Finding your starting place

The Process of Creating a Scheme

Finding your starting place

Often, the hardest part of any creative endeavour is knowing where to start. Gabby outlines how you can find your starting point and confidently embark on your styling journey.

It's a good idea to start with something concrete on which you can build your ideas. This could range from a paint colour to a rug, or even just a postcard, a favourite fabric or an outfit. Sometimes you are drawn to particular palettes.

Everything has to start somewhere; styling doesn't happen all at once. You do need a starting point because it provides you with a focus point to return to and check against.

Visiting design shops as a place to start

Design shops with a creative director who has thought through a space are a great place to start. In London, I really recommend hitting the Pimlico Road. It is lovely – a rare opportunity to see interior design at its best. You should definitely visit Colefax and Fowler, as well as Soane and Robert Kime. You can get a real sense of how to put things together to achieve that mix of old and new, layered interiors combining different textures.

Trust the experts when it comes to palettes

Something like a beautifully made rug from a great rug maker is a brilliant starting point. You will be able to see how the colours work together as well as the textures. Alternatively, you could look at artworks such as contemporary modern paintings which combine colours in a skilled and thoughtful way. Looking at what experts have done is always instructive and allows you to have confidence in the colour palette you have chosen.