Composition and Styling for Interior Design
A course by Sean Scherer, Designer, Content Creator, and Antique Dealer
Joined November 2021
Learn how to balance color, texture, and form by curating a small group of decorative objects as a personal styling statement in your room of choice
Joined November 2021
In interior design, a vignette is the composition and styling of a central furniture piece and accompanying decorative objects to create a statement ensemble. Designer and antique dealer Sean Schererm likes to combine color, symmetry, and inspiration from other cultures in his vignettes. Both his work and store, Kabinett & Krammer, have been featured in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Country Home, and The Sunday Times UK.
In this online course, learn the design principles that help you style and compose a truly original vignette. Learn how to source and curate each furnishing and decorative object to express your unique taste. Ready to add a “wow factor” to your home?
What will you learn in this online course?
10 lessons & 20 downloads
What's included in this course?
Meet Sean Scherer, a designer, content creator, antique dealer, and your teacher for this course. Learn about his creative background, and hear about the influences and inspirations that have shaped his style.
First, learn what a vignette is and see how to choose the right wall in your home for it. Discover Sean’s tips when it comes to finding antiques and accessories, as well as how to best navigate flea markets and thrift shops.
Time to start building your vignette! After selecting your main furniture and side pieces, Sean shows you how to place the central item, then hang the wall elements. Next, see how to arrange a tablescape, and learn how items accent each other by playing with different combinations. Lastly, discover how to add a decorative touch with ornaments and props like plants and candles.
As a bonus, Sean shows you how to restyle or change your interior according to the seasons or holidays,and how to best document your work to share on social media.
- 100% positive reviews (49)
- 2,547 students
- 10 lessons (1h 42m)
- 20 additional resources (6 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Curate and style a statement composition featuring a main piece of furniture and accompanying decorative elements for a room of your choice.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in improving their living space through decorative vignettes.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience or materials are necessary.
In the second unit, Sean covers how to find antique or vintage items, or even existing ones at home, which you can get during or after the course.
Reviews
Sean Scherer
A course by Sean Scherer
Sean Scherer studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and the Independent Study Program of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. His paintings have been shown throughout North America and Europe. In 2002, he moved to the Catskills, New York, where he opened his store, Kabinett & Kammer, a contemporary curiosity shop of antiques, natural wonders, and art. His art and design work has been featured in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Country Home, and The Sunday Times UK, among other publications. For over 15 years, Sean taught art and design at the State University of New York at Oneonta, until retiring from the profession in 2020.
That same year, Sean published his first book Kabinett & Kammer: Creating Authentic Interiors. The book details ten years of his work, and is a guide to interior styling. Sean’s interiors feature antique display cabinets, lost treasures, 19th-century maps, ferns in cast-iron planters, vintage collages, and more. Each page is a lesson on color and texture, focal points, and room size.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Furniture Basics
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What Is a Vignette?
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The Room and the Wall
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Acquiring Pieces
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U3
Building the Vignette
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The Main Furniture Piece and the Side Pieces
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Wall Elements
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The Tablescape
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U4
Finishing the Vignette
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Variations and Seasons
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Documenting the Vignette
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FP
Final project
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Composition and Styling for Interior Design
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
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FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for beginners and covers foundational principles of vignette building, layering, and interior styling. No prior experience in design or art is required.
You only need basic decorative objects, found items, or antiques you have at home, plus a phone or camera for documenting your progress. No specialized equipment is required.
You’ll learn how to curate and arrange objects, use color palettes, mix textures, incorporate antiques, and style both symmetrical and asymmetrical vignettes for visually engaging interiors.
A vignette is a curated arrangement of objects designed to create visual interest, tell a story, or highlight a focal point within an interior. It adds depth, personality, and harmony to any space.
Select objects based on their personal resonance, visual appeal, and how they complement your existing decor. The course guides you in evaluating quality, scale, and style, whether shopping or using what you have.
Yes, mixing contemporary art with antiques is encouraged. The course teaches you how to blend different periods and styles to create depth, interest, and a unique personal statement.
The course covers both symmetrical and asymmetrical arrangements, providing step-by-step techniques for achieving balance, contrast, and visual flow in any vignette.
Genial bien explicado y útil
Este curso me motivó mucho para seguir disfrutando y aprendiendo del mundo de la decoración. Me encanta cómo utiliza los elementos antiguos o con historia dándoles gran valor en las viñetas que compone.
its so well curated ans detailed..
This course inspired me to have fun with being creative in the home
This course was great to gain more insights and skills in interior styling, particularly with vintage homewares. Sean offers a step by step guide to creating a styling vignette.