Designers Call These Items "Essential" for a Well-Styled Room

The world of home decor is vast, and we’re constantly amazed by the designers, creators, and creatives who cross our paths. In an effort to learn more about the innovative eyes behind the scenes, we’ve launched a series that explores the sanity-saving tools, products, and services that keep our favorite designers and decorators focused on the job at hand. Welcome to Tools of the Trade.

As we all know, home decorating doesn’t stop with picking out furniture and selecting a few paint colors. While creating a beautiful base is certainly important, the real joy comes when you add the little details that make your home feel like you. Often, this is best achieved with some serious home styling.

The art of home styling, however, is so much more than just placing a few items on a shelf. With this in mind, we turned to a few of our favorite designers—Kendall Knox and Laura Sotelo of Olive Atelier and Brooke Lang of Brooke Lang Design—to ask for their top home styling must-haves.

From a great gallery wall hack to a stunning, inexpensive find that’s perfect for everything from floral displays to home organizing, here’s what we learned.

What item do you always have on hand when styling?

Brooke Lang: A picture hanging kit.

Everbilt Picture Hanging Kit (217-Piece)

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Kendall Knox & Lauren Sotelo: These handy florist tins make styling our Atelier so much easier. We merchandise the space every two weeks, so any tool that makes the process smoother, or more efficient, is worth investing in. 

ZOOFOX Set of 4 Galvanized Metal Vases

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Why is this item so great for styling?

BL: Great picture hanging kits are essential to hanging a print, aside from a hammer. Our team hangs a lot of artwork on install days, so it is empowering to be able to hang individual artworks or entire gallery walls easily without calling for help. The small nails and hooks are very easy to position and secure on the wall. The kit also includes a level to ensure everything is hung straight and wire to hang frames with tricky hooks. The variety of hanging hook sizes accommodates a range of artwork sizes from small to large.

KK & LS: The tins are useful as a diverse styling tool—plus, they're inexpensive and easily accessible either online or at the local flower market. 

Where and how do you use this styling must-have most?

BL: I use this at client installs and at home all the time. I’m in the middle of renovating a mid-century fixer-upper.

KK & LS: These handy floral tins are the perfect tool for creating layers and adding height to our styled vignettes. They also fit conveniently inside our smaller-mouthed vessels. This allows us to prop plants and florals inside, letting foliage overflow from all of our vintage and one-of-a-kind pots and vases. 

How did you discover this item?

BL: I discovered my favorite picture hanging kit at the hardware store, but you can purchase one easily online on Amazon or other online retailers.

KK & LS: A friend, and talented floral artist @pigsty, recommended we invest in some. We originally used these tins to store and merchandise unique branches for sale at “Drops.” We then discovered by tipping them upside down, we could use them as pedestals to create height, and inside vessels. Win-win! 

Will you use this item in the future?

BL: Yes, definitely. It will always be an essential item in our project install kit.

KK & LS: Absolutely! 

How has this item made your job easier?

BL: I don't have to rely on others to hang every piece of art in a client's home, and it allows me to pitch in and help save time on install days.

KK & LS: We are no longer scratching our heads debating which plants or trees will be tall enough to fit inside our vessels and showcase how best to style your objects at home. 

How might someone not in your line of work benefit from this item?

BL: A picture hanging kit takes the guesswork out of hanging artwork in your space. It’s a no-brainer for every homeowner! It makes hanging artwork an easier and more streamlined process.

KK & LS:  A florist tin can be a super handy catchall for tools, supplies, and styling supplies. In our Atelier, we have some rolls of fabric safely stored in these florist twins at the moment. Using tins as vessels for floral arrangements is a great way to upcycle them, especially for those who appreciate a country living aesthetic.

What, if anything, would you change about this item?

BL: I prefer comprehensive kits that come with extras, like a level and measuring tool.

KK & LS: Nothing—most of our vessels are over 30" tall and were previously used to store olives and olive oil in the off-season. For this reason, these tins act as an incredible tool to lift up our shorter plants and branches.

Are there any tips you have for someone considering this item?

BL: Keep the pieces organized and remember to keep a hammer, wire cutter, and measuring tape/tool at hand in addition to the kit. If your kit doesn’t come with a level, you’ll need one of these, too.

KK & LS: Handy hint: you can easily snap the handles off if you need to insert the tin into an even tighter opening. Wear gloves when doing so, safety first.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.