Homebodies
The best gifts for those who don't wanna leave the house
I think we’ve all gotten a little more interested in interior design in recent years. The pandemic shifted our attitudes toward a lot of things, but perhaps none so much as our view of the home.
Cooped up inside and bored of staring at the same stuff all day, many of us went looking for a way to change things up. But what goes in a home had shifted — the post-pandemic home has to fulfill all sorts of needs, from providing a place for work, to offering a place of respite for when we’re off the clock.
People want more from their homes, but it can be difficult to embark on an interior overhaul when you’re gripped with the fear of whether this mixes with that. On social media, we are all confronted by what’s in, what’s out, what other people would do differently in a space.
It’s a difficult balance to strike — practical with fun, trendy with classic — but, more than anything, I think designing a great space stems from confidence.
But I certainly see how gaining that confidence can be tricky, so I was very excited when I heard from interior designer Carrie Mader about participating in a live interview specifically about this topic. Carrie personally struggled with how to express herself in her own home. In a recent phone call, we spoke about the feeling of bombardment that comes from trying to stick to the “rules” of design and how trends, once they proliferate to a certain point, start to feel uninspiring.
I am really excited to chat with Carrie Dec. 16, as part of her online show, Redefine DIY Interior Design.
Throughout the show, Carrie will be interviewing experts in design and DIY who share her passion to inspire those who want to redecorate to have the confidence to do their own thing. We spend more than 90% of our lives in our homes — shouldn’t that be time well-spent?
Oh and even better: I have a complimentary ticket for my subscribers to attend. (You can register using this link.)
And since we’re talking home stuff, I’ve rounded up my favorite home buys of the year — the perfect gift guide for the homebody in your life.
This rug is about as great as it gets. It’s neutral but still whimsical, with an organic texture that works in just about any space. It’s going in my bedroom soon, once I gather the courage to move everything out for some re-styling.
I initially created these Can’t Please/Them All prints as smaller originals. And then the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show bought them to put in their VIP room and Chairish turned them into larger, framed prints. Art makes a wonderful gift for the holidays as it’s both heartfelt and unexpected (plus, maybe one day the Kardashians will pose in front of the originals and you can say you own a piece of pop culture history).
What’s a better gift for someone who loves interiors than an interiors book? I worked pretty darn hard on this one and happen to think it would make a lovely holiday gift.
It might seem weird to gift someone lightbulbs but trust me when I saw we use Phillips Hue bulbs in every room in our house and it’s the best decision we’ve ever made. You can control them via Alexa so we set them to a timer to rise with a sun, to stay on when we aren’t home, and even to sync together in certain rooms to create a “mood” at night. (There are settings, for instance, in which two or three bulbs can work together to create the ambiance of a Hawaiian sunset).
I am so into these funky-meets-feminine little glass art objects by Helle Mardahl. They add a lot of personality to a bookshelf or side table and would be fun mixed with vintage objects.
What I’m watching/reading/listening to and loving:
The Cut broke down the absolute banger that is the White Lotus theme song.
I imagine all of the gossip that led up to Insider’s look at the Something Navy financials eclipsed the actual story itself, but it’s a good look at how things aren’t always as they seem (and how important it is to remain consistent if you have a brand).
And I’ll leave you with this….