The Case for Imperfect, Lived-In Homes

911, a crime has been committed: your house has no signs of life!

Let’s talk about some of these recent interior design trends and rules because, I don’t know about y’all but, I feel like a few of them have completely lost the plot…

I’ve always loved interior design—I can scroll Pinterest and TikTok for hours, soaking up inspiration to make my home feel chic and cozy. But occasionally, I stumble onto some advice that makes me want to immediately close the apps.

I feel that there’s a noticeable lack of content about creating spaces that feel personal and warm. Instead, we’re flooded with ‘gurus’ telling us how to make our homes look like showrooms, as if no one actually lives there. Don’t get me wrong, I love a well-designed, intentionally curated home. I respect all of the trends and styles—organic modern, Japandi, and even eclectic grandma. I just strongly believe it’s possible for your home to have style and still look like a place where people actually live.

Your home isn’t supposed to feel like it was professionally staged for a magazine shoot (unless it was—in that case, goals!). It should look like the place where you host family and friends on holidays, the place where you rot on the couch binging Real Housewives with snacks, and the space where you help your kids with their homework every evening. It’s where you create memories, enjoy life, and surround yourself with the things—and people—you love.

So why are we being told to hide or downplay everything that makes it feel like home? Let’s get into some design advice I hope we leave behind in 2024.

It’s Not Illegal to Own a Television, I Promise!

Can somebody explain to me why TVs are so controversial in interior design? I’ve lost track of the number of TikToks and Facebook posts I’ve seen of people asking how they can “hide” their TVs because a Frame TV isn’t in their budget. And honestly, it makes me sad. Why are we letting impractical design trends make us feel like a TV—a device that millions of people worldwide owns—is something to be ashamed of?

Don’t get me wrong—I, too, love a Frame TV and I have one on my own wish list. But I acknowledge that it’s a luxury. It’s a “nice to have” for aesthetic purposes. Not because I think having a regular flat screen on my wall is a seven deadly sin. I also disagree that having a Frame TV is an excuse to do something obnoxiously trendy like place it on art easel. Now, all due respect to the 1st person who did this—they’re probably an actual artist who had an extra easel laying around and decided to get creative. But I am 100% judging those of you who don’t even own a paint brush but went out of your way to buy an easel for your television to sit on because someone online told you it “looked better” than simply mounting your TV. Let’s also please kill the narrative that it’s a faux pas to mount your TV above your fireplace. For some of us, I’d argue most of us, it’s just the most practical place to put your TV. And before “TV Too High Reddit” comes at me, adjustable mounts exist.

TVs are part of modern life, in the United States alone 97% of households own at least one TV. They’re functional, they’re basically essential and for many of us, they’re the centerpiece of cozy nights, Sunday football watch parties, or family movie marathons.

Family Photos Cannot be “Out” of Style.

I saw a TikTok recently that actually made me say “wtf” out loud. In fact, it’s actually the brain child for this entire think piece. It was a video where an interior designer declared that gallery walls were “out,” and that it was “cheugy” to decorate your home with family photos. She advised people to limit themselves to 1-2 family photos and to, otherwise, focus on buying art. I had to take a literal pause. Out? Since when is celebrating the people you love and the memories you’ve made a trend that can go in and out of style? Imagine spending hundreds of dollars on family photos or thousands of dollars on wedding photography, just for someone to tell you not to hang your pictures up…

I get it—there is a way to overdo it and it’s easy to surpass that fine line between your family photos feeling warm and them feeling overwhelming. But a well-done gallery wall? It’s timeless. It tells your story, adds personality to your space, and makes your home feel like yours.

Now, I love a good art piece, but let’s be real: unique and intentionally sourced art (not a random piece you pick up from HomeGoods) is expensive and this is my house, not a gallery. Photos of my loved ones mean more to me than a canvas print from some random artist who doesn’t know who I am.

The Kitchen is “The Heart” of The Home For a Reason

Panel-ready fridges and custom cabinetry? Gorgeous! Goals for many of us. But most us have standard black, silver, or white fridges, and there’s nothing wrong with that despite what my girl Nene said.

Your fridge, your stove, your microwave and whatever else you have in your kitchen—they’re appliances, not decor pieces. Like televisions, they’re modern day staples that most people’s eyes naturally glaze over in a room anyway. Sure, it’s great if we can make them beautifully match our individual aesthetics but, again, that’s a luxury. What matters is that they’re functional and they do what they need to do to nourish us and our families.

What I would love, is if we could normalize (or re-normalize?) putting things on our fridges. Who decided that fridges needed to be bare for your kitchen to be beautiful. No magnets, no calendars, no photos—just an empty, boring surface. Personally, I love a fridge that tells a story! Right now, mine has baby shower invites, save-the-dates, a picture of my dog from Dog Prom (yes, I’m that kinda dog mom), and a growing collection of magnets from all the places me and my partner have traveled. It’s sentimental and gives me joy every time I see it. If you’re into minimalism, that’s cool, but let’s make turning your fridge into a mini scrapbook cool again.

Your Home, Your Rules.

At the end of the day, your home should reflect you. It’s where you should feel most comfortable, most yourself, and most connected to the people and things you love. If you love these trends and you want your home to look Architectural Digest-ready or like it was designed by Nate + Jeremiah themselves, then I love that for you and I’ll happily double tap on every post you make. But, if these trends and rules do nothing but make you feel shame for the house you have then I hope this brief little collection of my thoughts have helped you to reflect and reframe how you view your home.

Don’t let trends bully you into thinking your home has to be sterile to be beautiful. The best homes have heart. They’re lived in, loved, and filled with stories.

xoxo,

Daijah