At home with Candice: Mastering the Art of Home Styling

Behind the doors of Candice's Scottish abode

When it comes to creating a beautiful and functional home, few do it as effortlessly and elegantly as content creator Candice. With a lifelong passion for creativity and a background in Graphic Design, Candice's love for interior design truly blossomed ten years ago during a property renovation. Although she is pursuing a career in teaching supporting children on the autism spectrum, Candice continues to nurture her design skills in her spare time. Three years ago, a friend's suggestion led her to start @home_with_candy_sky on Instagram, where she combines her love for interior design and photography. We're diving into her world of home styling to get a glimpse of her creative process and favourite tips. Whether you're looking to revamp your space or need some inspiration, Candice is the creator to follow for new-build interior and home decoration ideas.

Describe your home style and how it influences your home décor choices.

Candice: For me, I feel calm when my surroundings are neutral, so I try to keep everything light and bright, incorporating wood and other natural elements where I can. I love a variety of styles, such as the serene and minimalist aesthetic of Scandinavian design, the rich textures and natural materials associated with Organic Modern, and the warmth and earthiness of Japandi décor. However, I like to combine aspects of all these styles with traditional elements as well. I'm always on the lookout for unique items, but I frequently upcycle furniture or décor pieces to elevate their appearance. I also love large, statement items, such as our huge ornate mirror or some of my canvas artworks.

How do you stay inspired and keep your décor fresh and current:

Candice: I stay inspired by browsing Pinterest and Instagram for fresh ideas and also by flicking through interior magazines. Constant exposure to beautiful décor often sparks new ideas, leading me to frequently update our home’s style—something my family doesn’t always appreciate! DIY projects are my form of therapy, so when I have spare time, I get started on new projects. I particularly enjoy painting walls, so changing room colours is a fun and satisfying part of the process for me.

How do you balance functionality and aesthetics in your home décor?

Candice: Our home definitely lacks storage space, so when I'm designing a room, I typically have to think about incorporating furniture that looks stylish but also provides functionality, such as cupboard space or drawers. Having children and a love for light colour schemes can also be tricky to balance. We have an off-white sofa, but I purposely sourced one that was stylish and had washable covers. I also try to use furniture to hide unsightly plugs, sockets, or wires in our home. A few of my paintings cover switches that we don't use, and in the hallway, I have a box canvas deep enough to hang over our doorbell chime so that it’s hidden.

How do you approach styling your home? Walk us through your process:

Candice: When I'm styling a space, I usually focus on these three elements:

1. Balancing colours, textures and heights.

I focus on achieving a harmonious look by balancing colours, textures, and heights of the various pieces I use.

2. Style in a collection of three.

I often arrange items in groups of three, as this approach tends to create a pleasing visual harmony and ensures that everything complements each other.

3. Incorporating subtle décor to complement statement pieces.

When incorporating a statement piece, I make sure it stands out on its own by either placing it in a prominent spot or ensuring that any surrounding décor is kept subtle and understated. This way, the statement piece remains the focal point, while the overall arrangement feels cohesive and thoughtfully curated.

What are your favourite Fluid pieces and how have you styled them in your home?

The Fluid Honeycomb Lantern is a true statement piece. It's beautifully textured and looks stunning on its own, but it also looks striking when styled with smaller items that are similar in tone, as well as black items. For this space, I’ve positioned my wooden birds on top of books. The mix of textures and tones creates a balanced, inviting vibe, making the space feel curated but still cosy. I also love using this piece as a vase, styled with different foliage and stems. It can truly move around your home for different purposes.

2. I love styling the Park Royal Copper Candlesticks because they are so versatile and stand out in so many of our spaces. The rich colour of them adds warmth and the metal blends well with other textures. I currently have them on our picture shelves against the limewash paint and they look perfect there. The contrast between the candlesticks' shiny, warm tones and the subtle, earthy texture of the limewash creates a striking balance.

3. The Woden Vase is a recent addition to our home, and I love how versatile it is. Its timeless design makes it the perfect piece to refresh the look of any room. I find myself constantly changing the foliage inside it to match the different seasons.

4. Similarly, the Ripple Vase is incredibly versatile, working equally well with lush plants or simple stems. When placed in front of a tall mirror, the reflection enhances its delicate rippled texture, creating a stunning visual effect.