'The Art of Fluffing' - Karen Creith: Interview

Karen Creith has just launched her first book, 'The Art of Fluffing.'

The coffee table book teaches the simple tips and tricks on how to style your home.

Here is the book cover:

“The Art of Fluffing is my attempt to teach all Australians, regardless of location, budget, creative direction or available resources, to really embrace their style and create their own sanctuary,” says Karen.

She adds, “Interior design is a real passion of mine. I appreciate how a space can change you. There is nothing better than coming home to a place that relaxes you, comforts you and allows you to really feel safe and carefree.”

The easy to read book encouarges learning how to establish your own style, and finding inspiration via Karen’s unique approach to styling it all up, aka "the art of fluffing", while becoming comfortable with the principals of design and executing something beautiful.

A self-made and enthusiast interior stylist and business woman from Parkes in regional NSW, Australia, Karen's aim is to educate and inspire all Australians to create their dream home – irrespective of creative direction or budget.

The opening chapters feature snippets of Karen’s own story of how she came to be a noted interior stylist, published feature writer and ultimately the editor of a magazine bearing her own name.

Here is the Josie's Juice interview with Karen:

Okay, so I consider myself to be hopeless at decorating. I just don’t have the knack. Are you saying it’s something an amateur can learn?

Yes there are certainly steps and basic rules that anyone can follow to start bringing their decorating dreams to life it is just having the confidence to make a start. Most times it is the fear of the unknown that seems to stop people in their tracks. I think with the fact that my book has so many pictures to help as visual aids that the journey should not seem as scary and will encourage that very first step to be taken.  And once you know the rules it is like you have been given a cheat sheet that will guarantee you success in all your future fluffing endeavours.

If I had $200 to spend on home updates, what would you advise I buy?

Of course the natural answer would be to find some gorgeous cushions, throw a few accent pieces in of the must have colour of the moment and instantly a living room can be freshened up and made to feel different but I would like to take another approach. I think the money would be really well spent getting advice and having a consult with a stylist. A home visit with a fresh set of eyes from a stylist may open your eyes to possibilities and styling tips and tricks that may never have even been considered before. This I think will ensure that all money spent on the pursuit of styling in the future will have you absolutely loving the results.

How would you approach a hoarder when decorating their home? Throwing out is not going to be easy…

If you can show someone the possibility of a clutter free life and the joys that can be attached to having a home that you are proud to welcome people into then the pressure of not wanting to throw away items can be lessened. I find if  I try the approach of streamlining the surfaces of one room in a home as an example for what we could achieve throughout the entire home suddenly there will be a substantial shift in thinking. And of course, we also have to get to the bottom of the hoarding issue to make sure that when I leave the problem won’t begin to develop again.

What led you to write this book? What was the catalyst for you?

The Art of Fluffing became to me a natural extension and flow on from my national magazines. They seemed to really appeal to women who have always yearned for a home that they love but felt was unachievable to them for a variety of reasons. I am very passionate that regardless of your finances it is always possible to make a huge and dramatic difference to the way you feel about your home. And if you have a home that you absolutely love to come home to each and every night then it can have such a positive and powerful flow on effect to our self esteem and the rest of the way we approach our lives. Each time I see the joy and excitement on the face of a client after we have fluffed together then I feel so humbled and touched that I have helped them bring their decorating dreams to life. I can see that they can’t wait to start enjoying and spending time in their homes and that is such a nice feeling.

What do you want most for people to get out of this book?

This book is very special to me and hopefully it will be to others as well. The fact that this book also tells my story of the amazing set of events that occurred to give me this opportunity for a career that I never would have ever dreamt possible for myself may also inspire others to just have the confidence to be themselves and to open themselves up to accepting opportunities when they are presented to you. As  women we put so much pressure on ourselves to try and achieve all our dreams at once and sometimes you just need to relax and enjoy the journey along the way.

Each and every time I receive feedback from my readers it makes me so happy and touched that they have enjoyed my advice and found it so helpful in making their homes beautiful places for them to enjoy. So if the book can provide inspiration and then help to othersI will feel a great sense of achievement.

'The Art of Fluffing', RRP $39.95, is available at selected stores and online. See www.karencreith.com.au for more details.

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