The Art of Styling: How Small Details Make a Big Impact with Kin + Prosper
Styling a space is often about the smallest details - the finishing touches that take a room from ordinary to considered. No one knows this better than Kirsty from Kin + Prosper, a photographer who specialises in creating beautifully styled environments for her shoots. With her new kitchen studio space, the Kianawah Kitchen, where our designer lighting is a permanent fixture, she combines photography, prop sourcing, and styling to craft scenes that are both functional and visually captivating.
In this interview, Kirsty shares her approach to styling for the camera, from the textures and objects that photograph best to the subtle tweaks that make a space feel effortless. Whether you’re looking for styling tips for your kitchen or ways to make your interiors feel more photo-ready, her insights show how small, intentional details can have a big impact.
As a photographer, what small styling details make the biggest difference once you see the image through the lens?
There really is something special about being about to create beautiful vignettes through the lens. One of the important details is always the scale of things and how the placement of items together play against the overall scale of the space. Everything is placed to look balanced and considered through the frame, almost the same way an artist would choose where to place things on a canvas. Styling items might look out of place to the naked eye, but through the camera they make sense.
How do you use styling to avoid a scene looking flat or lifeless in photos?
Often, it's playing with the rule of thirds and positioning styling items or furniture half out of the frame to add interest to the boundaries of the image. Keeping the eye curious to know what else there is outside the frame.
The Kianawah Kitchen studio by Kin + Prosper, featuring the Orb Dome Long Arm Wall Light
Do certain textures or materials photograph particularly well?
Ooo yes, textures and materials really are what truly makes the photograph! I love playing with light and shadows in my work and the ways these can really celebrate a material. I love anything with some detail and depth, like natural stones / metals / deep timbers / velvets / linens / rugs - always layer so spectacularly in a photograph.
What’s one overlooked styling element that instantly lifts a shot?
I think it's those simple elements that add detail and make a space feel gently lived in, like a glass of water or book with the cover peeled back — or that unexpected styling piece that's probably a one off, but leaves you wondering where it was sourced.
In the Kianawah Kitchen, what small styling decisions have made it feel more natural and inviting on camera?
In the Kianawah Kitchen I definitely wanted to pay homage to the 1950's era of the home, yet add a layering of materials and fixtures that gave this small space a personality. The wall and joinery colours were kept simple, allowing the Calacatta Viola benchtops by Infinity Surfaces (from SNB Stone) to really catch your eye
"simple really is better when it comes to styling a space for a shoot"
How do you balance adding detail without distracting from the subject of the photo?
The power of lighting can play an important role in exactly that. Being able to bring in depth through shadows, or warmth through light can be such a nice way to bring in a tactile interest without distracting from the subject of the image.
Can you share an example of when one small styling tweak completely transformed a shot?
I think it's often when everything aligns in total harmony; the styling, the materials, and the lighting - and as soon as you see it you just know it's special. One memory that jumps out was during a shoot overseas, when the sunlight hit this certain spot in the room for about 20mins and I shuffled all the furniture around in the room to make the most of it. The result was this special celebration of light and dark, emotive yet simplistic. Here are some stills from this moment, featuring a tray from homewares brand, The Oddative:
For people styling at home, what’s an easy adjustment that makes a space look more “photo ready”?
I know it's said time and time again, but simple really is better when it comes to styling a space for a shoot. Often, I'm removing everything to begin with a clean slate, and then adding items back in to style - ensuring a nice mix of materiality, size and colour, while also factoring in a good balance of negative space.
Are there particular times of day or types of light that bring out the best in styled spaces on camera?
I find this can definitely depend on the location and season, but often the morning and/or afternoon light are beautiful (especially on a sunny day) as I love the way the light can shine in and fall on the floor / windows / furniture to create geometry through shadows.
What advice would you give someone at home about using lighting to highlight the small styling details they’ve worked hard to create?
One of my favourite items to select and also photograph in a space has always been wall lights! Whether it's to highlight an artwork on the wall or frame a window / joinery element — or even just to add a special feature to an otherwise boring hallway. Being able to highlight both tone and warmth through lighting can be crucial in the overall mood.
