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It’s hard to look at Will Taylor’s photos and not smile. The British designer and stylist behind cult blog Bright Bazaar has built a signature happy aesthetic around his tagline, make-you-smile style. Now he’s translated that joyful zeal into an instructional manifesto for cheerful, stylish living in the form of his upcoming book, Dream Decor. While Taylor has earned much-deserved accolades for his blog and his first book, Bright Bazaar: Embracing Color for Make-You-Smile-Style, the aim for his second is to go beyond color to explore design inspiration in general. “The first book was niche,” Taylor says. “What I wanted to do with the second was take it further and really create a 360 approach to all aspects of decoration and design.”
To that end, Taylor outlines six foundational elements (Color, Pattern, Texture, for example) and then describes 11 “Dream Styles” (Colorful Country, Hollywood Chic, and Industrial Loft, among others) that make use of these elements in different ways. Each element and theme is illustrated with original photography by Andrew Boyd. The result: a healthy mix of tips and inspiration in one fresh, cheery package. “I want to enable people to really up their decorating arsenal, so that when they go to decide on a style, they have the confidence to mix and match in their own way,” says Taylor. In advance of the book’s release on May 17, Taylor gives Architectural Digest a taste of the “accessible, aspirational style” of Dream Decor with six decorating tips to help you achieve your dream style now.
1. Don’t Be Limited by LocationWhile many of the styles showcased in Dream Decor reference specific locations (say, Petite Parisienne’s Left Bank charm), Taylor encourages readers to choose schemes that speak to them, notwithstanding their particular locales. “I wanted to mix classic and unexpected styles to show how to make different looks work wherever you live. If you’re living in the city but love a country aesthetic, you can make that work!” Taylor’s advice is all about achieving dream style now, so why wait for the ideal location? Make your space happy wherever you are.
2. Give Yourself a Blank CanvasIf you’re prone to switching up your style, more understated basics make change easy. “One of the best things I’ve learned over time is to keep your fundamental furniture restrained,” says Taylor. “This way, you have a canvas to change using less expensive methods. I’ll frame my photos using Framebridge—you can frame a huge print for not too much and make a big statement.”
3. Find a Common Thread“To make your space cohesive, find a commonality—for example, a unifying color or texture—that holds everything together,” Taylor advises.
4. Have a CenterpieceWhile Taylor is admittedly unafraid of color, he knows some may be reluctant to wander from the realm of neutrals. For the color-shy, transient items (like bedding, throws, or art) are good places to introduce color. In order to connect these touches to the overall scheme, Taylor suggests having them reflect a central item. “It’s useful to have one ‘hero piece’ that you can refer back to, like a prominent art piece, rug, or vase.” Treat this item as your point of reference when shopping and it will help tie the room together.
5. Introduce Color UnexpectedlyDon’t forget the details, says Taylor. “Use color in unusual ways, such as painting a baseboard or trim in an accent color.”
6. Use Instagram!With nearly 140,000 Instagram followers, Taylor is a bit of a social media sensation, but it’s not all about collecting likes. He urges users to harness the power of Pinterest and Instagram for both inspiration and sourcing. “Pictures are like recipes,” he says. “You can break them down and translate them into something you’re proud of. When looking for design inspiration, Taylor suggests revisiting the aesthetic memories you’ve “preserved” on social media, since they obviously caught a spark to warrant posting. “So you took a photo of this café, then break it down: What element speaks to you? Is it the striped tile? The style of banquette? Then you can use that as a jumping-off point to begin to decorate.” Happy decorating!
Dream Decor (Jacqui Small, $35) will be released May 17 and is currently available for preorder on Amazon.
