a best selling style for 10 years... Now with no front seam, it’s an even smoother look and feel."

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Stay Connected:
For more tips and to share your own home styling journey, reach out via email at [e-mail] or follow them on Instagram at @StylishPod.

Transcript

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Foreign.

[Joanna Fleming]

This episode of Stylish is brought to you by Lululemon. The new align no line pant with no front seam is here.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

This is Stylish, the podcast for all things fashion, brand, business and beauty. My name is Madison Sullivan Thorpe. My co hosts for today are Joanna Fleming and Rhiannon Joyce, who is filling in while Annika is in Sydney and at Australian Fashion Week. And we're very much looking forward to having her back next week to give us the full rundown. But re Always a pleasure.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Hi, guys.

[Joanna Fleming]

Hi. I've spent a lot of time with you the last couple of weeks.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I know. I feel blessed.

[Joanna Fleming]

I've really enjoyed it, actually.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Have you laughed a lot?

[Joanna Fleming]

I have, yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Because I'm so funny. No, it's been nice. We've been busy. Jo, what have we been doing?

[Joanna Fleming]

We have been recording a very special series for our stylish audience, all about weddings.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I mean, I feel like, honestly, people have loved talking to us about weddings and it made sense for us to do this series. It will predominantly focus on wedding culture. We've got three episodes. We've got a few special guests joining us each episode. The first guest being our very own Zara McDonald, who did actually help produce the wedding series as well. What are you most excited about?

[Joanna Fleming]

I'm excited for everyone to hear the budget discussion.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So context. For the first episode, we get into all the nitty gritty how much Australians have actually spent on. On their wedding. So we cover the initial outlay of costs, flowers, dress. Also, if you're not a bride, we'll do a bit of a deep dive in what the average person also thinks is appropriate to spend on hens. And we had a bit of back and forth on this. So the first episode is really kicking off with a bang.

[Joanna Fleming]

I'm excited we'd be willing to bring it back as a more permanent fixture. I think if we get enough demand.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I think if the demand is there, absolutely. But already in the comments on our wonderful reel and TikTok that the girls posted as like a bit of a promo. So so many people like, yes, this is so good. We can't wait to hear it. So hopefully we don't disappoint. I'm sure we won't. We'll, as I said, have three episodes. They'll drop every Friday over the next three weeks. So, yeah, hold out for that. We'll be posting it a lot.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I cannot wait to tune in.

[Joanna Fleming]

All right, Today we're doing a very special interiors based episode. So together with the expert advice of Interior designer Bri Turton. We have pulled together six rules for styling your home, which we're really excited to jump into. But before we get into that, let's do the swap re, because you're our little guest today. Would you like to start us off?

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So my swap this week, I'm swapping in an Instagram account. They've been doing quite well in the past few weeks. So, Lara, who is Saint Browning on TikTok? Have you guys heard of her?

[Joanna Fleming]

No.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

She is great. Hands down, one of the most stylish people I've ever followed. I'm addicted to watching her videos.

[Joanna Fleming]

Okay, immediately searching immediately. I literally have my phone up, guys.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So her name is Lara and she, I would say, started that whole trend of talking about your outfit whilst you're walking, which sounds ridiculous that that is a trend, but I am starting to see a lot more creators doing it now. She's literally just walking down the street telling you about her outfit. But she also did some really good videos where these are the five things I wouldn't be caught dead wearing. But she does it in a tone that's not bitchy.

[Joanna Fleming]

Okay. And I was just about to say.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So she brings you in because you're like, oh, I'm going to take like to say something that you don't like. But the way that she actually delivers the tone in each of the things that she references. So good. And that's a hard thing to do.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

But she comes across direct. Like she doesn't like certain products or. But it's not rude. Whereas sometimes I feel like the tone on TikTok with those sort of videos can just be a bit off. I don't love that. I like her approach. She also offers solutions. She's like, don't wear that. Wear this instead. Like, sort of style video.

[Joanna Fleming]

I like that. I've just followed her.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Great. She's got a really nice, soothing voice.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I love it.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

What about you guys? What are you swapping in?

[Joanna Fleming]

Mads, do you want to go first?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. Mine is an old favorite that I had forgotten about. And then the Mecca Cosmetica Hydrogel under eye masks. They like $8amask or they come in a pack of five. And I had an event recently and popped them on while I was getting ready after I did my skin care and just did my eye makeup while they were on. Pro tip, pop them in the fridge so they're nice and cold when they go under. But it's just so good for hydrating the under eye area before you go in with your Concealer. Also just nice to have a little zhuzh under the eye. I don't know about anyone else, but I can get cakey and crusty.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Oh, yeah, big time.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

With concealer.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

As in I can.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, big time. Yeah, you do.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

No, I meant me.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Anyway, if you need a little, like, Pre event prep 8.

[Joanna Fleming]

Love that. Love that little tip.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

What's yours, Jo?

[Joanna Fleming]

I thought I'd bring a cleaning hack today.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Oh, wow.

[Joanna Fleming]

Much to Madison's dismay. I have had a lot of DMs on Instagram, by the way, saying you guys are enjoying the cleaning content, so I will keep bringing it even though Maddie does not like it.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I've actually seen quite a few posts on our video.

[Joanna Fleming]

Thank you.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah, lots of love for the cleaning.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I brought a mop, guys. Like, I kind of feel like I'm.

[Joanna Fleming]

Back and we're yet to hear an update about it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Love it. Obsessed with it.

[Joanna Fleming]

Okay, well, that's a second swap for this week then. So my hack today is a cleaning one. It's an oldie bit of goodie. I think a lot of people know this one, but I have posted it on my Instagram before and a lot of people have replied being like, oh, my God, I did not know about this. This is genius. So what I would suggest you do, if you don't do this already, is buy one of those dish scourers that have the handle on them that you're meant to put the dishwashing liquid into, fill it half with white vinegar, half with dish soap. Kind of like wet it while you're in the shower. It takes soap scum off like nothing else.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I can tell you're really satisfied by.

[Joanna Fleming]

This, the shine you'll get on your shower glass. I'm telling you, you guys need to do this if you don't do it already.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I'm a big fan of vinegar in the household roster. I just love that really clean smell without it being, like, chemically.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Okay, I need to try this.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, I use vinegar for a lot of things, like, even in the washing. I especially use it for our pet bedding, just to get rid of the smell. So I love vinegar, but it really does put a lot of shine on your shower glass.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Okay, we'll have to give that one.

[Joanna Fleming]

And it's like, so cheap to buy a bottle of cleaning vinegar, you know, and dish soap and just chuck that in. You don't need to buy, you know, a 1215 cleaning product that's probably not.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Going to the same thing that they usually just put the word bathroom in. Front of.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, exactly.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I work in marketing. Guys, let me tell you the tea. Okay, so the background of today's episode is that we have six rules for styling your home. And I think everyone wants their home to feel warm and inviting and uniquely you in some way or form. And it isn't something that's easily done overnight. It can take years of collecting, curating, tweaking. But there are rules that we can follow that make the interior styling and decorating journey a hell of a lot easier. With the help of Bree Turton, an experienced interior designer and the founder of Studio Bree, we've compiled six rules for styling your home that will hopefully help streamline the process. And we also thought this was the perfect episode for our very own Rae to be on, because I would go as far as to say she is a home interior expert.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I'm not gonna lie. I read that intro and I was like, expert? I don't think so. Lover, connoisseur, enthusiast? Enthusiastic? Yeah, no, I'm just. I love, love, love homeware so much. So when I found out I was guest on this episode, I was like.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yes, you do have a very beautiful home.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Thank you. That's very kind. But Brie is also incredible.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I thought it might be good to start today's episode with a listener question to kick us off. And I loved this question so much. So from listener Harriet, Bri, and Jo, when you were originally decorating your place, which room did you start with for styling and why?

[Joanna Fleming]

Living room.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. I just need my living space to be done first so that I can enjoy being alive.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

That's where you spend the most time.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. You?

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Living room.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. Okay.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

What about you, ms?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Well, surprise, surprise. It was the living room. Also the kitchen. I really like to feel like, because I have an open living area as well, it kind of feels like an extension. I think a lot of people have open.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

My space is the same. It's all connected, kind of treated as one.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I have to say, though, my bedroom was the absolute last. And my bed took 16 weeks to arrive from when I first moved in to my new place.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

And.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And when my girlfriends came over and went into the room, they were like, oh, my God, it's this beautiful girl house. And then you go into your bedroom and you look like a frat boy. One pillow, doona bed on the floor, no bedside. They were like, oh, my God, it's like coming to, like, a bad New York man's apartment.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Please tell me you do not have navy sheets. That would be the killer.

[Joanna Fleming]

We're Going to have a few listener questions peppered throughout as well. So thank you to our listeners who have thrown questions in for us to answer.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah, love the questions.

[Joanna Fleming]

So rule one is follow the three, five, seven rule of decorating. And I want to start this rule off with a question for both of you. Do either of you follow the 3, 5, 7 rule when you're decorating?

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So I would follow this as something that I've known, but I would say looking around my house, I do. So subconsciously I have been doing it.

[Joanna Fleming]

I didn't know it was a thing.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I didn't know it was a rule. And then when I looked around, I was like. It felt like that scene from Kathryn Kimmer. It's like, da, da, da, da. It's like everything was following me in. Uneven numbers.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. Well, if you're unfamiliar with this rule, like we were, it's the idea that objects in your home often look best grouped in uneven numbers. So Bree says that even numbers generally feel predictable and symmetrical. To me, it puts a full stop on the styling sequence and makes it feel stagnant. Odd numbers create a more dynamic flow and are more visually interesting. In addition, in design, all paths lead back to nature. Natural sequences are generally not bound by symmetry. Bree does say that it's important to think about this principle in a multi dimensional way, though. So, for example, three candlesticks that are identical in height are going to be read in a symmetrical way. So for dynamic styling, you'd use odd numbers mixed with odd scales. So you'd have different heights of your candlesticks. Bree says you wouldn't see four trees in a row with an identical number of branches and identical heights, which is very true. What objects do you guys style using this method already, I'm going to go.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Straight to my coffee table and I would say a mix of like candles, trays, trinkets, matchboxes. Yeah, yeah. What about you guys?

[Joanna Fleming]

I'm the same with like candlesticks and trays and things in my living area. To be honest, I'm a lot of room in my house, so I don't have.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I think that's a very real problem that a lot of people face.

[Joanna Fleming]

I'll get into that further later.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I also do it with photo frames. I'll always do photo frames in a trio because I think two together looks quite random.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So the only time I wouldn't do that is if I had a portrait one and a horizontal. I think that depth fine for a duo, but I usually do a trio. So it's like five in total, but separated.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

The other place that I noticed when I was going around my house, you know, evaluating every corner of it, was my bedside table. I'll always have, like, a lamp, a candle, and a picture frame. So that was kind of like a little dimensional trio.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. And different scales and heights and things. Yeah, I do that too, now that I'm thinking about it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Is there anywhere in your home that you found the exception to this rule where you were doing things in pairings or in even numbers?

[Joanna Fleming]

Probably art. I would hang two things next to each other because I feel like they're friends and it doesn't need to be a third.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

Like, they can if they want.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

But like I would have said two's.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

A crowd and three's a party. Hey, Lucky, we got three co hosts. I noticed it on. I have a built in bar, and I noticed it on there because I have a lot of glassware and wine and things on there, and I felt like there was a lot of symmetry and pairings going on there.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

But also, you generally have people over in 2, 4, 6. I would rarely have three people over. Is that random?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

No, I think you always group people off.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So that's why you always have to have enough glassware. And I would say twos. 2, 4, 6.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. I'm also like, I don't think I've ever bought three of the one glass. And not four.

[Joanna Fleming]

They would normally come in a two or four. So if you're buying a two pack, you're getting four.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

But that was the only real spot I could. And my tv.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

No, that.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

That's a solo artist.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah. And photo frames. That was pretty much it. Mm, cushions. Ooh, cushions.

[Joanna Fleming]

I have four on the couch. Ooh, should I throw one out?

[Rhiannon Joyce]

No.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I feel like we're getting into furnishings.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I think we're. I think we're cheating. We're cheating here.

[Joanna Fleming]

All right. Okay. We actually have a listener question related to this rule. Ebony asks, how do I put my things together nicely? I have nice things, but it always looks too staged. Re.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Oh, this is a tough one. Because it's a balance. Right. There are a couple of things. So first, I think anyone who invests in photo frames and photos of your family and your friends will immediately add a personal touch to your space. If we're talking about styling specifically, immediately comes to mind is like, throws or pillows. Don't do the whole chop pillow thing and, like, stage your throws. Make it look like it's actually lived in. I do think that helps a lot. Do you guys have any tips?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. I also think having a little play on Pinterest and seeing what elements you like and bringing them all together instead of going, I love that coffee table styling and. And going to replicate that. Exactly.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think we're going to touch on trinkets and trinkets is a personal passion of mine, but I think it's having those little personalized things that aren't like, I'm going to go and replicate every corner of what I've seen online or what I love of someone else. Because that's not.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

That's a good point.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Subjective to you. It's like going to a retailer and buying the entire head to toe outfit. It's not going to look like it does on the mannequin or the model.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

No, that's a good point.

[Joanna Fleming]

And I think if it's feeling true, staged to you, maybe those little elements in your house aren't actually really true to what you like. Because if it just doesn't feel quite right, then it may be you haven't invested in the right pieces for your home.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

No, I think that's a really good point. Okay, before we get into rule number two, we're just going to hear from today's sponsor, Jo. When it comes to style, we're not the gatekeeping type, are we?

[Joanna Fleming]

Absolutely not. Actually, it's kind of the whole point of stylish. When we get a product rack off, style tip, we pass it straight on to you guys.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Today we're shining the spotlight on Lululemon's viral Align Pant. These are so, so popular. I'm sure tons of our listeners already have them in their wardrobe.

[Joanna Fleming]

The number of times I've been recommended these by my friends over the last few years, they're low key, famous.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah, it's actually wild. But the Align Pant has been a best selling style for 10 years. They're the pair you need for yoga, pilates, daily walks, right through to everyday errands and school drop off.

[Joanna Fleming]

But here's the news. We've got intel on the aligned pants straight from Lululemon. Turns out everyone was asking for the Align Pant to be remade with no front seam. If you know, you know. And Lululemon has delivered.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Guys, just wait until you wear these. The Nul fabric is weightless and incredibly soft. It feels like a second skin. And now with no front seam, it's an even smoother look and feel.

[Joanna Fleming]

After 10 years of the iconic Align Pant, the new Align no line Pant is here. Shop it online or in store at Lululemon.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Thank you so much to Lululemon for making this episode of stylish possible.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Rule number two is scent as a styling method. I don't think it's a secret to anyone who has ever listened to stylish how passionate I am personally about fragrance. And in something that will shock absolutely no one, I'm as passionate about home fragrance because I think it's often overlooked as a styling method. And I think scent is so beautiful because you can add it as an important invisible layer in the styling process and feature of a space. So Bri says one of the most powerful ways to use scent is to create invisible walls with it, defining how you use each space through scent alone. If you work from home, she suggests assigning a scent to your work day and light this candle or whatever form of scent you prefer through work hours and only through that time. Someone who spends a lot of time in their home office, I would very much agree with it having a separate space and scent. But she also says during non work hours, assign a different set to the space so that you're really separating the two zones and times. And she says if you're keen to create a signature scent for your space, similar to how a hotel has a signature scent or a store. I don't know if you've ever walked into a country road, but I think that is one of the most signature scents of a store I've ever smelled.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

It's like Crown.

[Joanna Fleming]

I was just about to say Crown Casino. I could pick that smell anyway.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Like a blind test. Go for it. We've got you covered.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Bree says using a room spray is a great way for it to absorb into the fabrics, which I think is a really great tip candle wise. She recommends looking for candles that have a long burn time and also those that are made of high quality wax. You'll get the most bang for your buck out of these, and they'll emit a slight scent even when they're not lit and will have a longer life. So incense and reed diffusers are also great options that won't burn a hole in your wallet. In terms of scent payoff, incense typically offers the strongest and quickest scent payoff, and reed diffusers provide a more subtle but longer lasting scent, whereas candles provide that burst of fragrance when they're lit. How do you use scents and would you say your home has a signature scent?

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I wouldn't say my home has a signature scent, but I love to layer. I loved Bri's idea about when you're working, use this One, and then when you're relaxing, use another. I would layer sense more. So we love burning incense.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

We have a dog, which, Joe, I know you have a dog as well. And the smell can be a bit of a. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. All three of us have dogs.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I was about to say sorry.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I'm so sorry. Forgive me. All three of us have dogs. It could be really tricky. I find incense is the go to for when I want the house to feel really fresh, really clean. I'll do a eucalyptus wipe on a few things and then I'll burn some incense for that immediate impact. Cannot get around burning candles unless I know I'm burning them for a long time. The worst thing. Well, I mean, there are worst things in life, but when your candle tunnels.

[Joanna Fleming]

Oh, yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Oh. So I will not burn our candles unless I know I'm going to have.

[Joanna Fleming]

To get to two hours. Yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Minimum. Minimum. And it drives me nuts when I go into other people's homes and I can see that their candle is tunneling.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

It's bad. I tell you what else is bad. When you light your hair on fire with your candle like I did last week. Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

See?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. Whoopsie daisies. Would recommend also making sure your hair is pulled back and away from the open flame.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. Good tip. Good tip there. I agree, Rhea. Any time I get a whiff of dog smell, even if it's minimal, I walk up the stairs like, no, not having that. Putting a candle on. But again, it's two hours minimum that I would recommend. Do you have a signature scent in your house? I don't think I have one in mine. I've got lots of different candles.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I would say I do. Mine is tuberose. It is a favorite fragrance of mine. But as Bri said, I find that you can smell that scent in my home even without it being burnt. I bought a new one recently and I think I've lit it twice, but I can smell it immediately as soon as I walk into my apartment.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

It's interesting. I wonder if this is because you're in an apartment and also you have a lot of candles and they're all so beautiful and they really complement each other. I wouldn't even say I walk in, I can smell that one immediately. I can just smell it. Smells lovely.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

That's the nice, maybe small space as well.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Being in an apartment.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Maybe.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I feel like fragrance is such a personal thing and I love having a signature scent. So for me, I love having a home signature scent as well.

[Joanna Fleming]

And we've spoken about Incense candles, reed diffusers. I actually have a little tip for you if none of those interest you. A brand called Lumira, who do my favorite candles. They do a draw liner, like a center draw liner as well. And they also do this thing called. They call it a sphere. And it's like a glass vessel that you put these volcanic rocks in and you spray the little rocks with their, like, room spray and you put the lid back on. And so it just soaks into the little rocks. And then you can just lift the lid off the glass thing to let the fragrance waft through the air whenever you want to. It's really cool. It's pretty expensive. Yeah, but like, it would be a great gift to give someone because you'd probably never buy it for yourself. No, but it's such a unique gift instead of a candle, to get something like that that is very unique and also just looks amazing in a space. That's one knickknack that I kind of have on display.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, I mean, we've spoken about candles and all of these have been all fragrances that are quite expensive. Jo, I imagine you would have a lot of recommendations having worked at a door, but what are your Fragrance recommendations under $50? What are your favorites? This is incense or candles. Give it to me.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

No, the brand is this.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Well, I'm like, okay, great. I'll take all of it.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I am. This is Incense is the brand. That's what it's called. It retails for $45. I quite like them. They have a really great range. A lot of them are named after different towns in Australia as well. They've got a Byron Bay Center Tasmania scent, and they're very much designed to reflect the place they're inspired by. Love them will say, I don't think the burn time is as long as what I would like. I do sometimes opt for a more expensive incense if I know that I'm going to get longevity out of it, to be honest.

[Joanna Fleming]

Candles are fucking expensive, they say.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I have to say, mostly gift. I usually go to for gifts because they're expensive to buy.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

They are one thing I want to talk about with an expensive candle, though, because I think a lot of the time some of those higher price points can come in a nice vessel and is to remember that that can also be an upcycled item.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yes.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

So for me, I've bought brands like Diptyque. I know there's many other brands, you know, Byredo do beautiful vessels, things like that. Trudon have gorgeous candles as well. But I Always think, like, think about the vessel as well, because for me, it was like buying a vase because you can plant an orchid in it. After makeup brushes, cotton brushes, makeup brushes, pen holder. I also put long stem matches. I buy the redhead long stem matches. Quite chic. Next to another candle.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

I like that tip for getting the wax out of the bottom of your candle. Put it in the freezer for a couple of hours when you've just got a little bit left, loosens up the wax and so you can just tap it out the bottom.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Love. Yeah. Some other fragrance brands and products that are under $50. Celia Loves is a great candle brand. And there's also another one called Maison Blanche that do some really lovely candles as well. But Aesop's incense sticks are about 40, $45. And then another really random one, Bully do scented matches. And the scent of them is actually quite strong. So if you just open, the little matchbox can have a little aroma in the room.

[Joanna Fleming]

Okay.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

They're 29.

[Joanna Fleming]

Lovely.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I love when our episodes turn into a big swap.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

This is not six rules. This is just 64 swaps.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

It's so helpful. It's helpful. Okay, moving on to rule number three. Building an interior style takes time. I am very passionate about this. So as we mentioned at the start of this episode, the most challenging thing about interior style is that it can't be bought in one go. It actually takes quite a bit of time. So Bri experienced this firsthand. I love when people share their own personal experiences because we've all done this. When she moved out of home and bought everything for her apartment from Ikea in one day, once I'd set up my apartment, it all felt flat. No energy, no personality, and it really didn't have the impact I expected it to. She says it's a very common mistake a lot of us make, especially when we're younger. I found in my early 20s, I was very guilty of this. One of the first things Bri says to her clients is that she'd rather they have a completely empty bookshelf for two years and gradually start collecting meaningful pieces over time instead of filling it with what she calls dust collecting decor. I'm stealing that for sure. AKA meaningless items you buy all at once over a weekend.

[Joanna Fleming]

Okay.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I feel very, very passionate about this. So at the moment, in the shameless media office, if you were to walk upstairs and walk into that main dining space, all looks great. But then next to it, we've got our new couch, we've got our bookshelves, we don't have a r. We also don't have a coffee table. And that's very deliberate because it's a work in progress. And I keep telling Zara McDonald, our co founder of this because she was like, just, just buy the rug. To be fair, I have bought the rug. It's just delayed. But the coffee table. We're trying to build and work out what practically we need and what the girls in the office need, but also what's going to look good. So I'm a big believer in the slow build.

[Joanna Fleming]

Let her cool, Kazara.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I need to feel the space first, work out what's going to go. What's also necessary from a functionality point of view, and this is something that I think people forget, is that if you buy everything at once, you actually lose the functionality of a space because you're forced into it based on what it's supposed to look like. That doesn't necessarily translate to being productive or useful or practical. Practical. Practical is the word I was looking for.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Thank you. So glad I'm here to help Louie.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Burke, who I don't know if either of you follow on Tik Tok. He's become quite popular recently. He is a little sassy, but I do love it.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Oh, wow. Can't imagine. I know.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I love the sass. I love the sass. But he did this amazing video the other week and I've been quoting it ever since, where he says that Martha Stewart doesn't happen overnight. And he was referring to the fact that a lot of people do try and just establish that Martha Stewart look and feel, which is like a lot of things collected overnight. He's like, you can't achieve that. You've got to build. And I wholeheartedly agree. Where do you guys sit on this rule?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I wholeheartedly agree with this and I think it took me a really long time because I would not put patience as a word alongside my name very often. So I like things that are done and organized immediately. But it was actually the interior designer of my previous workplace, which is Mecca. Their head office is absolutely spectacular. And they were in so often over the space of a year re sort of decorating and new items coming in and other items being swapped out. And I got talking to her one day and she said, well, you didn't build your wardrobe overnight. Why do we do the same with our home? And I think that's such a great tip because what you love today and would build an entire wardrobe doing, you probably won't love every piece next year. You think about the coat or you think about what boots are most practical or what loaf you're going to wear all winter. So why don't we do the same with our home? And I think ever since she said that about three years ago, it was a real pin drop. And now I'm really curated and thoughtful about things that I love or that make my heart sing, as opposed to just trying to cohesively get everything in at once.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

I definitely am a work in progress with this, as you said, Mads, like, I'm too impatient to accumulate things over time. I move into a new space, and I want it to instantly feel like it's my space, and I can't leave it empty or bare. There's just something about, like, I have to get everything all at once. It is a bad habit. I agree. I definitely want to live more like this. I think it's tricky because we're not in our forever home. We've got very limited space.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

And so that does limit my options a little bit when it comes to styling, and I kind of find that a little bit frustrating.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

And so I've thrown in the towel a little bit now. I don't care about it anymore. It is what it is. It looks how it looks. I just. I want to get out of here at some point.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I feel as I've gotten older as well. What I did when I first moved out of home was, like, I would buy the coffee table book that I thought said something about me or that looked cool or that I kept finding.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

The black Tom Ford one.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. And you know what? Here's the thing. I fucking love Tom Ford. I love Tom Ford as a designer. Tom Ford Gucci era is my favorite. I still have that coffee table book, and I love it. But now I also have this beautiful book, 500 Women, because I love the women that are featured within that. I've got an incredible book by the founder of Flamingo Estate, because I love the story of that, and I love the people that he's interviewed within it. I've got Grace because I was just so inspired by that era of vogue. I have coffee table books that I feel like, speak to me. And I've got one that's called Resident Dogs, because it's all of these dogs featuring in restaurants and hotels across the world. And I know, Ray, you're much the same with your coffee table books or what fragrances you pick. I think it's nice when things become more personal and you're going, I love this. Or what? This is to me. So there's photos throughout my house, and my girlfriends will always give me a photo frame for birthdays or Christmas because they know that's what I love. And I think I'm done trying to make it feel like a Kardashian minimalist home. It's not that. That's not my personality. It's going to feel warm and inviting and, like, my friends are scattered throughout, because they are.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So do you feel like you're at a point now where you really feel your interiors reflect who you are?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I would say in my living space, yes. In my bedroom, absolutely not. My bedroom is just like, fuck, whatever someone sleeps here. And not long enough and not enough hours at any time during the week. But my living space feels warm and inviting and like, there's little pieces of my life throughout it, and I think that's really special. What about you? Do you feel like yours does?

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Absolutely. Lou and I have been living together for just over two and a bit years now. When we were meshing our spaces together, it was really hard. Not hard in the sense we had fights over it or anything, but Lou and I are both people who really love interiors and do have different style. There is some overlap, but when I had my own space, I was single. I spent a lot of years really curating it, making it my own. I was super, super house proud. So then when I had to leave that and then move in with Lou, I was so happy because we were obviously joining spaces and it was such a beautiful thing and moment in our relationship. But I was a little bit sad because it was like closing one chapter and leaving it as it was and then moving in together and really making it a shared space and trying to make it ours, not just me moving into his space. And bless Lou's heart, he was very open to that. And we, over time, just started to go shopping, find things that we liked. We meshed a bit at the start, so it was a little bit clunky. In the early days, it looked a bit random. But now where we are, it's really, really nice. And it's a shared space. Like, I see both of us in it, which is a really nice spot to be in.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Totally. I do think as well, a lot of women struggle with that because it is like that. I mean, you can go on TikTok for an hour and fall into that whole of, like, girl apartment, girl house, all of those things that that feminine energy comes through really strongly. And then when a man comes in, it's like, whoa, jump scared.

[Joanna Fleming]

Why would a Man, Be there.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Do you guys have any tips on where to shop if you're trying to find something that feels a bit more unique?

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I mean, real time. Today I was at an OP shop. I went and visited my grandpa today for his birthday, and he's in regional Victoria, and I went into the OP shop and got some little vintage glassware and got some beautiful little silver trays.

[Joanna Fleming]

What about you? I would agree thrifting is a great way to start building out little bits and pieces as you go, because you can't buy everything at once.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

You're limited. You can't just walk into Kmart and buy the whole, like, decor shelf.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

You can go into a thrift store and find a couple of little bits and pieces, and maybe you'll be away for the weekend and you'll find something you really like, and then you can look back and be like, oh, I got that that weekend.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I love traveling and picking up things on my travels. I went to Austin recently, and my auntie took me to beautiful fragrance store where they make all their own scents. And I bought a room spray from there. No one else has it. Well, I'm sure someone does.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Someone in Austin has it.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I have this weird. Like, no one in Australia has this. This is mine. It just reflects my unique experience. It feels very personal. But every time I spray it, it takes me back to Austin, and I love that. It's so. It warms my heart.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Scent is a vehicle of transportation and transformation.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

There you go.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

It's little things on travel as well. I always say to people, if you've got, like, a beautiful little dish or tray, get business cards from the restaurants that you love going to. Or if the restaurant have little matchboxes. I always take one. Sometimes I'm greedy and ask if I can grab a second. But grab those little things that will remind you of little moments. I also have the little Fujifilm Instax photos, and I have a big dinosaur design dish that I put all of those in. So whenever there's new photos or new travels, there's like, just a big collection of little trips and visits. Yeah, I love it.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I would say if you're lacking inspiration, as Mads touched on before, go to Pinterest. Instagram's always a great place, But I'm big believer in film and television. Huge inspiration for House Mad Men, one of my favorite shows of all time.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

She will not shut up.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Oh, my God.

[Joanna Fleming]

I just.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

It's a masterpiece. Also, the Talented Mr. Ripley. Great film. If you're looking for inspiration, I Also just recently rewatched the Great Gatsby. Now, that movie is glitz and clam, but I finished watching it and Louis and I were like, whoa.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

That was.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

It was just so lively and the interiors were so dramatic and it's so glamorous, but it was quite inspiring. So if you're looking for inspiration, turn to tv. Also, just wanted to share because while we're here, this is a big swap episode. I've got an account to follow on Instagram. I have this beautiful French stool that I bought from Mookie Vintage. It's a little Instagram page. Don't have a heap of followers, but they're really good at sourcing sort of French inspired vintage style furniture that you would think sounds weird, but it actually contrasted against modern pieces. Looks really good. Love the stool. It's so cute and tiny. Just put a little teacup on it in my book. But they have great stuff and they update it regular enough. You have to be quick and you have to be on it. Yeah, but they've got great stuff.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I think Joe and I actually both commented on that store when we were there.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. Yeah, I think we did, actually. Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Who, like, love the stool.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

It's freakishly small, but it's kind of cute.

[Joanna Fleming]

Maybe that's why we noticed it. I know we're not meant to have favorites, but when it comes to leggings, most of us are obsessed with the Lululemon Align pants.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Oh, they are iconic for a reason. That super soft fabric, the comfort factor. And now they have a style with no front seam.

[Joanna Fleming]

The Lululemon fans ask and they deliver. They're still as soft and stretchy as before, but without a front seam, they look and feel even smoother. Perfect for low impact exercise, walking, or everyday errands.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Celebrate 10 years of align with the new Align no line pant, now available at Lululemon online, online or in store.

[Joanna Fleming]

Thank you so much to Lululemon for making this episode of stylish possible. All right, leading us into rule number four, art can be affordable. When you think about sourcing art for your home, words like investing probably come to mind. And that does make sense. Art is often insanely expensive, and while saving up for a pricier piece by an artist you love is great, there are many ways to inject art into your home without it costing you a fortune. But Bri suggests Facebook Marketplace and Blue Thumb, an online platform representing Australian artists making original works without the gallery pricing for more budget art options. Purchasing limited edition prints from your favorite artist is also an amazing Way to get art that you are really excited about for a fraction of the cost of purchasing the original, she says. She also recommends pursuing auction houses. Her art collection's grown rapidly in the last 12 months, thanks to pieces that she's successfully picked up at local auctions. Another idea is to frame a tea towel or a scarf that you love as well. Or you can even pick up an affordable frame at an op shop. We see people online often framing photo booth printouts, framing letters from friends or grandparents. Cool letters and book pages from op shops is an idea as well.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I had the idea of actually framing our wedding. Do invitations for our wedding, but our stationary. Oh yeah, from the wedding. I really want to get it all together and do like a flat lay and then have that framed as a nice memento.

[Joanna Fleming]

I actually saw someone do an interesting thing at their wedding. They had a deck of cards and they had people write a little note on the deck of cards in like a permanent texture. And then they put them in a frame and they had all of the deck of cards like laid out, you know, evenly and hung up on their wall, which I thought was cool because you would only know it's got notes on it if you look closely. Otherwise it just looks like a cool installation.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

There's something so lovely about those pieces of artwork that do have that personal link as well. I saw something recently where someone took a photo of every single person who visited their house for a year and they got to self direct their own Polaroid portrait. And then they actually framed the entirety of all of the Polaroids of everyone who visited their home for a year.

[Joanna Fleming]

Oh, that's such a cute idea.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

All these photos of their friends and family. I loved it so much. And dogs, there were dogs that also really cute. Of course I loved it. And I also love Etsy. Buy prints from Etsy, go and get some frames from ikea. You've got to kind of be really patient. As I said, it's not a virtue of mine. But I have spent time on Etsy before and got some really cool prints, like drone shots of tennis courts that are then drawn into illustration. You can even get illustration of your childhood home or maybe your happy place. Put that in a frame. I think that's a really good tidbit as well.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

That's really nice. The other area that I have been dabbling in is actually ceramics. So buying plates and then hanging them as if they're art. Which we do have in the Shameless Media office as well. We've got it layered with poster from the Poster Club, another great online store, which you can buy a lot of. They're not generic prints, but I would say they're designed for layering and collaging so you can get more bang for your buck.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Do you know what? I do love that some artists are doing, And I think C.J. hendry is a really great example of this, is doing different price ranges for a release. So she did a collection called Bodega, and she had one USD dollar embroidered patches. They were under $50 each, and some people were kind of getting those to frame.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Very cool.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

All right, rule number five. Give it to us. Riri.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Rule number five. Mads, you'll be excited about this one. How to determine a good trinket. So what makes a good trinket? The answer is going to vary wildly depending on who you ask. To me, it's something that feels eclectic and adds character to a space. Also, love to collect trinkets from different cities I've visited, so there's always a connection piece there. Bri actually has a set of rules for trinkets and decor items that she follows at her interior practice studio. Bri. Each and every piece must tick at least one box, but the goal is for each Item to tick 2. The first is functional example, an artisanal matchstick box, one of Bri's favorite micro luxuries. The second is having sentimental value or positive memories. And the third is just something you really, really love, eg, a decorative sculpture you might place on a table for no purpose other than to look at it and admire it. She encourages you to not follow trends. If you fill your home with pieces that are meaningful to you, you'll rarely feel the need to redecorate, and your items won't fit. Feel dated. I think we've all touched on this a little bit throughout this episode already. So nice to know that we're aligned with the expert. So what are some of your favorite home trinkets and why? Mads, we're going to start with you because you love a trinket.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I love a trinket. I love a trinket. I love a small thing. That's my favorite audio. I stole it from you. But I absolutely love matchboxes. I love collecting them from places that I've been. Anywhere that has it. That's one of my favorites. I love the micro luxury term, too, because I think they are that. But I also love the little photo frames. That's like a trinket that I just really love because they're all my favorite people in Them.

[Joanna Fleming]

Jo, I'm not a trinket person yet.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

You're not a trinket person yet, but with the help of Ray and I, we can make you one.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I wonder if this has something to do with you saying you're not in your forever home. Do you feel like mentally there's a bit of blockage there?

[Joanna Fleming]

Absolutely there is blockage there. I just don't feel like I've had the opportunity to furnish and style my home the way that I want to. And I also feel I need a little bit more budget to play with to do so. And I've got a dog in a small space. He knocks over everything with his tail. It's just I can't have nice things. Okay. It's just. That's the reality. But I do have one very sentimental trinket by my bed and it's a blue glass cat that my grandma left me and she put a little sticker on the bottom of it with my name on it before she died, so she knew that I would get it. And I just love this little cat. It sits next to me in my bedroom on my bedside table. And I've had it, obviously for many, many years and it's always come with me wherever I've gone. It's lived and I just love it. It's so sentimental. But I think back to that point of your trinkets, meaning something. I don't just want to buy stuff and put it in there and be like, yep, looks good. Because it's not going to feel like me.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah, no.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

What are your favorite trinkets, Riri?

[Rhiannon Joyce]

The one that comes top of mind is actually it's a glass ring. It's like a ring dish, but it's got a little stem in the middle so you can stack your rings on it. But it was my mum's and she gave that to me. So again, sentimental. I'll always keep that. I love trays to put my jewelry on. I've got a few pieces from dinosaur design. What else do I have? I've just accumulated a lot over the years. But I love layering and I love dishes. Add a lot of depth to a flat surface.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Our dog, Becks. We have a very low coffee table and we have this beautiful dinosaur design bars that my friends bought me for my 30th. And his tail will just flick the flowers out all the time and I'm like. And he's not interested in eating them or anything. And then they just lie on the ground and I'm like, okay. But I just keep dealing with it.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah, I love a tray and I do feel like my trinkets serve a purpose. Like I have a lot of jewelry related trinkets.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yes.

[Joanna Fleming]

I've got little stands and I've got little bowls and that's where my trinkets come into play. But they have to be doing something to take up space.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I'm quite similar. Same with our candle holders. I've actually got this amazing bookends that also are candle holders and they're so heavy but they're so cool. They're like this really cool speckly sort of style and they're two different ones but those are my favorite. So again, practicality coming in there.

[Joanna Fleming]

And like a coaster. I love a decorative, beautiful coaster because I'm like they have a purpose but they also look nice being stuck.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Purpose driven.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

We've actually done a little stylish under 150 interiors edit that we're going to go live with on socials. That's got coffee table books, trinkets. Etsy is also a really good place to look for a few trinkets and great because they're handmade and you can obviously select that you you want them made in Australia or shipping from Australia if you want to support local. But I think that's a good little tidbit too.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah. Everyone happy shopping. We've given so many good racks. I'm not going to lie. I'm really happy with how we performed.

[Joanna Fleming]

She's modest.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Credit to us where it's due. She comes in, she's the surprise host and she's like we have absolutely slated.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

There's so many good wrecks guys. It's so helpful.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Okay, well a lucky last number six is learn how to layer lighting. So like scent lighting is another one of those you can't quite put your finger on at layers. That can make a space feel really good to be in. It allows you to highlight items you want to notice and maybe push some of the ones you don't into the background. Bri says the principles of lighting design have a strict structure. Ambient lighting. Consider this the foundation to build on. Ideally, this should evenly light a space with consistent color. Task lighting is defined by lighting sources or sequences that have a specific job. For example, a reading light positioned on a bedhead wall or a spotlight that hits the counter for food prep in the kitchen. Accent lighting, where things get personal. Accent lighting shapes your space to experience it exactly as you want. This is particularly exciting if you rent because you don't have control over the previous mentioned types of lights and accent lighting might be positioned to illuminate a piece of art on the wall or capture the textures within a space. And then finally, we have decorative lighting. The fourth type, which Bri finds, always works alongside the others. For example, a vintage wall sconce in a hallway. That could be defined as decorative lighting, but also falls into ambient lighting. And if it's wayfinding at night when the overhead lights are off, it sits well with the task light category. 2. By thinking about lighting with these principles, you'll always be able to create a different lighting sequence based on how you're using the home at the time. That's just a fancy way of saying the lights you turn on and off during a midweek dining room clean and a Saturday night dinner party should be totally different, allowing the space to be functional in completely different ways, says Bri. How do each of you use your lighting in your spaces?

[Joanna Fleming]

Can we just all agree that the big light needs to be cancelled? I hate a big light.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Joanna Fleming]

And by big light, I mean like overhead lighting.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah. The only time I will use the big light is if I have a call first thing in the morning because the little light ain't doing enough for the laptop.

[Joanna Fleming]

I wouldn't even do it then I'd have a ring light. Yeah, yeah, I've got that for that.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I've got a ring light.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

My laptop as well.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Am I missing a trick here? Yeah, I'm like getting on calls at 3am with the big light on.

[Joanna Fleming]

Oh, the ring light will be way more flattering.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah, I probably need. It adds to car.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Very anti big light. We use our floor lamps a lot to be fair, because our kitchen, our living area are essentially shared space. We always have to have the big light on in the kitchen because you know, we're cutting things and cooking and dangerous otherwise.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Yeah.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

But always have our floor lamp on in the corner and opt for the down lights off.

[Joanna Fleming]

I need to get a floor lamp. So I'm really open to your recommendations. If you want to send me some.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I will send you some.

[Joanna Fleming]

Great. Thank you. We have very specific. Sorry, I. I should say I, Adrian will just have all the big lights on and not be affected by it. I just cannot live that way. So there's certain times that I'll have certain lights on. I'll have like the hallway or stair lighting on and then no other lights in the house. That's like the evening vibe and only ever the lamp in the bedroom ever. I'd never want to see that light on those globes should last forever.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I don't think I've turned. I think I could honestly count on my hands how many times we've used the big light in our bedroom. We always have the lamps on. Yeah, always.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I use the big light if I'm changing my sheets. I always change my sheets in the night.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I was about to say, do it during the day.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I know. And it's that time where I'm like, getting them out of the dryer and I'm like, worst time to do it. Yeah, I know. Ray has come back to my house where we've been going in between somewhere, and I was like, I've just got to go home and change my sheets if I get home from dinner. And mentally haven't changed the sheets. So we've gone home, dropped by my place before going.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I did help as well, by the way.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And Ray's like, I'll do the bottom, you do the top. I was like, wow, this is friendship if ever I've seen it. I've got a great tip that a girlfriend of mine uses, and I've been meaning to go to IKEA to get them. IKEA have these bulbs that have little remote controls for different lighting levels so you can put it in it. And it's a wireless little remote, so you can have it and hide it under the couch or put it alongside you on a side table.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

For a lamp. So if you've got a little table lamp or a floor lamp, you can put the IKEA bulb in there. God, you're right, Ri. We've had so many fucking tidbits. We're on fire.

[Joanna Fleming]

I feel like I have to tell you guys something about lighting, though. Adrian, in his house, had his whole house. The electrician put in these special globes that you can control by your phone. And I would go over there and he'd have the whole house in, like, blue light or red light. And I was just like, yuck. No, this is not right. Just put dim them down, make them warm. I do not want to come over and see these weird lights. We're never doing this in our house.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

This man survived that ick to become your fiance, literally.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yeah. It's a real success story.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

Yeah. Because he shouldn't turned it around there.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

I just love it. Yuck.

[Joanna Fleming]

That's how I felt.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

So we can all agree that we're very, very anti big life.

[Joanna Fleming]

Yes.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Tell you who loves the big light more than Adrian, though, is any boomer parent.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

What is up with that?

[Joanna Fleming]

They love every light on.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Why turn the lights off and the lamps on.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

And it's always the fluoro white light. Like I'm in a hospital. It's always so bright and, like, in.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

This room that we're recording every single time I'm at my mom's, she's like, do you want the light on? I'm like, da. I feel like a vampire with, like, cloves of garlic coming at me.

[Joanna Fleming]

Long live the lamp.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

Long live the lamp. Safe to say we are all quite passionate about interiors, despite being on different journeys. Yeah, within our humble abodes. But that is all for this week's episode of Stylish. As Rae mentioned, there's been a lot of swaps. It probably feels more like swaps than rules, but I hope that you all got something from it today. And thank you, of course, for joining us. Thank you as well to Rhiannon Joyce for being our guest host today and of course you, Joanna Fleming, anytime, literally every time.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

I'm always.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

And remember, you can drop us an email anytime at style-ishameless media.com or you can sign into our DMS over at Stylish Pod. That is our new handle for those playing along at home. And of course, a big thank you to our wonderful contributor, Bri Turton, our audio engineer, Liam Clayton, and the shameless media team, head of podcast Lucy Hunt, and senior podcast producer Kate Emmerburg. We'll be right back with you next time Wednesday.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

See you guys.

[Joanna Fleming]

Bye.

[Madison Sullivan Thorpe]

So excited to go home and start my new little.

[Rhiannon Joyce]

This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land.

[Joanna Fleming]

Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.