Homebody Wisdom
5 tips for designing a home you never want to leave
Dear reader,
I have always been interested in how spaces evoke feeling. Growing up, I shared a room with my older sister until one day she decided she was too old and cool and needed her own room. I remember being devastated at first, but over the years, I came to find that I loved getting to be the creative director of my very own room, curating it exactly to my liking. I picked out a chocolate brown shag rug and a paisley-patterned comforter that resembled a Vera Bradley bag. I had momentos everywhere: trophies, posters, knick-knacks, coins, jars of beach sand I’d collected. I even painted my walls butter yellow, a choice that, in hindsight, was kind of visionary.
My taste has surely evolved since then. I have especially refined it in the three years since I’ve lived in my current pre-war 1.5 bedroom Brooklyn apartment, which I share a lot of on social media. People on the internet seem to appreciate my space for its coziness and lived-in charm. Some of my favorite comments include: “I feel like I want to take a nap in your apartment” and “I dunno why but your apartment gives me the vibe of the protagonist in popular YA books you’ll find at Barnes and Noble.”
But despite making home content, I don’t consider myself an interior design expert at all. In fact, I find the phrase “interior design” in itself to be a bit intimidating. I do, however, spend a lot of time enjoying my rent, if you will, especially in the winter months. My biggest sources of inspiration are Pinterest, Paige Wassle on YouTube, 90s sitcom sets, and pure instinct. Today, I thought I’d share some tips on how I’ve created a thoughtful space that makes being at home so special. Enjoy!
Be Sentimental
If I had to define my taste in interiors, I’d say it’s somewhere between minimal and maximal. I like simplicity, but I also like things to be unpolished. I like neutrals, but I also like bold pops of color. I like everything to have a place, even if that place is intentionally left out. But more than all of that, my taste comes down to one thing: I like spaces that feel personal.
When I look around my home, I see a museum of items that hold personal meaning to me. Birthday cards and polaroids pinned to a corkboard, framed baby photos that remind me of my inner child, my mug collection on display, stacks of books I’ve read or want to read, corny magnets from my travels, plants that I’ve cared for since my early 20s, old journals filled with all my secrets. I like to let my stuff do a lot of the decorating for me. I’ve done this since I first got my own room.
My advice is to give your home little touches that reflect who you are as a person, whether that’s objects with sentimental value or just things that you reach for often. This design philosophy reminds me of what one creator, Avery-Claire aka @girlswhocluster, has coined “the art of clustering,” which she defines as “intentional, beautiful clutter of one’s most favorite things.” I really like this because it can be both practical and aesthetic. Your things are accessible, but also serve a purpose. Hidden storage is great, but don’t shove everything in a drawer or closet—let some things breathe personality into your space.
Love thy quirks
Many people do not know I actually have the most hideous floors in all of New York City. No, but seriously, they’re pretty bad and only getting worse. They’re white, cracking, vinyl tile reminiscent of an elementary school or hospital. Do I wish I had gorgeous hardwood? Yes. Did I learn to stop letting my ugly floors tarnish how I feel about the rest of my home? Also yes.
Let’s get one thing straight: There is always going to be something about your home that bothers you a little. I’ve got bad floors, perhaps you’ve got bad lighting, but that’s why things like rugs and lamps exist. Especially if you live in a small space or you’re renting or just don’t have that kind of disposable income (I’m all three), you’ve got to learn to work with what you’ve got instead of against it.
Maybe you hate your dining table but don’t have the budget or energy to replace it (valid), how about a sweet little lace tablecloth to give it new life? Or maybe you have an awkwardly placed radiator that’s just missing a stack of books and a plant to turn it très chic. These are just some examples, but note this tip is more about a mindset shift than it is about specific hacks. Embracing the oddities and accepting your space will never be perfect is the best way to actually enjoy it. And once you enjoy it, everything else decorating-wise becomes more joyful.
Do Something Unexpected
I believe that we should all be using our imaginations more, at home and in life. Choices that aren’t default and instead invite some intrigue. Think: an off-centered piece of art, playing with scale, clashing patterns, bold color paint, fun knobs, mixed wood finishes, layered textures, and blending of style aesthetics.
The most digestible example of this is the “unexpected red theory” wherein you add red accents to a room (or outfit) and it automatically gives energy. This is a good warm-up, but I invite you to push further. Don’t be afraid to do something that looks “wrong.” How can you make your space less predictable, more memorable? Color outside the lines, mix it up, see what grows on you.
An example of this tip in action in my apartment is the lack of symmetry in my bedroom. I’ve opted against the traditional matching nightstands and lamps, and instead of centering the frame above the bed, I’ve kept it resting on one of the nightstands. In my head, the result is a relaxing sanctuary that feels intentional without being formulaic.
Out With The New, In With The Old
I’ve long been known to enjoy old things, especially in the home — vintage lamps, rich wood tones, whimsical glassware, even some questionable secondhand items, one of them being my current 1970’s couch, which I got for $30 on Facebook Marketplace.
It is mustard yellow velvet and needed some TLC. I stripped the skirt, gave it a very deep clean, and restuffed the cushions. Now, it’s the centerpiece of my living room. It has some lingering stains and squeaks, and it won’t be my couch forever, but it fulfilled a vision I had at the time that I wouldn’t have been able to find in a mass-produced modern couch within my budget.
Most of my furniture is used. Not only is the quality of older pieces just better, but I like that it creates a one-of-one feeling. Buying vintage has become trendy, and especially here in NYC, it can cost more than buying new. But the real treasures go to the people with Facebook Marketplace or secondhand shops and a dream. Plus you get to say things like “I got it for $5 at an estate sale.” And I’m not saying to completely boycott places like Ikea, Wayfair, and Amazon. My desk is from Target and I love her. But in a culture obsessed with the latest and greatest, buying someone’s used furniture is one way we can push back. And if you’re feeling like your home is missing something, my guess is it’s probably missing something old. It’s really how you achieve that nostalgic/cozy sort of vibe.
The Long Game
The common denominator in all of my home design tips is that it takes time, but you have to be willing to stay on the horse. I just hit 3 years of living in my apartment and I still don’t feel it’s “done.” And the truth is it’ll never be because I have the mindset that it can always evolve. I like to think of home design as an ongoing project. I switch things around, replace, re-sell, and it’s exciting to me.
For like a year, I'd been keeping my eye out for a lounge chair to replace one that I never really loved. I had a clear vision and was patient to find it—solid wood, mid-century style, big enough to curl up in, but small enough to fit in a corner of my narrow living room. Then just the other day, there it was on Marketplace and I immediately jumped on it. I got it to my doorstep via Uber XL, but the moment I tried to lift it up the stairs, I realized it was way heavier than I anticipated.
I texted my building-mate Aisha, who also writes and has great taste, to see if she was home to help me bring it up my fourth-floor walk-up. She wasn’t, and neither was my boyfriend, nor my other friend in the neighborhood. So naturally, I locked in and hauled it up myself. It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t pretty, but the payoff was wonderful. And it reinforced this idea I had that creating a home you love is hard work and requires determination. Sometimes you have to be a little crazy in the name of your vision. Pulling a muscle getting furniture upstairs. Rearranging everything at 10 pm. Splurging on something silly that really makes you happy to look at. I think it’s worth it (and kind of fun).
Sincerely,
Salena
Coziest home in Williamsburg :)
Always a pleasure to read your posts.