Designing a beautiful home doesn’t need to mean spending a fortune, according to award-winning actress Jane Seymour.
Her take on the subject: Trust your own artistic instincts, use what you already have, and pay especially close attention to well-loved belongings that speak to your personal style.
Seymour shares these and other decorating insights in her new book, “Making Yourself at Home: Finding Your Style and Putting It All Together” (DK Publishing, $40).
The Denver Post caught up by phone with the actress at her home, “Coral Canyon,” in Malibu, Calif. It was there that she developed most of the ideas about entertaining and comfortable design spotlighted in her book.
Q: What’s your favorite room at home and why?
A: I think the flow of the main living room works really well because it has multiple seating areas. This is an important element to have while entertaining because people like to be in spaces that make them feel cozy. Groupings of chairs and sofas and tables that don’t overwhelm a space can create a sense of comfort, and the space is people-friendly because it’s modular, and all the furniture pieces can be easily moved.
Q: What mistakes do people often make when decorating?
A: It really worries me when I see people decorating houses with accessories or artwork that don’t speak to who they are. Some will buy a piece because it’s the right color for the house or because someone told them that their look was “Tuscan.” So they go out and buy everything they think is Tuscan, and everything ends up looking the same.
Do not be afraid to express who you are with what you already have. Whether you love animals or collect a certain kind of antiques or love photographs of friends and family. When you invite people into your home, they experience your life by the things you love.
Q: Share an example of how that works.
A: I had a friend who collected Eiffel Towers. She must have had more than 1,000 Eiffel Towers everywhere you went through her home. It was a little overwhelming for me. But her artistic flair made walking through her home interesting. I probably have way too many things in my house that are celadon green, but it’s obviously something that speaks to me.
Q: What element of design do you hope readers of your book will embrace?
A: I want to empower readers to realize they can manifest change in their living space, whether they are buying a new home or just creating a new room.
Be (mindful) of items such as chairs and couches or other pieces you can own for a long time. You can re-cover them and add texture to the space. Or try changing out cushions or accessories to put a whole different spin on the room. For example, I have an old candlestick that I love. But I recently changed it into a lamp. I’ve taken other collectibles such as an old silver tea and coffee pot and used them for flower arrangements.
Q: What is your most affordable and practical design tip?
A: Sometimes I like to keep a theme going into a couple of rooms. My husband’s office where he edits movies and my children’s playroom are near one another.
I chose to cover the couches and chairs from both rooms in the same dark brown faux suede, and both rooms have African raffia and fabrics. Although the rooms have completely different uses, I can move things around … and everything will still go together.
Q: Any parting words to help people uncover their design style?
A: If while looking at a movie you see something you like about the set, rewind and rewind until you figure out what it is you like and why. Those sets are researched so they are authentic to that period and those people.
Buy a copy of “Making Yourself at Home” online at , and the author will sign and dedicate it for you.
Staff writer Sheba R. Wheeler can be reached at 303-954-1283 or swheeler@denverpost.com.
