Kelsey is a writer, editor, and photographer. She has lived on a ship and in a travel trailer, but feels most at home in her midcentury Florida bungalow that she styles with thrifted and antique finds. When she’s not writing about travel, interiors, commerce, or food, you can find her tending to her tropical garden.
Many people have keepsakes from childhood that they hold on to. Some are smaller, like a stuffed animal or a baby blanket. Others can be larger and take up a lot of space in your closet, like an old dollhouse. If you’ve got one of the latter, instead of letting it collect dust in storage, consider using it to add a unique and personal decor touch in your home.
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Jamie, a writer in Chicago, put a dollhouse built by her grandfather over 30 years ago on display in her 750-square-foot apartment. The salmon shade of the dollhouse complements the light pink color of her living room walls.
And Boise, Idaho-based graphic designer and public artist Stephanie Inman has fully embraced this design idea, decorating her home with several miniature buildings, houses, and barns she created herself. Placed amongst art supplies, on shelves near picture frames, and in a glass display case, Stephanie shows off these miniature structures instead of storing them. And a special bonus: She also has her childhood dollhouse sitting on top of her refrigerator.
Decorating your home with your dollhouse adds an unexpected touch of whimsy and nostalgia to home decor. A dollhouse is literally one of your first “homes.” It also makes your current home feel more special and lived-in, compared to when you set out new items with no sentimental value. Your keepsakes are meant to be displayed, not to be hidden (and hogging likely limited storage space!).
Don’t worry that your childhood dollhouse might be too big or commanding of a decor item for your living space. As Jamie put it in her Apartment Therapy house tour, “Don’t let the internet tell you you can’t be a maximalist in a small space.”
Kelsey is a writer, editor, and photographer. She has lived on a ship and in a travel trailer, but feels most at home in her midcentury Florida bungalow that she styles with thrifted and antique finds. When she’s not writing about travel, interiors, commerce, or food, you can find her tending to her tropical garden.
I’m just going to call it like it was: Most of the builder grade beiges of the 2000’s were bland, boring, and frankly… a little ugly. For the past decade or so, cool grays and crisp whites have dominated the world of neutrals, but these colors might actually be on the outs, at least if Apartment Therapy’s annual designer survey — and 1st Dibs’ trend report — are any indications. Beige has been patiently waiting on the sidelines, and for 2023, it’s back as the choice designer neutral, and I couldn’t be more excited for its second time in the sun.
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For one, there’s a much wider array of tones available, from pale creamy lattes to deep chocolatey beiges. If rich colors are more your thing, think velvety caramels or sun-kissed tan beiges. The spectrum of beiges is so huge that I’m willing to bet even the most skeptical can find a shade that speaks to them.
Perhaps the best thing about this often underrated neutral is its do-it-all superpower — incredibly versatile, it literally works with nearly every other color of the rainbow. Beige doesn’t stop there though; it’s a chameleon that can morph to fit with almost every finish you can think of, too: metals, stones, woods, different types of fabrics… the list goes on. Glam it up (hello, beige and gold mixed with marble), or opt for a modern neutral look with a timeless beige, black, and white combo.
You may be thinking white can do all this, and you’re not wrong. Beige has yet another trick up its sleeve though, which (quite literally) leaves white out in the cold: warmth. Post-2020, the desire to make homes more inviting is greater than ever. That’s a big part of why earthy, beige-based neutrals are back. Nothing says cozy quite like beige; being enveloped in the right shade of soothing beige can feel like a warm hug. It’s also a great choice for furniture and furnishings that will never go out of style and can be a great canvas for more colorful textiles, art, and decorative details.
This piece is part of Trend Month, our recap of the buzziest designs, decor, and more from 2022 — and what to expect in 2023. Head on over here to see it all!
Sarah writes about all things shopping for Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn, and Cubby helping you find the best deals and the best products for you and your home. A Brooklyn-born Jersey Girl, she loves a good playlist, a good bagel, and her family (but not necessarily in that order).