Furnishing a home from near scratch is equal parts exciting and daunting. I can't deny that I've lost some sleep over my vision boards piling up while making big budget decisions on classics vs. trends vs. gut instincts.
So I sat down with Wayfair last week and chatted all things home decor to give you a little insight into what goes through my brain during the decision-making process. Enjoy!
Wayfair Q & A with Elshane of Elshane’s World
Wayfair: You’re a celebrity fashion stylist, blogger, and mom with some serious personal style. Would you say that your fashion style affects your interior design style, or vice versa? How are they similar or different?
Elshane: I have a very confident eye for fashion and style. Over the years, I have tried to integrate that eye into interior design when it comes to my homes. I’ve lived in ten homes in the last four years, so you can imagine how many times I’ve been able to test my limits! My go-to strategy? Mixing unexpected elements-- in interiors that would be the juxtaposition of contemporary design, vintage finds, and a bit of East Asian and glam influence.
Wayfair: We love seeing your creative, vibrant posts that simultaneously highlight your professional fashion and interior design style and your mom and home life. Your personal stories and authentic voice lend so much to everything you share. Has it been a fun ride blending all the parts of yourself and sharing your life through your blog?
Elshane: I learned at a very early age to hone in on my self confidence. I do believe that confidence drives your inner ability to identify your own sense of style. Without the fear of a judging eye, you can really dig into what, aesthetically, makes you most happy. I enjoy sharing my colorful world with my followers!
Wayfair: Have you made any changes to your home design or function over the past year on account of lifestyle changes due to the global pandemic? How have you and your family adapted?
Elshane: I have always enjoyed being a host at home. Obviously, over the past year, hosting has come nearly to a halt. However, maybe the inner desire in me to host again one day soon has lent itself to me starting a collection of playful hosting decor, like tie dye table settings, acrylic napkin rings, and kid and outdoor-friendly melamine serving platters.
Wayfair: Where do you find inspiration for the design projects you’ve done for your kids? Also, do your kids engage in the design process with you?
Elshane: My favorite rooms to design are always the kid spaces-- be it my daughters’ bedrooms, their playrooms, and their outdoor creative spaces. Color is everything to me, so I can’t shy away from rainbows, wallpaper, and FUN. But, if I let my daughters in on my design process, we’d have too much glitter and unicorns everywhere. Instead, I pick my favorite options, show them, and slyly skew them in the right direction for them to “choose” their favorites. A classic mom move...
Featured: Isabelle & Max Eyler Kids Table and Chair Set from Wayfair
Wayfair: Your home design style is so chic and elevated and expresses so much personality. Can you offer us a few room-by-room design style tips? Let’s start with your kitchen style. What advice do you have for people who would like to define their kitchen space in such a high-end, yet very real and livable way?
Elshane on Her Kitchen Style (and How You Can Find Yours!): I can drool for days over any room published in Architectural Digest, but if the space doesn’t feel realistic-- as in, if the children in the home can’t freely roam the rooms as the mini tornados they are destined to be-- then is it really a realistic dream?
I want my home to be beautiful but also to be real, downright comfortable for my kids. The Wayfair kitchen table I placed aside my kitchen island offers just that for our family. Comfort, accessibility for the kids, and still a super chic sense of style.
Shop Wayfair for Kitchen: French door refrigerators | retro refrigerators | microwaves | wine refrigerators | and more
Featured: Darrius Low Profile Platform Bed from Wayfair
Image credit: Wayfair
Wayfair: What is your number one style MUST for a bedroom space that makes a statement but also feels like the most comfortable spot in the world?
Elshane on Bedroom Style: A cozy, yet stylish rug for you to land your feet at the start of each day is exactly what we need every morning.
Shop Wayfair for Bedroom: Bed in a bag | Egyptian cotton sheets and pillowcases | mattresses from full size to king size (on sale!) | full-length mirrors | area rugs | and more
Wayfair: Can you share your take on powder room vs. full bath style?
Elshane on Powder Room & Full Bathroom Style: A powder room is synonymous for… make your wildest fantasies come true! Slap on the dreamiest wallpaper and be sure to offer perfect lighting for your guests-- it’s the first place they’ll visit in your home, and the last they’ll see before they leave. If they look in the mirror and are well-lit and feel glamorous in your space, they’ll beg to come back for more.
Wayfair: You have created some seriously cool spaces for your kids. What inspires and guides you most as you design these beautiful spaces?
Elshane on Kids’ Spaces: I love to break all the rules and have all the fun. A playroom with A, B, C wallpaper? No thank you! A playroom with wild and trippy outer space wallpaper that allows my childrens’ imaginations to enter a new universe? Sign us up.
Shop Wayfair for Kids: Baby & Kids
Wayfair: Thank you for sharing a bit more about your life and style with us, Elshane!
Elshane: Thank you Wayfair! Can you send a contractor to my home to build me a new wing? I need any excuse to keep browsing your site for more furniture shopping!
Shop More Outdoor on Wayfair: String Lights | Patio Furniture Sets | Patio Furniture Cushions | Propane Fire Pit Tables | Outdoor Fireplaces | Wine Refrigerators | Metal Patio Furniture | Outdoor Games | Swing Sets