We’re pretty thankful that Jeff Snyder decided to quit his career in the corporate world to pursue his passion for design. Today, his crisp, curated, and welcoming look dots every corner of his store, Simon’s House Interiors in Raleigh. And if you’ve ever seen his home, you know that he’s an expert at layering. From patterns and textures to colors and accessories, he’s our go-to for a lived-in look.

“Creating a space that looks and feels layered is one of the biggest challenges in decorating. It takes a keen eye but also some trial and error,” Snyder says. “Layering provides depth to a room, and it can be the key to making the room feel complete and evolved over time. I’ve often said that our homes are not one-dimensional, so we shouldn’t decorate as if they are. Layering your furnishings, textures, and patterns create levels of dimension,” he says.

“The starting points for this space were the leather furnishings (sofa, chair, and chaise lounge). To add interest to these neutral pieces, I began a layering process,” Snyder explains. “And to ground an otherwise voluminous room, I selected a colorful, boldly patterned rug. The palette of the rug and unexpected selection of a large scale art piece on the back wall both provide depth and contrast to the room,” he says. “Final selections like the sheepskin on the chaise, natural stump side table, and green accents throughout round out the layering piece of this design, creating my collected and curated space.”

Layering 101:

•    Consider layering with contrast to create depth. For example, dark in the forefront, light in the middle, dark in the background.

•    Bring in the ‘smalls’ – small drink tables beside standard end tables and chairs, minilamps for accent lighting on shelves or small tables, small pillows in front of or amidst larger ones, dining chairs as accent seating.

•    Textures in neutrals (i.e. sisal, rattan, and raffia) mix wonderfully with patterns and bold colors.

•    Incorporate the ceiling into the space - paint it; add trim work, beams, or other architectural elements; make a big statement with light fixtures.