Interior expert Alex Fulton says this is the only rule you need to remember when styling your home’s interior.

I think styling comes down to equal parts instinct and knowledge. Quite often I listen to that instinct when I’m trying to work out why something works and something else doesn’t. Along the way, I’ve discovered one fail-safe rule for styling: the rule of three.

Three is the lowest number that can form a pattern. There’s evidence that people are better able to consume information when ideas are grouped in threes. Phrases such as ‘ready, steady, go’ or ‘body, mind and spirit’ are commonly used. In literature there are the three little pigs and the three musketeers. Photographers use the ‘rule of thirds’ to compose their shots. It’s no accident that we’re drawn to the number three so it makes sense to use it when styling our homes, too.

Now that you know my secret styling tip, you will start noticing threes everywhere and can try it out for yourself!

Words: Alex Fulton

This article originally appeared on Homes To Love.