For our latest chat on interiors, style and real homes, we sat down with Agi Dmochowska – an interior addict, mum of two and owner of one of our favourite homes on Instagram! Agi has been sharing snippets from the renovation process of her gorgeous Victorian home for the past few years, and what started out as a hobby has become quite a large part of her life. Now with over 150k followers on Instagram, and her home being featured in magazines across the UK, Europe and the USA, it’s safe to say that Agi has become a beacon of inspiration for eclectic, cosy and fun interior style – so much so that she now offers online interior advice and styling.
When creating her home, the most important thing for Agi was to design a happy, functional and family-friendly space – a haven for her, her husband and children. Living in a small Victorian property, space is at a premium so Agi has had to get creative to ensure the space works perfectly for them in their day-to-day lives.
We sat down with the lovely lady herself to discuss all things interior style and she’s even put together some of her exclusive top tips on how to approach styling a room from scratch! Read on to find out more…
Start with a piece you love
When designing a room, it can often be daunting to find the right place to start, but Agi recommends picking one thing that you love, and creating a look around that.
“It could be a wall colour, sofa, quirky light fitting or even something as small as vase that I have totally fallen in love with.”
Take your time
Sometimes, in the excitement of creating a whole new look in your home, you might want to rush to buy things to complete the look. However, as Agi points out, it’s so important to take your time, and wait until you find that perfect piece of furniture you’ve been dreaming of.
Be confident in what you love
Your home is your space, so don’t shy away from expressing your personality and tastes throughout it. If you hold back, hiding away from the colours you love and instead opting for something a little safer, you might not create a home that feels like your own.
“Don’t be afraid to just go for it. If you love dark interiors just paint your walls dark! If you’ve been swooning over a funky wallpaper, it’s the way to go!”
Putting your own stamp on your home is something that Agi is passionate about – after all, the only person who has to like it is you! “Whether it’s by adding some of your favourite art work or hanging loads of plants, just make it your happy place. Our sofa is usually covered with quirky cushions and some people may say it’s too much but that’s how we like it and that’s all that matters.”
Create the perfect ambience
Lighting is everything when it comes to creating the perfect space in your home and can be the difference between creating a haven that you can’t wait to relax in and creating a room that doesn’t quite hit the mark in terms of personality. As Agi describes:
“You should know how much natural light you have to play with and decide what sort of artificial light you will introduce to create the ambience you’re looking to achieve.”
It’s so important to get the right type of lighting too – go for large statement ceiling pendants to create an impact, or opt for smaller floor lamps or table lamps as ambient lighting to create that homely feel.
Focus on the function of a space
Although you are changing the appearance of a space, it is so important to remember that, above all, it must be able to work well as the room you are using it for.
Take a look at Agi’s living room for example: “Our living room is purely for family movie nights so the comfy Izzy sofa was an absolute priority, and with the addition of Georgette we can all stretch our legs out now too.”
“Your home is the most important place on earth, it’s where you come home to after a long day, and it’s where many of us have spent the last few months, so above all, it needs to be the space you are happiest in – regardless of what others think. As long as you love it, that’s all that matters!”
