I was fortunate enough to attend an Alex and Bro interior home styling workshop. The duo, Tamara and Julia host cosy and informative interior styling mornings, and all in a real live home setting. So, last weekend I headed off to the leafy lanes of Muswell Hill and I found myself rubbing shoulders with inquisitive home décor makers from the North London set, eager to learn the art of styling their homes. You were guaranteed an informative and fun morning …

The fact is there are many different ways of achieving Interior Design these days and particularly with the finishing touches which make a room complete. It is not always necessary to reach out for internet or high street sources and struggling blindly with not knowing if your choices are the right ones. At Alex and Bro’s items are available and ready to see and touch and buy! What a gift.

‘Thrift’ buying, or discovering ’vintage finds’ - the more fashionable term used these days, is an achievable way to finish the look. Whether your home is Boutique or Bo ho, adding the old as well as the new creates an eclectic setting. The joy is that you can add items as you discover them by chance, and that makes the whole experience of styling your home personal to you.

Queen of thrift is Tamara Broido - Reclectic and partner Julia Alexander a styling pro who have a great working partnership make a wonderful impression on their pupils and here is why.

The process.

Your styling experience begins with a greeting as if you were an old friend. You are invited to take coffee and some homemade cake whilst you try to absorb what is all around you. Tamara’s home is full of beautiful decorative items and mostly for sale. They have been located from markets and emporiums, boot sales and flea-markets then carefully placed to style her home. On the styling day as her home, but relinquished as a styling tool for the day which works perfectly.

There is an abundance of finds that you would steal for! There were a particularly large red urn that I had my eyes on, but sadly was not for sale. After a momentary chat with fellow stylers, you take a seat and view a presentation of 7 styling tips stating the ‘tricks of the trade’ and then off in groups to style a corner of the room. The course was a delight, and from an Interior Designer point of view was very guiding and encouraging for all its participants. The treasures that you can find at boot sales, fairs, charity shops or hand me downs, will transform your home and be unique to you. In addition, there is a history and love of those items that have been passed from hand to hand, if only we could trace the journey of each. 

After the course, to complete the look, the fun does not have to end there; You can paint furniture, make picture frames out of fabrics and reclaim items for different uses that they were not originally intended fo. Whatever you do, relax and find your inner style by choosing items that reflect yourself and those you are comfortable with.

To complete the day, Alex and Bro gifted us with a plant to use in our homes. Sadly, I left mine behind. I must have still been thinking about that urn and how lovely I could have styled it in my own home.

Recommended course.

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