From leaving home at 15 to social media and business success: Style magazine talks to The Hectic Eclectic
When Brandi Love left home at 15, she furnished her digs with op shop pieces and created a fabulous sense of style by playing around with colour, pattern and light. Fast forward fifteen years and that unique style now has an Instagram following of over 150K, making this “work-from-home” mum of three one of Toowoomba’s biggest social media success stories.
You’ll love “The Hectic Eclectic”! It’s bright, colourful, a bit boho, sustainable and great fun. It’s all about DIY decorating on a budget and stepping out of your comfort zone when it comes to style. It gives followers the confidence to create their own look without breaking the bank.
“It all started when I moved to a new house,” Brandi says.
“I was decorating and posting ideas when a few Facebook friends suggested I start an Instagram account. So I opened an account and started posting in August 2017 and it just took off! By December 2017 I had reached 10,000 followers and had my first paid collaboration. By December of 2018, I had reached 100,000 followers. I reached out to my friend and owner of Retrohex Design, Leisa Clark, for business advice who suggested I start my own blog and expand my business revenues.
“I learned a lot about running an Instagram business and Leisa and I started helping others by hosting workshops about how to be an influencer as well as how to build and grow a business using social media.”
Brandi is the creative; the ‘product stylist’, and her friend and business partner, Ally Muller, is ‘the brains’ behind their small online shop ‘The Hectic Eclectic Shop’ which was launched in August of last year.
“My friend Ally and I came up with the idea for an online shop selling products that reflect The Hectic Eclectic style. We both have the same passion for small, local and unique online businesses.
“We have been growing slowly and steadily, gradually increasing our product range with the goal of eventually owning a bricks and mortar shop here in Toowoomba,” Brandi says.
Brandi says she hardly ever buys new furniture and prefers to bring life to old pieces.
“It adds so much more character. I’m always painting pieces and decorating them with stencils and decals,” she says.
“I’m happy to share my knowledge with followers and post stepby-step instructions in my Instagram stories.
“Have a look at The Hectic Eclectic and you’ll find instructional stories about how to use and make your own chalk paint, how to lay
Ttile decals, design tips and tricks, make bees wax wraps and more.”
As you can imagine, Brandi’s Instagram success has lead to various job offers and opportunities. But she is more than happy to keep growing her own business from home where she can also enjoy being a “stay-at-home” mum.
GET THE LOOK – TOP TIPS FROM THE HECTIC ECLECTIC.
Colour: I was always drawn to bright colours at op shops; pinks, oranges and especially yellow. My first “away from home” room looked like a Mexican fiesta! When I was married my colour palette was called “compromise”: browns and neutrals. Then following my divorce I let colour explode all around me.
Pattern Play: I have about five different patterns on my bed alone! You have to play around with patterns and colours to create a really unique look. I always put a block colour with the patterns because it softens the contrast and gives your eyes a landing point.
Indoor Plants: I love how plants bring life to any space but admit I have killed quite a few over the years. I bought a really good quality fake tree and it looks amazing. So now I have a mix of plants; real ones that I can keep alive and good quality fakes.
Lighting: Twinkle lights, festoon lights, lanterns and big in-yourface shades – I use lights for ‘wow’ factor. My verandah has festoon lantern lights down the entire length. I add twinkle lights to bed heads and to brighten up corners. Oversized rattan light shades make a big impact down a hall way or over a table.
Stencils and Decals: I’m a big fan of tile decals that can easily transform a bathroom, kitchen, laundry or piece of furniture. I am constantly asked about my spotty wall – it’s not wallpaper, the spots are painted with a stencil.
Rugs: If I had to buy one really good quality decorator item for the home, I’d say make it a rug. A good rug is a key piece that brings a room together. If you look after it, a good rug will last a lifetime.
Art: Another item that I can’t live without is art! Art can really brighten up a boring space in your home. You can even make art of your own. I have a wall dedicated to my children’s artwork and it’s one of the first things I see in the morning and really brightens my day as well as being a great conversational piece.