3 SIMPLE Ways to Create Elevated Flat-Lays
As a creative business owner, you already know how much work and effort goes into creating beautiful flat-lays. Even with the best intentions, these beloved images can easily go awry with overly cluttered elements or random props that don't add to the story. And sometimes you simply don't have enough time to style an intricate flat-lay full of several perfectly complementing and properly placed pieces. It is important, however, to maintain and even elevate your aesthetic for the sake of your business's growth and to best serve your clients. Fortunately, there are some easy yet effective methods to help elevate your flat-lay styling - all of which require minimal effort once you understand the concepts and why they work.
In this blog post we'll explore 3 simple ways to create elevated flat-lays; from intentionally repeating similar items to incorporating creative light. Whether you're just starting out or looking for new ideas to deploy when your time is limited, this article has something useful for everyone - so let's get started!
1. Create a pattern with only two ingredients.
When designing with pattern, there’s something incredibly special about being able to create visually appealing work with minimal ingredients. When pattern is styled well, it can be captivating, allowing the viewer’s eye to travel over and absorb all the beauty in the detail. Even with just two components involved, a pattern can appear intricately woven together with intention and purposefulness – this is why patterning is often used in art and design. Whether the difference between the two elements is color, shape or texture, pattern created with only two elements can take on limitless possibilities. However, the differences need to complement one another. Take the below images as examples and inspiration.
2. Arrange a few of the same things in varying colors.
This concept builds upon the last. Here you are still showing restraint but taking it to another level by only using 1 ingredient and varying only color. Colorplay is a great way to elevate your flat-lay and works well with one main element. To show intentionality and enough interest, try mixing at least three different hues together. Again, ensure that the colors are complementary. It will be well worth the extra time if you can curate a captivating color palette that will tie everything together effortlessly and create a cohesive look.
3. Interesting light
Here you'll keep your styling super simple but add interesting light. For instance, light that is naturally refracted through blinds, light that passes through glass or other transparent material, or light that is speckled through a trees. All of these methods create enough texture and structure in the image, that you don't need a ton of elements or complicated styling in your flat-lay. By having light play a major role in the composition of an image, you can creating elevated images that stand out from the crowd. Again the key is to ensure that the light effect complements the story.
Even when you are simplifying your styling, the fundamentals need to hold true for the flat-lay to achieve an elevated aesthetic. So keep in mind that characteristics like shape, color, and light need to be complementary to one another as well as the overall story. Additionally, objects need to be placed in a way that allows the viewers eye to travel.
By incorporating these three simple tips, you can easily create more interesting and engaging flat-lay images, especially when you are crunched for time. And if you’re looking for a little extra help in the styling department, be sure to check out our line of beautiful styling mats that make it even easier to create elevated flat-lays. With versatile colors and textures to choose from, there’s sure to be one that fits your needs perfectly. I hope you feel empowered to experiment with these tips to easily take your flat-lays to the next level.
