Clean Lines.

I’m pretty much the opposite of a minimalist when it comes to…everything. I admire Scandinavian restraint and the cool, clean lines of a modern home but it would never feel like home to me. I mean, these are all stunning and gorgeous and interesting and museum-worthy:

But they’re so sterile to me, so tight-lipped. I learned, however, from my recent cover-to-cover reading of the awesome home styling book Styled, that it’s a good move to balance your preferred aesthetic with pieces of items that are sort of at the opposite end of your design instinct. So, for example, if you like rustic — pair with industrial. If you like the traditional, pair with midcentury modern. And so on and so forth. So I’m looking at minimalist/Scandi styles with new eyes — how might that piece look next to my over-the-top chinoiserie upholstered chair? How might this item look atop my insane Stark antelope print rug (a true dream of mine — probably one of my most prized possessions)? Below, a few items from the Scandi/minimalist side of things, both for home and for self:

+Framed number print ($13+ depending on size);

+Mixed media desk ($129);

+Sheepskin rug ($75);

+Fiddle leaf fig — these require a ton of light; for those with solar-challenged rooms, you can find replicas here and here;

+Classic Pia Wallen blanket (140 GBP);

+Set of 2 Eames-style chairs ($120);

+Noe bottle holder ($90).