Combining the serious with the flirty

Morning, a bit earlier than usual for me (4.30 yuk) but its the time of the year its a little bonkers with a ton of stuff to get through. I have a thing about combining the serious with the flirty or the masculine with the feminine. I love what happens when you temper these two. Grown up inky rooms juxtaposed say with oodles of flowers or lamps with funny little taffeta shades. I guess the biggest trick if I can call it a trick is to make sure the pieces feel like they sort of belong together. For me and this is personal obviously I'm not a fan of the pale/pastel quite feminine painted wall look. I want cigar den, library esq inky toned rooms that envelope me and wrap me up in the squishiest of blankets. Having said that though neither though do I want a room with lots of hard surfaces everywhere because that would feel to harsh. So the trick is to mix. I love dark walls and therefore a lot of my furniture doesn't have that heavy, blocky serious feel. I tend to focus on form more with the big pieces - curves, embellishments so a highly craved table which I've painted out bright teal against a dark wall - heaven, or a chair with curves. When it comes to fabrics you have the potential to go either way - light and flirty or more boyish think leathers. I combine as an example metallic leather cushions with slubby softly woven merino ones - beautiful combo! When it comes to accessories I love mixing flirty with serious. Some bad boy art, with flowers on a table below that kind of thing. A heap of books with a bust I've picked up at a flea and a candle - serious and flirty at the same time. Decorating is personal we all know that - but its taken to the next level when you add friction. A funny old thing to advise I realise that but the more friction you add the more interesting your room becomes. Promise. So as an example my pad. Dark walls - serious, flirty accessories like the flowers and penguin lamp! My downstairs little loo. Wooden paneled walls - serious with gold taps and flowers - flirty. x