Collage of interior design images with titles including stylish home tours, styling tips & ideas, styling before & afters, and the interiors world

Interior Styling for Real Homes: Ideas, Advice & Inspiration


A woman smiling in front of a minimalist indoor shelf with decorative objects, including a large cactus plant in a concrete pot, a gold textured sphere, a gold coral-like sculpture, and various vases, with a light-colored wall background.
Handwritten style text that says 'Hi, I'm Sandra'.

I’m an interior writer with a background in styling and photography for leading interior magazines around the world, sharing ideas to help you style your home with confidence and ease.

ON THE BLOG

ON THE BLOG

SEASONAL STYLING Sandra van Aalst SEASONAL STYLING Sandra van Aalst

Styling with Spring Flowers - vase arrangements that look effortlessly chic

Bring the joy of spring indoors with effortlessly chic vase arrangements using both faux and real blooms. In this post I’m sharing my favourite styling tips—plus a real cross section of vases, from rustic terracotta and stone pots to vintage green-tinted glass and colourful statement pieces—to help you create a fresh, uplifting look in every room.

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HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst

Vintage-Filled Small Home Tour: Styling with Reclaimed and Repurposed pieces.

Step inside The Little Gate House, a vintage-filled small home built in place of an old garage. Interior designer Helena Impett has transformed this compact space using reclaimed materials, preloved furniture, and beautifully repurposed pieces to create a home full of character, texture, and timeless style. Discover how to style a small space using vintage finds and thoughtful interior details.

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INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst

The Home Decor Essentials That Make a Room Look Finished

In the article I am going to look at actual interior home decor items that make a space look far more stylish and work alone or together. It’s the details that add style, personality and tell a story. I’ll introduce you to the key home decor items that make a space instantly far more stylish including rugs, table lamps, mirrors, cushions, throws, plants, books, vessels and vases.

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INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst

Shelf Styling Ideas: How to Decorate Different Types of Shelves

From floating shelves to vintage units and tiny picture ledges, shelves come in all shapes and styles—and when styled well, they can transform a space. In this post, I’m sharing some of my favourite shelving ideas, including how I’ve styled shelves in my own home and in homes I’ve photographed. Whether you're working with a kitchen nook, bathroom alcove, or living room wall, you'll find creative ways to decorate shelves that feel personal, practical, and effortlessly stylish.

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INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst

Styling your Home with Blue Accents: Different Ways to Use this Timeless Hue

From pale powder blue to bold cobalt blue, it is one of the most versatile colours and remains a timeless hue. In this post, I’m sharing various ways to bring in blue, whether it’s adding drama with a bold accent wall or lighting up a corner with a ceramic blue lamp. I’ll take you through different ways to bring this classic colour into your home.

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HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst

Stylish Home Tour: Inside the Vintage-Styled Captain’s Rest by Interior Stylist Sarah Andrews

In this stylish home tour, we step inside Captains Rest – the unique Tasmanian retreat styled by Sarah Andrews featured by Vogue as Tasmania’s best stay. From vintage finds to curated vignettes, discover how this former scientist turned stylist created a soulful, story-filled space that continues to inspire vintage style lovers worldwide.

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SEASONAL STYLING Sandra van Aalst SEASONAL STYLING Sandra van Aalst

Natural Festive Decorations by the Pros: How to Get the Look at Home

In this article, I go behind-the-scenes at Chewton Glen Hotel to see the florists in action decorating in both a natural foraged style and a more traditional look.‍ From the more classic festive palette of red and copper, to the wild foraged installations, read on to find out how you can create hotel festive styling in your own home.

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HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst

An Interior Stylist’s Vintage-filled Vacation Home

In this article, I’m taking you on a tour of a vintage-filled vacation home - The Biscuit Cottage, designed and styled by Clare Southcombe-Holmes, an interior stylist and owner of award-winning interior boutique, No 64 The Biscuit House. Click here to see her interior styling skills and vintage finds.

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SEASONAL STYLING Sandra van Aalst SEASONAL STYLING Sandra van Aalst

FESTIVE MANTELPIECES - a mix of unusual ideas and inspiration to create your own Yuletide mantel masterpiece

Whether you have a classic stone hearth, a modern wood burner, or even just a faux surround, the mantelpiece is the perfect place to get creative with festive styling. In this article, I will show you my handpicked selection of festive mantelpieces, with advice on how to get the look, kicking off with a few elements you might want to use to create your own.

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SEASONAL STYLING Sandra van Aalst SEASONAL STYLING Sandra van Aalst

FESTIVE TABLESCAPES - a mix of unusual ideas and inspiration to create your own

The table is definitely one of my favourite areas to style during the festive season. Whether you're contemplating going down the full traditional route with red, green and mistletoe, or something a bit more natural and pared-back, there are so many different options to suit your interior style and your table. In this article, I will show you several gorgeous, very different festive tablescapes to inspire you to create your own this season.

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Collection of various magazine and publication logos with different fonts and designs.