How We Live Home Tour With Kelly Collier-Clark
When we think of decorating with African decor images of bold safari patterns, large wood carved animals and exotic art comes to mind. Those design elements while great for some can be intimating for others.
Incorporating African decor can be overwhelming especially if your design aesthetic is more on the neutral or minimalist side. But there's a way to add heritage decor while staying true to your cleaner, less is more design style.
Luckily, Kelly Collier-Clark shows us how incorporating just a few African decorative accents into your home can add the cultural vibe you've been looking for while blending seamlessly into your existing decor.
Let's take a look at my fellow Philly sistah's home!
Tell readers a little about yourself and where you live. My name is Kelly Collier-Clark, I am the Founder of Plot Twist Design, Plot Decor, and the Plot Twist Design Podcast. I’m a Realtor and have over 20yrs of corporate business experience. The firm is located in Blue Bell, just outside of Philadelphia PA where I was born and raised.
How would you describe your decorating style in three words and who or what influenced that style? I would describe my decorating style as; globally-inspired, chic, and clean. My style was heavily influenced by my grandmother and mother.
Do you have keepsakes or family heirlooms incorporated into your home decor? If so, what are they and why was it important to incorporate them? My keepsakes are incorporated in my home as photos. One that’s nearest & dearest to my heart is a photo of my grandmother holding my mother as a baby. I keep the photo in my wardrobe room. It’s important, because her class, poise, grace, and style in fashion helped me to be the woman I am today. And in this particular photo she’s dressed in her finest, head to toe.
What was one major decorating challenge you faced in your home and how did you solve it? This is easy! The biggest design challenge in my home was an airflow vent in my dining space. I have an open floor plan, so having that positioned higher than usual on the wall was the bane of my existence for some time.
It seemed worse after we painted the walls gray in that space with the vent left white. During quarantine I decided to paint the vent gray. It was an instant fix that almost muted the existence of it.
Why was it important for you to incorporate African decor in your home? What types do you have? It was important for me to incorporate African decor in my home to honor part of my heritage. I am still working on adding more, but to date I have an African JuJu Hat in my powder room. For those who don’t know, JuJu hats represent prosperity and were known to be worn during tribal ceremonies by royal dancers.
For those that are hesitant to incorporate African decor into their space or don’t know where to start, what's one piece of advice you’d give them? I would encourage them to start by researching some pieces of decor that fit best into their aesthetic style, so it looks cohesive and not forced or out of place.
At Reflektion Design our mantra is, See Yourself at Home. How does your home reflect who you are? My home is a bit of a hybrid. There’s a neutral aesthetic throughout the first level. There’s an element of bold surprise in my powder room with black marble flooring and wallpaper covering the walls and ceiling. The second level is similar, and my wardrobe room boasts all the boldest aesthetics. Throughout my home there is a calmness with pops of excitement.
Where can we find you online? You can find me at www.plottwistdesignllc.com and on Instagram.
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Looking for African decor that reflects who you are? Head to the shop: www.reflektiondesign.com
Thanks for checking out the blog please share with your friends.
What is your favorite design element in Kelly's home? Use the comment section below to let me know what you think!
P.S If you enjoyed this home tour, check out our previous tour featuring DIY queen, Orien Carter you're gonna love it!
I’m LOVING the classic black & white with a twist throughout. Also, it always touches my soul when I see & hear fellow designers celebrate our elders. The photo of Grandma holding Mom is a beautiful touch.
Wow!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Kelly’s home story. I’ve admired her style for years and it was a pleasure learning more about her. Btw.. her dressing room is a dream! Glad she keeps the picture of her grandmother/ mother nearby as it’s a positive sight to see to start her day. Thanks for sharing her home