Decorating ideas from celebrity Leo Sayer

FAMILY ROOM

An eclectic cultural mix, Turkish kilim cushions and carved Indian furniture sit comfortably with traditional European pieces.

Reinvent your favourite sofa with new covers.
Once a rich dark velvet, textured linen was chosen to suit our casual Aussie lifestyle as it can take a lot of wear.
Add interest with textured and patterned cushions.
Here, hand-woven cushions are made from antique kilims, adding a rustic touch.
Transform a blank wall into an art gallery.
Black-and-white photos of different sizes make a stunning display. Keep frames the same for a sense of unity and the distance between the images small. The idea is to create the illusion of one large artwork.

DINING ROOM

Glamorous crystal chandeliers, mirrors and elegant French-style chairs, this dining room has it all.

Keep the scheme neutral so guests add colour.
An off-white scheme is elegant and never dates especially when teamed with dark timber. Add a little interest with a pattern, for instance striped slip covers.
Pleat the corners of slip covers for easy removal.
Under elegantly striped fabric who would guess dark leather lurks? Slip covers need to fit snugly but not too tightly over your chairs or you won’t be able to remove them, defeating the purpose of change-of-season decorating and cleaning.
Provide seating for after-dinner drinks or coffee.
The curved walls at the end of the dining room create an alcove-like space, ideal for a couple of chairs and a side table.

OFFICE

The mix of contemporary, traditional and oriental pieces works well.

Scale furniture to fit the space.
A narrow wall is put to good use by placing a tall chest of drawers against it and hanging record awards one above the other. Prints or paintings would also work. This repetition of the vertical element adds emphasis to the space.
Mix different styles with similar shapes to give continuity to an eclectic look.
In this room although there are many different styles they are linked by a common simplicity of shape. Here, the clear chairs by French designer Philippe Starck are made from a simple modern material but formed in the shape of traditional furniture. The tall oriental chest of drawers is plain but elegant and the comfortable armchair has smooth, clean, classic lines.