Megan's Five Design Rules

We were working on one of our new Curious Guesthouses yesterday, and it made me think about what actually makes a house really feel like a home.

It’s something that can be surprisingly hard, especially when you’re starting from a blank slate or buying something furnished (which, fun fact, happens way more often than you’d think since most of our clients are buying second homes!).

After moving a lot, seeing approximately a jillion homes, and renovating or decorating eight short-term rentals (!!), I realized that I do, in fact, have rules:

1) Buy what you love. Seriously. The moment you start thinking about what anyone else will like, it somehow gets blander - and no one ends up loving it anyway. Same goes for most renovation decisions, tbh.

2) Buy vintage and local. It’s better for the environment and for your community - and it’s what makes a space feel layered, lived-in, and uniquely your own (which, again, will make everyone who sees it also love it more!). Plus, when that object comes with a memory like a chat with the maker or a great day of yard sale-ing, it’ll fill your home with good vibes.

3) Add plants. This is one of the easiest ways to bring actual life into your space. Your brain notices somehow and your space feels better. As someone who has traditionally had a black thumb, I can confirm that there are lots of plants that require almost zero attention. Really.

4) Get a little messy. Even if you’re a minimalist, the feeling of coziness and welcome is often in the more: the books, the vintage art, the extra throw blanket, the vase, your favorite candle, etc…especially if you go vintage and local.

5) Go high-low. Fashion rules apply here too, and my version is about 98% low (see: vintage, thrifted, used) and 2% “I splurged and I treasure it forever.” And then it’s somehow easier to remember to treasure it all.

Bonus tip: Nothing will ever be perfect. I wanted to show you guys one of our guesthouses that really exemplifies the rules above and decided every one of our properties is dumb (which they aren’t) cause we didn’t renovate a lot of things I’d like to or used furniture that doesn’t look “used” so I’m telling that to myself as much as anyone else! So here’s the Upstate Curious Farmhouse in Accord :)

Happy decorating 🖤