The Joy of Design: Expert Tips for a Home You'll Love

The right décor and style choices can go a long way to making a joyful home. Surrounding yourself with furniture and accents that make you happy, remind you of loved ones, or let you enjoy your favorite hobbies and pastimes are all great ways to create more joy at home, whether you own or rent.

From expert advice to a few simple upgrades you can easily make in the new year, these tips will help you create a home that you love.

5 Home Experts on What Brings Them Joy at Home

Most of our time is spent in our homes, from relaxing and sleeping to eating and cleaning. It's no surprise then, that our homes have immense power to shape us and influence our mood. Just as a cluttered home can bring a sense of chaos, so can a carefully-curated home fill us with nostalgia and joy.

Bringing joy into your home can be anything from bringing in a piece of art that brings back memories, to a practice that helps you slow down. We talked with five designers to find out what brings them joy in their homes, some of which might inspire you in your own home.

7 Simple Updates That Can Bring Joy to Your Home

What makes a home feel joyful? The answer is different for everyone, but the general idea is the same: creating a space where you feel your most comfortable, relaxed, can enjoy life, and where you're surrounded by the ones you love.

But the way you design your space and the décor you surround yourself with can also contribute to the happiness you feel at home—and it doesn't require a full remodel. These small updates and tweaks can turn your space into a source of pleasure and comfort. And after all, isn't that what home is for?

The 5 "Basic" Home Décor Items Interior Designers Love

The term "basic" has gotten a bad rap in recent years. Although it conjures up images of "boring" décor items like neutral rugs and white sofas, we'd argue that these basics (or, as we prefer to call them, timeless staples) lay the groundwork for effortlessly stylish spaces. To find out which "basic" home décor items will never go out of style, we decided to consult the pros.

Though we do consider ourselves something of décor experts here at MyDomaine, we are fortunate enough to have some of the industry's leading interior designers on speed dial (so to speak). So, we tapped none other than Emily Henderson of Emily Henderson Design, Courtney Nye of Courtney Nye Design, Nashville-based designer Sarah Bartholomew, Shea McGee of Studio McGee, and Leanne Ford of HGTV's Restored by the Fords to weigh in on the topic.

We weren't disappointed. From a non-basic basic table lamp to a covetable tabletop accessory that makes every meal feel special, keep scrolling to shop the staple pieces the pros will always love.

The Home Trends Designers Are Excited About for 2023

Keeping up with trends is one way to ensure your home will continue to look and feel fresh. Curious as to what’s on the horizon for 2023, we asked top designers for their home décor predictions. The good news, according to the experts, is that breathing new life into your space doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. 

One thing is for certain:more and more people are taking stock in their surroundings. Incorporating greenery, heritage pieces and going bold with color are just some of the design trends they’re suggesting. 

Of course, there will never be universal agreement among designers when it comes to forecasting, but our experts do agree on one thing. “It's not so much about what’s trending,” shares Jen Samson, Principle and Founder, Jen Samson Design in Laguna Beach, California. “But more about how we, as designers, can help our clients feel at home and create a space that ultimately reflects their personal story.”

51 Incredible Interior Design Ideas We Heard Straight From Designers

You can never have too many interior design ideas up your sleeve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re upgrading an underutilized corner or renovating your space from top to bottom—inspiration is a must. Because in any design process, there are lots of questions to be answered and a lot of decisions to be made, and interior design inspiration can make all that stuff a little easier to sift through.

But where can you find such a boundless source of design inspiration? Here, of course. We asked interior designers to share 51 of their favorite interior design ideas—and all of them are ready for your perusal, below.

10 Designers Reflect on Their First Splurge Décor Pieces

It’s true what they say: you never forget your first splurge. Whether it was a special find that you purchased at age 21—with money that totally should have been allocated toward groceries—or an investment piece sought out later in life, these pieces have a way of sticking with us, literally and figuratively, over the years.

We spoke with 10 interior designers to ask them about their first major buys for the home and why the pieces will forever remain favorites.

This Is How 5 Designers Make Their Small Home Look Like a Mansion

As someone who rents a small apartment in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, I know how challenging it can be to decorate your dream home with limited square footage—check out my simple floor plans for some tips. While my inner interior design nerd has fallen hard for oversize pendant lights and a plush three-seater sofa, my little living room doesn't have the ceiling or floor space to accommodate. I also don't have the large budget required to purchase those big-ticket items anyway. Decorating small spaces on a budget can be tricky.

So how does one re-create that millionaire look on a shoestring? Turns out, the devil really is in the details. When we asked our designer network, they had some very simple yet achievable and affordable formulas (with décor suggestions too) that will transform your studio into an elevated space you'll love. It's not as hard (or as expensive) as you think. 

8 Designers on the Home Flaws They're Glad They Overlooked

Imagine this: you come across a picture-perfect, budget-friendly apartment with herringbone floors and a faux fireplace to boot. The only issue? It’s up five flights of stairs and the bathroom couldn’t be tinier. Or, maybe you’ve managed to locate a unit with a bedroom that can fit a king mattress—but on the other hand, the kitchen can only hold a mini fridge.

Let’s face it: despite the fact that magazines and TV shows always seem to feature Pinterest-worthy apartments with zero stylistic or layout flaws, most renters have to make at least some compromises prior to moving into a new space.

We spoke with designers and creatives to find out what they were willing to live with in order to secure an aesthetically pleasing unit— and you may be surprised what their responses were.