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What Editors Keep Asking Me: 8 Practical Ideas to Steal for Your Home Design
- Jul 3
- 6 min read
Over the past few months, I've had the opportunity to answer home design questions from editors at Southern Living, Good Housekeeping, Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Real Simple, and Veranda.
While every interview covered something different from bathroom trends and dining rooms to vintage finds, AI, and outdoor living ~ I realized they were all asking versions of the same question:
What actually makes a home feel good to live in? The answers aren't about chasing trends. They're about creating spaces that are warmer, more functional, and more personal.
Today, I'm sharing 8 of the biggest ideas that kept coming up and how you can use them in your own home.
1. We Want Warmth, Not Just Pretty Rooms
One of the most common themes I’ve been asked about recently is why homes sometimes feel cold - even when they are technically beautiful.
And honestly, this is something we talk about all the time at Design & Curations.
A room can have expensive furniture, new lighting, and a perfectly neutral palette, yet still feel a little unfinished or emotionally flat.
Usually, what is missing is layering.
Texture. Contrast. Something personal. A little imperfection.
A home should not feel like a showroom. It should feel like people live there, gather there, spill coffee there, celebrate birthdays there, and occasionally hide laundry five minutes before guests arrive.
We are all human here.
Idea #1: Before buying something new, ask yourself what's missing. Sometimes a few thoughtful layers can create more impact than adding another furniture piece. Add woven baskets, linen drapery, vintage wood, or family heirlooms to make a room feel lived in! |
For more on this idea, you may love our own post:
2. Function Is Becoming the New Luxury
I was especially happy to contribute to Good Housekeeping's piece on drop zone organization because this is one of those areas that looks small but changes daily life in a big way.
A beautiful home that does not support your routine will eventually frustrate you.
Where do the backpacks go?
Where does the mail land?
Where do shoes pile up?
Where do keys disappear into the universe forever?
These are not boring questions. These are design questions.
In our projects, we think about function early, not at the end when everyone is tired and the budget has already been spent. The most successful homes are the ones where beauty and function are planned together from the beginning.
A mudroom, entry, laundry room, or drop zone may not be the glamorous “hero shot,” but it can absolutely be the reason your mornings feel calmer.
Idea #2: Think of every room as a tool that should support your daily routine. When your home works with you instead of against you, even ordinary moments feel more enjoyable. |
Read more about our Good Housekeeping's feature ~ "Designers Swear by These Makeshift Mudroom Ideas"
3. Dining Rooms Are Asking to Be Loved Again
I loved being part of the conversation around what makes dining rooms feel less inviting, because this is something we see often. Some dining rooms are beautiful but stiff - You know the ones.
The room exists. The chandelier is there. The table is there. But nobody really wants to sit there unless it is Thanksgiving and somebody made them.
Today, clients want dining spaces that feel more usable and more connected to real life.
A dining room can still be elevated without feeling formal in a scary way. It can be layered, comfortable, warm, and slightly romantic. It can hold holiday dinners, homework, wine nights, birthday cakes, and quiet Tuesday dinners.
We are big believers in dining spaces that invite people to linger - Not just sit.
Idea #3: If your dining room feels unused, start with comfort upgrades first. Add upholstered chairs, a rug underfoot, and layered lighting before changing anything decorative. |
Check out our feature In Homes and Gardens ~ "7 Design Reasons Your Home Feels Cold and Uninviting"
4. Vintage and Collected Pieces Are Bringing Soul Back
Another recent theme editors are asking about: vintage decor.
And yes, yes, yes ~ I love this shift!
Not because everything needs to be antique, but because a home becomes more interesting when not everything looks like it was purchased in one weekend.
A vintage mirror. An old stool. A collected piece from travel. A Imperfect Frame.
These are the details that help a home feel layered and personal.
At Design & Curations, we often describe our work as calm, cozy, and collected. The “collected” part matters. It is what keeps organic modern interiors from becoming too flat or too expected.
Idea #4: Add a collected piece, inherited artwork, or travel find to every room. Those pieces tell your story! |
Project Riverside
If you love this direction, you may also enjoy our post:
5. People Are More Careful About What They Buy
One of the most fun expert questions I answered recently was about home purchases designers regret.
Mine was glass-top side tables.
They were beautiful. They were airy. They were also purchased before I had two little kids.
Now? Fingerprints. Stress. Constant cleaning. The mild fear of someone launching a toy into them.
Design should support the season of life you are in.
That does not mean your home cannot be beautiful with children, pets, busy schedules, or real-life messes. It means the beauty has to be smarter.
The right piece is not just the one that looks beautiful in a photo. It is the one that still feels good after you live with it.
Idea #5: Before purchasing anything, ask yourself, "Will I still love living with this in five years?" Beautiful and practical should go hand in hand. |
6. AI Is Changing Design, But Not Replacing the Human Part
Real Simple recently asked designers how AI is changing interior design, and I think this conversation will only get bigger.
AI can be helpful for inspiration, early visualization, and idea generation.
But design is still deeply human.
AI does not know how your child drops their backpack in the same spot every day.
It does not know that your kitchen island is where everyone gathers even though you designed a formal dining room.
It does not know that you want your home to feel like your Mediterranean summer memories, your grandmother’s table, your new life in Atlanta, and your very real need for storage.
Good design is not just about creating an image.
It is about listening, translating, editing, and making hundreds of decisions feel clear.
That part still needs people.
Idea #6: Save inspiration from multiple sources instead of trying to recreate one perfect room. Pulling ideas from different styles often results in a home that feels more authentic and uniquely yours. Trends and technology will continue to evolve, but designing around your routines, memories, and values will never go out of style! |
7. Outdoor Living Is Becoming Part of the Home, Not an Afterthought
Outdoor kitchens and outdoor living spaces are also having a moment - and in Atlanta, this makes so much sense.
We have long seasons where outdoor living can become part of everyday life.
But just like interiors, outdoor spaces need intention.
Where will people sit? Where will food land? Is there shade? Does it feel connected to the home?
The best outdoor spaces do not feel like a patio with furniture dropped onto it.
They feel like an extension of the home.
Idea #7: Think about your patio the same way you'd plan a living room. Create conversation areas, include soft lighting, add shade, and make it easy to serve food and drinks. |
What This All Tells Me
After many conversations with editors this year, one theme kept coming back:
The homes people love most are not necessarily the most expensive or the most photographed.
They want homes that feel supportive. Homes that work hard quietly.
Homes that feel warm, layered, personal, and easy to live in.
Homes that help them slow down a little.
Idea #8: Before making your next design decision, ask yourself one question: "How do I want this room to feel?" That answer will guide you better than any trend ever could. |
Which brings us back to the heart of our studio:
Calm. Cozy. Collected.
Not as a trend ~ As a way of living.
Recently Featured
We are grateful to have shared design insights in the following national publications:
Thinking About Your Own Home?
Whether you are furnishing a home in Marietta, renovating in East Cobb, refreshing a family home in Roswell, building in Milton, or creating a more collected home in Alpharetta, we would love to help you bring clarity and warmth to the process.
At Design & Curations, we create thoughtful, full-service interiors for busy homeowners throughout Greater Atlanta - homes that feel calm, cozy, collected, and deeply personal.
XO, BurJu
