Watching home design shows can feel like a masterclass in making a space beautiful. You look at your room filled with mismatched furniture, and you immediately know how to transform it into a perfectly curated masterpiece.
It’s easy to feel like that level of design is out of reach without a television crew and a massive budget. The good news is that you can borrow the best ideas from your favorite television personalities to create a stunning home. By understanding the core principles behind their signature looks, you can transform your own space with confidence and style.
Here is how to decorate like an HGTV star.
1. Embrace Cozy Sophistication with Nostalgic Palettes
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Inspired by Joanna Gaines, this style blends comfort with refined elegance. It uses sentimental items and warm, familiar color schemes to create a space that feels both polished and lived-in. It’s about creating a welcoming atmosphere that tells a story, using vintage-inspired pieces and soft textures.
This approach is perfect for anyone who wants a home that feels both sophisticated and genuinely inviting, avoiding the coldness that sometimes accompanies modern design. For care, regularly dust and clean decorative items to keep them looking their best. Rotate seasonal decor, like scented candles or specific floral arrangements, to keep the space feeling fresh.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Blends elegant design with comfortable, sentimental elements.
- Why it Works: Creates a timeless, personal, and welcoming environment.
- Next Steps: Shop for vintage-inspired decor, incorporate soft textiles like wool and cotton, and use a warm, muted color palette.
2. Go Bold with Maximalist Color and Whimsy
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For those who believe more is more, David Bromstad’s approach is a celebration of vibrant self-expression. This style is all about using bold colors, eclectic patterns, and playful accessories to inject personality into every corner. It’s an unapologetic embrace of what makes you happy, turning your home into a canvas for creativity.
This is an excellent choice for individuals who find neutral palettes uninspiring and want their decor to be a conversation starter. To maintain this look, it’s helpful to edit your collection periodically. While the style is abundant, it should still feel curated. Group similar items together to create organized focal points, and dust collectibles often to keep them looking vibrant.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Uses bold colors, varied patterns, and playful accessories to create a vibrant space.
- Why it Works: Fosters a creative, energetic, and highly personal home environment.
- Next Steps: Introduce a bright accent wall, mix patterns with confidence, and display unique collections and art that bring you joy.
3. Mix Jewel Tones with Scandinavian Simplicity
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This design philosophy, championed by Emily Henderson, merges the richness of jewel tones with the clean lines and functionality of Scandinavian design. It’s a family-friendly approach that proves elegance and practicality can coexist. The look is sophisticated yet approachable. She uses deep colors like emerald, sapphire, and ruby as accents against a backdrop of neutral, light-filled spaces.
It’s a wonderful option for families wanting a stylish home that can withstand the realities of daily life. This style succeeds because it balances visual interest with a sense of calm. The jewel tones add depth and luxury, while the Scandi elements keep the space feeling open and uncluttered. It is also adaptable, allowing for kid and pet-friendly furniture and durable materials without sacrificing beauty.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Combines rich jewel-toned accents with clean, functional Scandinavian design.
- Why it Works: Creates a sophisticated yet practical and family-friendly space.
- Next Steps: Paint a piece of furniture in a deep jewel tone, add velvet pillows or a colorful rug, and choose furniture with simple, clean lines.
4. Focus on Simple, Sentimental Style
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Dave and Jenny Marrs advocate for a design that is rooted in family, simplicity, and sentiment. This approach prioritizes meaningful items, from family photos to handmade art, creating a home that feels deeply personal and authentic. The aesthetic is clean and uncluttered but filled with warmth. It’s about making intentional choices that reflect your family’s story and values.
This style is ideal for anyone who cherishes memories and wants their home to be a true reflection of their life. To get started, gather your favorite family photos, heirlooms, and children’s artwork. Find creative ways to display them, such as a gallery wall or custom-built shelving. Regularly update these displays with new memories to keep the decor evolving with your family.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Prioritizes meaningful, sentimental items and a simple, uncluttered aesthetic.
- Why it Works: Creates a deeply personal, authentic, and emotionally warm home.
- Next Steps: Create a gallery wall of family photos, display heirlooms prominently, and choose a simple, natural color palette as a backdrop.
5. Build a Modern Look with Unexpected Elements
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Jeremiah Brent and Nate Berkus have shown how modern decor can be both sophisticated and playful. By incorporating unexpected items, like architectural LEGO builds, into a refined, modern palette, they create spaces that are both stylish and personal. It’s a great fit for people who appreciate contemporary aesthetics but want to avoid a sterile or impersonal feel.
This approach works because it introduces a human element into a structured, modern design. The playful touches add personality and prevent the space from feeling too serious. The contrast between sleek furniture and something as fun as a LEGO sculpture or an accent chalkboard wall is what makes the design memorable. To adopt this style, invest in a few high-quality, modern furniture pieces. Then, add personal, creative touches that reflect your hobbies or interests.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Blends a modern, sophisticated palette with playful and personal items.
- Why it Works: Creates a stylish, contemporary space with unique character.
- Next Steps: Pair modern furniture with personal hobbies, like displaying a complex LEGO model or framed puzzles.
6. Create Calm with Neutral Tones and Greenery
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Christina Hall is known for her signature California-cool style, which relies on a neutral color palette and abundant greenery. This design creates a serene and airy atmosphere that feels both modern and relaxing. Using shades of white, beige, and grey as a base, the style incorporates natural textures and lots of plants to bring life and color into the space.
This is a perfect strategy for anyone seeking a peaceful, resort-like retreat at home. The neutral backdrop makes rooms feel larger and brighter, while the plants add a touch of nature that is known to reduce stress. It’s a clean, organic look that remains timeless.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Uses a neutral color palette accented with abundant live plants and natural textures.
- Why it Works: Creates a serene, airy, and calming environment.
- Next Steps: Choose a light, neutral paint color for the walls, purchase a variety of indoor plants, and incorporate natural materials like wood and jute.
7. Weave in Forest-Inspired Textures and Rustic Charm
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Cole and Chelsea DeBoer favor a style that brings the outdoors in, using forest-inspired textures and rustic elements. This look is characterized by dark, moody colors, rich wood tones, plaid patterns, and materials like leather and stone. It creates a space that feels grounded, warm, and connected to nature. This aesthetic is well-suited for those who love a cabin-like atmosphere and want to create a snug, protective haven.
This style is effective because it creates a strong sense of place and mood. The deep colors and heavy textures make a room feel enveloping and secure. It’s a bold look that feels both rustic and sophisticated. To maintain this style, condition leather furniture to keep it supple and protect wood surfaces from scratches and moisture. The dark palette can make dust more visible, so frequent dusting is recommended.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Incorporates dark colors, wood, stone, and plaid to create a rustic, forest-inspired feel.
- Why it Works: Builds a warm, grounded, and enveloping atmosphere.
- Next Steps: Paint an accent wall a deep green or black, add plaid textiles, and choose furniture with visible wood grain and rustic finishes.
8. Refresh Annually with Small Tweaks
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Jasmine Roth champions the idea that you don’t need a complete renovation to update your home. Instead, making small, intentional tweaks on an annual basis can keep your space feeling fresh and current. This might involve changing out throw pillows, updating artwork, or painting a single piece of furniture. This method is perfect for renters or anyone who enjoys change without committing to a massive project.
It allows your home to evolve with your tastes without major expense or effort. It encourages you to assess what is regularly working and isn’t working in your space. A helpful next step is to create a small, dedicated fund for annual decor updates. At the end of each year, identify one or two small changes you’d like to make and use the funds to execute your plan.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Make small, regular updates to decor instead of doing large-scale renovations.
- Why it Works: Keeps a home feeling fresh and current in a budget-friendly and manageable way.
- Next Steps: Plan small yearly updates like new pillows, a different area rug, or fresh artwork.
9. Accent with Sentimental Ornaments and Ribbon
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Inspired by Ben and Erin Napier, this style emphasizes the importance of sentimental ornaments and simple, beautiful details like ribbon. It’s about finding beauty in personal history and handmade touches. This approach goes beyond the holidays, suggesting that meaningful objects can be displayed year-round.
Using ribbon to hang pictures or adorn decor adds a soft, classic touch. It’s a heartwarming style for those who believe a home’s charm comes from its soul. Look through your stored keepsakes. Find a few special items that deserve a permanent place in your home and find a creative way to display them. Experiment with high-quality ribbon to hang small frames or tie around a vase.
Style Summary:
- Concept: Highlights sentimental ornaments and uses simple details like ribbon for a graceful, personal touch.
- Why it Works: Creates a home filled with meaning, history, and classic charm.
- Next Steps: Display meaningful ornaments year-round and use fabric ribbon to hang art or embellish decorative objects.
Your Decorating Journey
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Decorating your home doesn’t require a celebrity designer, just a clear vision. The styles of these HGTV stars offer a road map, but the final destination is uniquely yours.
Which approach resonates most with your personality and lifestyle? Is it the bold energy of maximalism or the quiet calm of neutral tones? Make intentional choices that bring you closer to a home that feels like a true reflection of you.