Charleston-based designer Molly Basile hand-picked our freshest pillow bundle yet! Keep reading for more on Molly, her style and her custom pillow choices.
First off, tell us a little bit about yourself!
I'm the founder and lead designer of Molly Basile Interiors, a full-service interiors design firm based in Charleston, SC. I live in Charleston with my husband, Jeff, and our two children, Teddy & Annie. I started MBI 5 years ago while I was working a corporate job - we now have a team of three and a studio with a storefront in Mount Pleasant.
How would you describe your style? Where do you find inspiration?
Fresh, traditional, inviting. I love finding inspiration through travel, fashion, design books and our clients.
What does your home say about you?
I want my home to feel warm, layered, and welcoming. It’s classic with traditional and formal elements but comfortable. With two toddlers and a dog it’s a must that it’s livable – nothing is off limits. We renovated our home and moved in 3 years ago. I have approached the decorating phase slow and steady - making sure to invest in fabrics and pieces I love that will stand the test of time. It’s a process!
Walk us through how you styled the pillows! How did you choose which patterns and piping to use?
We styled a guest bedroom with pretty Pepper Home pillows! The guest bedroom is covered in a traditional blue and white pattern on the walls and on the bed. I wanted to keep the palette soft but loved the idea of adding in pops of purple and green to compliment the light blue. We mixed the traditional floral with an abstract, transitional pattern to keep it fresh - and the new green fringe and blue piping were extra details that helped pull the whole room together!
We typically incorporate at least 4 pillows on a bed with 3 euros at the back and one bolster or lumbar in front. On a sofa, we like to do pairs – one 24” pair at the back and one 22” pair in front. Pillows with a mix of patterns and colors can truly complete a space and bring a design together!
Do you stick to any design "rules" when mixing and matching patterns and colors?
I suggest mixing both large and small scale patterns and incorporating florals and geometric patterns to play off each other. It’s important that the fabric grounds work well together too so that the patterns and colors can do the talking!
One of our mottos is "a little goes a long way". What are a few ways to elevate your living room/bedroom that don't require a full renovation or splurging on new furniture?
Updating your bedding and pillows are a simple and quick way to change the look of a space! You can change color palettes and even the overall style of the space depending on the patterns, colors, and textures you incorporate.
Favorite design book?
Beautiful by Mark Sikes
Color crush of the moment?
Neutrals; ivories, tans, and browns
Wallpaper or paint?
Wallpaper – or paint the whole room a bold color including trim!
Favorite project you’ve worked on?
I’ll never be able to pick a favorite, but a couple memorable ones are our Project McCants and St. Matthews. We worked with both families from start to finish, construction to furnishings, and I love knowing we were a part of creating their forever homes.