S@H Does your experience as a fashion designer uniquely qualify you for home design?
AS When you're trained as a fashion designer, you know about scale, proportion and, especially, colour. Those skills are transferable to home design. But what happens in fashion usually follows in decor, so having a foot in each field helps.
S@H What do you think people should keep in mind when decorating their homes?
AS People are gaining confidence in their home decor skills. One of the things we continue to learn is how to create a context for stylish, low-cost products. our next challenge is to show people how to put items together in an inviting way. When we dress, we learn to layer. Dressing a room is no different -- it's good to add layers for interest. That's much easier to do when there are a variety of stylish pieces priced within your budget.
Style on a budget
Here are some of Alfred Sung's tips for creating the luxe look for less.
• In the living room, choose a sofa and armchair with timeless lines in a neutral palette. "That way, you can keep them for a long time," says Alfred. Then, dress up the rest of the room by layering cushions, draperies and throws in trendy colours. "And for low-cost drama and style, add a cool but inexpensive vase and tea lights."
• In the dining room, invest in white dishes. "They're elegant and versatile and will serve you well," says Alfred. High-end restaurants choose white dishes because food looks best displayed on them. Punch up your table with white plates in interesting shapes (square, curvilinear), embellished with colourful serving pieces.
• In the bedroom, achieve a luxurious finish with sateen sheets instead of percale ones; though they have the same thread count and price tag, sateen is softer.
Read more in Decorating & Design and Inside Design
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