Skip to content

17 Best Design & Entertaining Tips We Learned From Celebrities

From Miranda Kerr to John Legend.

colorful living room with art pieces

Michelle Boudreau Design

Owning a home is no easy feat. Just like us, our favorite celebrities have gone through their fair share of making important design decisions to curate spaces that fit their individual style, or successfully host intimate gatherings for their guests. These are some of the best entertaining and designing tips we've learned from celebrities.

01 of 17

Make Rooms Intentional

sage green bookcase in dining room area

Katie Hackworth

“My office is for work, the dining table is for eating, the living room is for family time, friend time, and the bedroom is for sleeping,"comedian, Lilly Singh notes about creating room boundaries. "It's not for you to take your work into every space.”

02 of 17

Timeless Is Timeless

neutral outdoor area

House Sprucing

"I love a classic, elevated moment, and I really do love a monochromatic style," model Ashley Graham says about her personal design style. "I think it's classy, and it's one of those trends that is never really going to go away. It just always looks good."

03 of 17

Personalize Playlists

dark living room with album cover decorations and speakers

Louis Dunca-He

"I make playlists for all of our dinner parties, blending vintage jazz with a little soul and hip hop,” Grammy-award winning musician John Legend explains about setting the ambiance for a dinner party. "It’s never just one artist. I mix it up with singers like Marvin Gaye and Nina Simone singing ‘I Want You’ and ‘Here Comes The Sun’ respectively, along with artists like Lauren Hill and Nas.”

04 of 17

Invest in Key Pieces

neutral couch with accent throwpillows

Cathie Hong

"Prioritize. Invest in big-ticket pieces, like sofas and chairs, that are timeless and transitional," suggests interior designer and tv personality, Jeremiah Brent. "Throw pillows and accessories can be less expensive and serve as a great opportunity to play with trends."

05 of 17

Use Experiences as Inspiration

green dining room with graphic wallpaper

Leah O'Connell Design

"I feel like my travels around the world and my experiences in the industry have influenced me," model Miranda Kerr explains about drawing inspiration from personal experiences. "I have been exposed to so many different textures, fabrics and materials, as well as different cultures and creative people."

06 of 17

Resource Online

blue tiled bathroom

Cathie Hong

"Shop for special materials and finishes online," encourages interior designer and tv personality, Nate Berkus. "Backsplash tile, hardware, cutting boards, mirrors—there are so many beautiful options out there that you can find for prices that don't have to break the bank."

07 of 17

Keep It Simple

urban modern neutral room with wooden accents

Home Consultant

"Simple doesn’t mean boring," Tony-award winning actress, Scarlett Johansson shares. "You can go a long way with mixing textures while keeping a simple palette."

08 of 17

Start With a Plan

colorful living room with art pieces

Michelle Boudreau Design

"Just like you wouldn't start baking a cake without all the ingredients and recipe in front of you, so it is with the design," says HGTV Design Star, Emily Henderson. "You can definitely design with spontaneity, but having a game plan before you start purchasing larger pieces can save you a lot of time and headache later down the road. Choosing a theme—colors, materials, and mood or feel—can help you as you go shopping to navigate through all the many options out there."

09 of 17

Highlight Meaningful Pieces

dark green room with wooden accents

Sarah Fultz Interiors

"Bring things with good energy into the home to maintain the history of the house,” West Side Story actress, Ariana Debose suggests about being intentional with what you bring into your home. “I want to feel like the things that are present and living in my home have soul to them."

10 of 17

Set the Mood

rustic kitchen with chandelier and eclectic chairs

Ashley Montgomery Design

"Just the smell of warm cookies when you walk into a home is so inviting, whether it's a holiday party, gathering, or a dinner," notes actress, Nina Dobrev. "Custom cookies look pretty, are delicious, and are so fun to make because you put your heart into it."

11 of 17

Play With Design

eclectic and colorful living room

Michelle Boudreau Design

"I want people to step outside of their box and really get out there and get inspired with design. This design world is meant for us to play and take risks and to take challenges," says celebrity interior designer, Mikel Welch. "Anytime you have an opportunity to do so, you just got to do it."

12 of 17

Recharge Yourself

pink and green bedroom

Michelle Boudreau Design

"I preach a lot on Queer Eye that making your home livable and making your home a space that makes you happy can really affect your mental health and help you recharge at night, just like you charge your phone," interior designer and tv personality Bobby Berk emphasizes on designing a space to help you unwind mentally and physically.

13 of 17

Add Decorative Accents

modern living room with wooden accent chairs

Brophy Interiors

"We love artificial trees because they never drop leaves or turn brown," Legend says about adding greenery, so it brightens up your home. "We have a big olive tree in our entranceway that looks and feels completely real.”

14 of 17

Complement Basic With Impact

basic palette with decorative accents

Michelle Boudreau Design

"Spend money on items that have a big decorative impact, and go basic in construction materials,"Berkus advises to focus on key items. "Think plain subway tile with a set of beautiful towels or a small and interesting vintage table next to a simple white bathtub."

15 of 17

Balance Different Styles

floral cottage core room with crystal light fixture

Ashley Montgomery Design

“Steve and I are opposites in so many ways. He loves Edison bulbs and I love cozy couches and crystals," actress Jenna Dewan says about her and her husband's styles. "We agreed on a lot, actually, he’s got really good style and we blend and balance each other very well.”

16 of 17

Repurpose Existing Pieces

modern room with minimal decorative pieces

Michelle Boudreau Design

"Reuse what you love and repurpose it," encourages Brent. "A little imagination can go a long way in making something feel fresh and new."

17 of 17

Maximize Your Furniture

sitting area with wooden storage

Michelle Boudreau Design

"Swap bulky furniture pieces like desks and nightstands with ones that feature handy compartments for storing books and tech items, like laptops, cords and TV remotes," Henderson instructs about maximizing pieces for storage.