What Our Designers Are Styling Right Now: Summer Edition

This time of year, the Nell Hill’s Design Studio is buzzing. Our Upholstered Furniture Sale has been running all month and ends today — and if you’re still hoping to shop, it’s not too late, even if you’re not local. We ship anywhere! Clients have been starting new projects, reimagining favorite spaces, and coming in with fresh ideas, which means our designers are building flatlays nonstop. Flatlays are one of the most effective tools we use at the start of a project. By pulling together fabrics, trims, leathers, rug samples, and finishes in one place, they help establish the overall mood, direction, and personality of a room. They make it easier for clients to visualize how patterns relate, how colors balance, and how textures work together long before any decisions are finalized. It’s a clear, collaborative way to explore possibilities — and one of the most fun parts of the design process.

With so much creativity happening in the studio right now, here’s a look at what our designers are styling this season.

 

 

Classic Blue and Red – Taylor Apel

In the studio, Taylor A is leaning into one of her favorite timeless pairings: blue and red. It’s a classic combination, but she’s giving it a fresh, modern twist through the details — the trims, the tapes, the fringe, and all the finishing touches that make a piece feel unmistakably Nell Hill’s. Taylor has a knack for taking traditional palettes and making them feel energized, crisp, and full of personality, and this flatlay is a perfect example of that.

 

 

Her inspiration began with a new blue‑and‑red embroidered tape trim recently added to our in‑house trim collection. It’s bold, beautifully stitched, and instantly sets the tone for the palette. From there, Taylor layered coordinating fabrics, playful patterns, and thoughtful textures to build a scheme that feels both rooted in tradition and refreshingly current. The mix includes classic florals, tailored geometrics, and richly woven solids, all working together to create a palette that feels balanced, intentional, and full of movement.

 

 

This project highlights how trims can completely transform a piece. Whether it’s a crisp tape on a pillow, a fringe on a chair, or a contrast welt on a sofa, she uses these elements to add dimension and craftsmanship. “Our fabric department is always evolving,” Taylor says. “We’re constantly bringing in new textiles and trims that keep our work feeling fresh and inspiring.”

 

 

A Touch of English Countryside – Taylor Hunt

Taylor H’s flatlay feels like stepping into a cozy English cottage and the kind of space where the sofa is perfectly broken in, the wood tones are warm, and the windows are cracked open with a summer breeze rolling in. Her palette leans into the charm and comfort of English countryside style, blending soft color, thoughtful pattern, and a sense of lived‑in ease.

 

 

She started with a mix of soft blues, dusty lilacs, and warm golds, a combination that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Layered with bullion fringe, embroidered tapes, and decorative trims, the palette has a handcrafted quality that speaks to Taylor’s love of detail. These elements add depth and dimension, giving each piece a sense of personality and intention.

 

 

To keep the palette grounded, Taylor incorporated a touch of dark leather on one of the chairs, adding a subtle masculine edge that balances the softness of the Joyful Petals fabric on the other. Her design also features an ottoman in our Serene Birds fabric, a muted earthy palette that adds just the right hint of neutral color. The mix feels warm, playful, and cozy, but never heavy or overly traditional.

 

 

Rich, Collected, Library-Inspired – Liz Pohl

Liz is currently designing a family room inspired by the richness and warmth of a Ralph Lauren–style library, one of her long‑time design muses, and her flatlay captures that mood beautifully. The palette leans into deep, saturated color and classic pattern — the kind of combination that instantly feels timeless, tailored, and full of character.

 

 

At the center of the design is a blue chesterfield‑style sofa, which sets the tone for the entire space. Around it, Liz layers houndstooth, plaids, florals, and leather to create a collected mix that feels both refined and inviting. A beautifully patterned rug grounds the room, adding warmth, cohesion, and that signature Nell Hill’s layered feel.

 

 

A leather swivel chair introduces durability and a lived‑in richness, while an ottoman covered in our Nantucket fabric in Peacock brings texture and tradition to the palette. Pillows in our Kindred Clay fabric add a warm, playful counterbalance that ties the entire scheme together.

Altogether, the look feels classic, collected, and full of character — the kind of room that only gets better with time. It’s elevated yet deeply comfortable, a perfect reflection of Liz’s design sensibility.

 

 

Nantucket-Inspired Sunroom - Jenna Luebbers

Jenna’s latest project embraces the relaxed elegance of a coastal‑grandmother aesthetic with a distinctly Nantucket‑inspired twist. The space she’s designing is a sunroom meant to feel breezy, timeless, and effortlessly inviting built around a fresh palette of blues and greens layered with classic patterns and textures. To anchor the room, she selected Daydream Bluebell, a polished cotton floral from our Nell Hill’s fabric line, for the window treatments. This traditional print sets the tone for the entire palette, bringing a sense of softness and refined charm to the space.

 

 

To add a touch of the unexpected, Jenna is wallpapering the ceiling in a small‑scale blue and white print which is a subtle detail that adds depth and visual dimension without overwhelming the room. Seating pieces continue the palette’s balance of pattern and texture: a pair of slipper chairs in a green and white ticking stripe, and a sofa upholstered in a Sunbrella floral block print for durability and understated beauty. The sofa will be finished with a traditional bullion fringe, adding a feminine, tailored touch.

 

 

Additional layers come through a crisp blue and white gingham used for a footstool and bolster pillow, complete with tassel trim, and the Lattice Lagoon pattern on accent pillows for the slipper chairs. A natural jute and cotton woven rug grounds the room with warmth and texture, while custom woven scalloped tables — a green coffee table paired with natural walnut side tables — bring in artisanal character and organic contrast. The finished sunroom will feel elegant, curated, and deeply livable — a joyful retreat designed for everyday comfort.

 

 

An English Study - Shelby Hoffman

Shelby’s project began with a clear vision: a moody, color‑drenched study inspired by the charm and character of the English countryside. Her client loves the classic style associated with English interiors: the layered patterns, the rich tones, the sense of history, and Shelby approached the palette with that in mind. She leaned into deep, saturated colors and thoughtful pattern mixing to create a look that feels refined yet welcoming, traditional yet tailored to modern family life. Shelby pulled two fabrics that perfectly encapsulate the look: a large scale, mural-like, tree pattern, Woodland Oak and one of our favorite plaids, Braemar in blue.

 

 

What makes this palette especially compelling is the balance Shelby strikes between moodiness and function. The colors are rich and enveloping, but the materials and patterns are chosen with durability and everyday use in mind. It’s a study designed to be lived in and be a space for reading, working, gathering, and relaxing without sacrificing the layered, collected aesthetic her client loves.

The result feels grounded, atmospheric, and full of English countryside charm. Shelby’s palette proves that moody rooms can still be warm, functional, and deeply personal when the right mix of color, pattern, and purpose comes together.

 

 

Visit the Studio & Start Your Own Project

These flatlays are just a glimpse of the creativity happening inside our Design Studio every day. Whether you’re starting from scratch or already know exactly what you want, our team is here to help you pull the pieces together. And if you simply want to stop in and order a fabric, a trim, or an in‑stock piece you’ve had your eye on, we can do that too — no appointment needed.

With our Upholstered Furniture Sale running through June 30, it’s the perfect time to dream up a new sofa, refresh a favorite chair, or start a room from the ground up.