Harmony with the Three Ls: Layers + Luxe + Lighting!

InteriorsDesign is EverythingDesign InspirationLuxury DesignLighting Design

Dec 12

I live + breathe by true design principles + subjective layering with almost every single thing I do! Yes, more than likely you may too! And you may do it without actually thinking about it intentionally, well I know this is 100% accurate for me which ultimately stays true to my forever mantra: Live..Love..Design!

LAYERING is the one single component that can make or break the space. Too little feels stark + cold, too much feels cluttered + obsessive. That right balance, that right pop, that right contrast of textures + finishes will channel the most curated eye to attention to detail. It’s phenomenal, it’s eye-catching, it is design! And if you did not notice from the caption, it’s imperatively important!

“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgement. More love, less hate.”

— Motivation from Renae’s heart

“Whatever you do, be intentional + impactful. That’s layering on its own, if you ask me.”

— renaeism 101

I am a self-proclaimed maximalist! Yesss! For sure! And one primary step of being a great maximalist is balance. To have restraint when designing is an extremely delicate talent but oh so needed when layering a space, especially with lighting and luxurious textures + finishes. I tend to believe that added levels of textures, contrast, color, proportion, scale, and lighting will amplify your space in an extremely positive way but will also allow you to explore beautifully + organically using all your senses.

LAYERS: USING TEXTURES, COLORS, SHAPES, SIZES, + CONTRAST TO CREATE A HARMONIOUSLY COHESIVE SPACE.

Who doesn’t love luxury?

I mean helllllooooo. Luxury is what drives the senses in every way. So I love to use it to my advantage by making sure all of your senses: touch, smell, sight, hearing, and taste are embodied in all of my projects. I use a lot of various smell factors like candles + incense and fresh plants + flowers in a space to balance the space and layer the totality of your flow. I love luxury and ya know, luxury loves your girl. Please believe. By successfully utilizing the simplicity + complexity of layering, spaces always seem majestic and flow oh so beautifully.

Try your hand at layering by using contrast + textures while adding lots of lighting! Ok, we will definitely touch on that, because that single-handedly can positively impact the entire look and feel of a space with general lighting, ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. My husband used to joke that he knew I was home alone when he came around the corner and saw the house “glowing” up the hill. Ok, I will admit, I am extremely afraid of the dark, but only because I like to see what is exactly in those shadows. I primarily use various lighting methods to enhance spaces but also for function and security. And you should too! A true great design aesthetic should never eliminate the power of lighting and what it can do for you. That’s real talk.

Due to my detailed nature as it relates strictly to design, layering with luxurious textures can be highly impactful in a space. I loooovvvveeeee to touch, see, smell, + taste luxury. Honestly, it all started when I was about 8 years old and my Barbie dolls had to have the right features in their home with their specific clothes + outfits being just right and of course hair + makeup…of course! But honestly, what my parents noticed then at that moment was that I absolutely + wholeheartedly loved luxury. My dolls had fur coats, leather skirts, pearls, lace, silk, satin…you name it, Barbie had it. I did not want “the” Barbie dream house, I wanted to construct my own house that I thought was worthy of my Barbie dolls. So I begin with layering her actual dream house to ensure that life for Barbie was simple + chic. And let’s be honest, Barbie’s life was hella fab! I just enhanced it using design principles I had no idea of then. Fast forward to now, I have mastered the art of layering luxury. It is simple yet complex, and that to me is absolute thrill of it all! Just remember, if you ever have challenges with accessorizing and layering, always think of balance + harmony and if that does not work, your girl is a phone call away!