Through her thriving design business, Studio McGee, and online community of over 5 million followers, interior designer Shay McGee shows how high-end design principles can be applied to any home, on any budget. has shown the world. We bought her work at Target stores and watched her host the Emmy-nominated Netflix series Dream Home Makeover for inspiration. And now she's sharing with us her most important design tip ever.
Maggie recently published her first design book, The Art of Home: A Designer Guide to Creating an Elevated Yet Approachable Home. The book begins with a step-by-step explanation of the design process, then takes you on a tour of every room in the house, guiding you along the way to a consistent design for your entryway, living room, kitchen, workspace, utility room, and children's room. Masu. She creates rooms that balance her signature aesthetic of sophisticated design and livable functionality.
“Design is a process. It unfolds one step, one decision, and one layer at a time.”
As the title of her new book suggests, designing a room that makes the biggest impact while still feeling welcoming to whoever walks in is an art, but one that can be learned with the right tools. It's also a skill. “What I love about design is the opportunity to dream and realize that vision,” says Maggie. “As you can see in these beautiful pages, we're proud of the spaces we've designed over the years, and we're excited to share some of the lessons we've learned along the way to help you create a comfortable home. I’m so proud of you.”
In an exclusive interview with Maggie, she reveals key takeaways from her new book, including inspiration for every room in your home, along with key steps to creating a functional and beautiful home.
Provided by Shay McGee/Lucy Cole
entrance
“The entryway sets the tone for the entire home and gives people an idea of what the home is all about,” says McGee. Focus on what you want your entryway to convey about the rest of your home and how you want your guests to feel when they enter.
For Maggie, there are five essential items to create a functional and stylish entryway. “When you approach a front door, large or small, think of console tables, lamps, and mirrors,” she says. “When that happens, I always make sure I have some kind of tray or bowl as a drop zone, and I always like to put a candle in this space as well. ”
If you have a small space, McGee recommends using a vintage rug to center the space, focusing on the floor, and letting color and pattern set the tone. Ottomans, flower pots and sculptural pieces also work to great effect.
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living
“We walk in the front door first, but we often design the kitchen and living room first and build from there, because that’s where most of our life happens and where we spend most of our time in the home. That’s why,” McGee says. For her, good living room design starts with a good layout that creates conversation and brings people together. “Putting all the seating to one side or pushing everything up against the wall doesn't create the intimate effect that I expect from a living room.” In small spaces, we recommend choosing an ottoman over the coffee table.
When designing a living room, Maggie is all about balance. Her eclectic style perfectly balances old and new, creating seamless and consistent designs. To achieve this, Maggie focuses on finding tones, textures, proportions and shapes that work well together and repeating motifs throughout the space. “For example, in the living room, you want to make sure the shape of the fireplace ties in with what's around the walls and ceiling,” she says. There are beautiful soft sculptures on the walls. ”
“I like to think about home design in terms of rhythm rather than consistency. It's movement, rhythm, flow.”
“When it comes to furniture, modern lamps and antique chests or vintage stools are a sure-fire approach to mixing styles,” explains Maggie. “You have to play around with different combinations of parts until you get it right.” You should also bring reference images for inspiration when shopping or collecting photos, and take pictures of furniture you like and share them with you. We also recommend creating a design board and playing around with different combinations until you find the right balance.
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kitchen
For Maggie, the kitchen has more than just a practical purpose. It must also fulfill the purpose of adding beauty to your home. She expanded on this idea by sharing her top three elements for a functional and beautiful kitchen. “First, make sure your work triangle works well. Cooking is much more enjoyable when you can easily move between key areas of the kitchen, such as the refrigerator, sink, and stove,” she says.
Second, Maggie always includes a focal point, such as a beautiful hood over the stove, beautiful backsplash tile, and open shelving next to the range. “If you don't create a focal point, your eyes will be thinking about something and you won't be able to decide on anything. A kitchen has many functions.” Maggie concludes by paying attention to durability as well as style. I suggest paying. Your kitchen is a big investment, so choose materials that will stand the test of time and finishes that won't go out of style rather than being 'trendy', she says.
“Functionality is not just about practicality. It's about purpose.”
A good lighting plan is another way to add another dimension to your kitchen. “You can incorporate task lighting to beautify it,” McGee says. “For example, in addition to using recessed lighting, are there any opportunities to incorporate another light fixture?” Highlight features.
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dining room
“For example, a dining room doesn't have as many items as a living room, so making sure you have the right table and chair combination is the most important design decision,” McGee says. say. When choosing a dining table, scale is just as important as style, making sure the table is the right size for the room and has enough room to pull out chairs and walk around it. . The shape of the room will naturally influence the shape of the dining table. A rectangular or oval table may be suitable for a rectangular room, while a square or round table may be suitable for a square room. For her home, Maggie designed a white oak racetrack-shaped table to soften the linear grid of the windows and ceiling.
“Nourishment extends beyond mealtimes because it’s a designated place to gather and spend time together.”
Place a decorative light fixture in the center of the table and make sure the scale is correct. “Choose a 2-inch light that's about a third of the width of the table, and plan for 32 to 36 inches between the table and the bottom of the light fixture,” she advises. “Whatever you do, be sure to lift the light fixture to make sure it looks good before you install it,” she added. At the end of Maggie's book, you'll find her guide to style, which provides a visual resource for design and decorating, and details how to hang and position ceiling lights, along with other valuable tips. It has been.
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bedroom
Layering textures is the secret to creating an inviting and relaxing sanctuary. “Layering your bedding, like beautiful quilts, throws, and decorative pillows, can go a long way in giving your bedroom a luxurious feel,” says McGee. For her, the implicit interaction with tactile surfaces relaxes our bodies and minds, so a variety of soft textures is essential in the bedroom.
“Serenity is achieved through the calming color palette and tactility of each surface.”
Upholstered furniture, window treatments, cushions, and bedding are great opportunities to introduce color and pattern into a neutral bedroom space and tie the scheme together. For example, the color of the lampshade might pick up color from the design of the window treatment, which is repeated in the accent chair's studded cushions. Maggie goes into detail about pattern combinations in his guide to style, revealing top tips for pairing different patterns well and how to style them on your bed.
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Bathroom
Bathroom renovations cost a lot of money, so avoid overly trendy and luxurious bathroom designs that will quickly become outdated. McGee suggests playing it safe with big-ticket items like plumbing fixtures, tile, custom vanities and countertops, and having fun with small things that change, like vanity lighting and decorative mirrors. “Classic choices will give your bathroom a sense of stability, but going into the details will ensure the design is safe and not boring,” she says.
“The difference between a sad bathroom and a great bathroom is materiality.”
Even if you choose classic tiles, you can quickly transform your bathroom into something unique without increasing costs by playing around with small details like adding a tile pattern or an unexpected grout color. Masu. “Don't be afraid to mix metals,” advises McGee, suggesting using a primary metal for plumbing and incorporating different finishes for lighting, mirrors, or hardware.
Please note that powder rooms and children's bathrooms follow different rules and the motto is “go big or go home.” These small enclosed spaces offer the perfect opportunity to experiment with bold patterns and trendy colors.
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Ministry of the Interior
With working from home becoming the new normal, it's essential to have a comfortable space to feel inspired, be productive and efficient. “When designing a workspace, the first questions we ask our clients are: What is your inspiration? What are your hobbies and interests? What kind of environment do you want to work in? And what colors do you want to be surrounded by when you work?'' Maggie says.
“Functionality influences the layout and fundamentals, but passion and interest should influence everything that follows.”
Some people prefer to work in dark, moody environments, while others find they are more productive in bright, light-filled spaces. It all comes down to personal preference. A home office, especially a separate room, is a great opportunity to personalize the space since children or guests rarely come over. Home When it comes to designing your office, McGee recommends using your hobbies and passions as inspiration for your office decor, and diving into what excites you. “If you let your personality shine through by filling your office with things you love and inspire, you'll feel inspired to work when you stop and look around,” she says. .
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utility room
Utility spaces like mudrooms and laundry rooms may not be glamorous, but a well-designed utility can enhance and facilitate daily chores and add beauty to mundane matters. Maggie begins designing a practical space by listing the space's top priorities and uses. “Utility rooms work best when you assess how you will use them before planning or installing furniture,” she says.
Closed storage is a great way to hide muddy boots and clutter, while incorporating open shelving creates space to style. “We want to make sure that the space we have to style still makes sense and can be used as such,” she says. It has a purpose beyond decoration. ”
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kids room
When designing a children's room, it's important to balance a sense of whimsy with room for growth. As a general rule, Maggie invests in long-lasting basics that will grow with her child, such as bedroom furniture or custom carpentry tools. Then add personality through decorative accessories, wall color, and easily updated finishes.
“One of the things we always consider when designing children's rooms is plenty of storage and space for them to hide all their collections,” she says. She adds, “I include some open shelves so the kids can display their favorite things, but I tend to keep the open shelves to a minimum to avoid making the room look cluttered and cluttered.”
“My goal when designing rooms for young children is to provide a sense of whimsy and room to grow.”
That said, she observes that toys can be great styling objects with the right balance. “We always incorporate spaces for kids to relax and feel comfortable, like fun chairs and reading nooks.” Maggie applies the same approach of layering textures to children's rooms to make them inviting, cozy, and inviting. This creates an environment that is calming and conducive to sleep.