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Interior Styling for Real Homes: Ideas, Advice & Inspiration

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.

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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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HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst

HOME TOURS - A Stylish South African villa

In this article, I take you on a tour of Ubuntu Luxury Villa, situated on the Hoedspruit Wildlife Estate in South Africa, which was built from the ground up by a Dutch couple, photographer Anouk, and her husband Dennis. The villa uses local craftsmanship and home decor inspired by South Africa, with attention to detail throughout.

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INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst

Brown Interiors: Stylish ideas for Décor, Furniture and Colour Schemes

Brown is having a revival - from espresso to caramel, the colour is slipping back into our interiors. The key is all about introducing brown in various subtle, nuanced, and rich tones in tactile textures, and teaming them with warm neutrals, cream, or white, to create balance and contrast. Read the article for inspiration and ideas on bringing brown into your interior in a fresh, modern way.

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INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst

Dried Flowers - how to style, dry and preserve flowers

This article is all about styling with dried flowers, from ideas for beautiful arrangements to tips on drying, preserving, and colouring flowers. I will also enlighten you on the best flowers to dry, as well as the ones that can be preserved and coloured. Finally, I will share online stores where you can buy dried and preserved flowers.

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HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst HOME TOURS Sandra van Aalst

STUNNING VACATION HOMES - with ideas to steal for your own home

In the article I am going to take readers on a tour of ten stunning vacation rentals from around the world. I’ve handpicked ones with different interior vibes, so whatever your interior style, you will find a look that resonates for you with ideas for your own home. All but one have been featured in magazines or design blogs.

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INTERIOR DESIGN INSPIRATION Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR DESIGN INSPIRATION Sandra van Aalst

INTERIOR STYLING INSPIRATION - places to find ideas from stylish hotels to online home stores and more.

If you are looking for interior inspiration and home decor ideas, there are countless sources to spark your creativity. From fashionable hotels to interior blogs and your very own wardrobe, I will explore the key sources that can help you gain the inspiration you need to style and decorate your space.

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INTERIOR DESIGN INSPIRATION Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR DESIGN INSPIRATION Sandra van Aalst

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM FOCUS/25 ON DESIGN LONDON

In this article, I’ll be sharing my key decoration, design, and styling takeaways from one of the world’s main design destinations - Focus/25 on Design. Having spent four days at the Design Centre in London, I will show you some of the new collections, the latest colour palettes, wall coverings, patterns, furniture trends, and much more. I’ll also include snippets of a few of the talks, demonstrations, and workshops I attended to give you a feel for the event. Read the post to find out about The Longer View so you too can immerse yourself in design, colour, and pattern.

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INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst

STYLISH INTERIOR ELEMENTS TO ELEVATE YOUR HOME from curves and metallic finishes, to lighting and foliage

In this article I will be featuring a handful of the key interior elements for a stylish home, including arranging items and creating a vignette, purposeful contrast, vintage pieces and pre-loved finds for individuality, curves and organic shapes. Plus, I’ll show you how to add metallic accents and give you tips on other interior elements that can elevate your home, such as wall decor, statement pieces, stylish lighting, natural materials, print and pattern. Not forgetting the element I include in every room - some form of foliage.

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INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst INTERIOR STYLING Sandra van Aalst

STYLISH BEDROOMS IDEAS - to inspire your bedroom refresh

From rustic handmade beds crafted from the tree trunks of the silver birch tree to luxurious velvet extra wide headboards, there are many different types of beds to suit your bedroom, budget, and interior style. In this blog post, I will spark your creativity with more than a dozen stylish beds showcased in beautiful bedroom settings to help you consider not only the design of the bed, the frame, or headboard, but also the walls, curtains, and the dressing of the bed itself.

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