Whether you’re raising a family, leading a busy lifestyle, or spending minimal time in your home, try some of Daniela’s own personal hacks for creating a space that’s luxe and low maintenance.

1. Declutter and keep it simple

Less is always more.  People often believe that creating a luxe space means filling it with “stuff”. This is not the case, in fact, it’s the opposite! Luxe homes use ornate statement pieces, layered textures, lighting and colour to create interesting and beautiful spaces, but they are never, ever cluttered. Everything in the room has a place and purpose for being there.

My tip is to go for quality over quantity and choose a few key pieces that make a big impact. Not only will your space look better but it will feel so much more calm – this is especially important in the bedroom where you need to totally relax each day.

Oh, and the other thing I love about cutting the clutter? Your house will suddenly be so much easier to keep tidy and clean. I told you we were going to keep it practical…

2. Use clever storage

Okay, so I know there is only so much decluttering you can achieve without giving away all your possessions (especially if you have children at home)!

Another thing you can do to simplify your space and add some flair at the same time is to invest in great storage. It could be a beautiful sideboard, chest of drawers, or even built-in joinery if you have the option to modify your home.

In this room for one of my boys, we used lots of clever built-in storage hacks. The window seat had a toy box built-in underneath, and I designed the robes to have one side for Winter clothes, and one side for Summer clothes, plus plenty of hanging spaces and drawers on the inside and outside. Storage like this is great, especially for kids. Finally, I added some open shelves for books and other accessories.

If everything can have a place, it will be so much easier to keep your space clean and pristine. I promise it will feel so much calmer as well.

3. Style with statement plants and flowers

I’m obsessed with fresh flowers and still use them as much as possible in my work, but I know that if you are DIY-ing your styling then they aren’t always practical for everyone.

Instead, you could create a similar effect with some striking (but low maintenance) plants.

I personally love these indoor plants:

• Parlour Palms
• Devil’s Ivy
• Rubber Plants
• Succulents or cacti (I love agaves)

You’ll also want to choose plants that will thrive in the environment you have; pay attention to the light you have and treat them with love. Fun fact: my Dad is super passionate about gardening and he is amazing at. He even talks to the plants and everything he touches grows and flourishes. He treats them with love!

Get creative with where you place them as well. I love adding a statement potted plant to a bathroom to give it some life and help it feel less clinical.

4. Embrace hardwood timber floors

arpets are overrated. It pains me every time I see a beautiful home that has gorgeous hardwood floors hidden beneath old carpet. Rip it up!

Thankfully most of the stunning homes I work with embrace their original features like these (which makes my job that much easier). Not only does it look so much better, but it’s 10 times easier to keep clean, especially with kids or pets.

If you’re worried about acoustics or warmth, you can always soften up bedrooms and living areas with a great rug (still easier to clean or replace than carpet, and they look better too).

5. Hire an interior designer to do it all for you

If all else fails, bring in the experts! This is why I’m here; to help you. Now that you know how easy it can be to maintain a luxe home (with the right design choices) you might still be hesitant about doing the work to get your home there in the first place.

I get it. When you have 593 other things on your plate, this can easily fall to the bottom of the list. If you’re in this boat and need some help to get started, feel free to reach out for a no-obligation chat.