Welcome to Dear Design Diary, a new blog series where we spill the tea on all things interior design — the highs, the lows, the awkward design bloopers, and the quiet obsessions with fabric swatches. This is a space for real talk: personal opinions, unfiltered thoughts, and behind-the-scenes confessions that don’t make it into glossy project summaries or professional portfolios.
Think of this as our digital sketchbook meets therapy journal — where we get honest about what inspires us, what frustrates us, and what we wish more people understood about the design world. If you’re a fellow designer, maybe you’ll relate. If you’re just design-curious, consider this your VIP ticket into our weird, wonderful world. No passports needed here — just heart, humor, and a whole lot of candor. Let’s get into it.
Entry 1, August 2025
Dear Design Diary,
I have a hot take: I strongly detest the minimalist aesthetic. Nothing drains the life out of me faster than a neutral space, straight lines, and a sparse scattering of accessories—it all adds up to minimal creativity.
Sad colors, sad shelves, sad walls… sad personality.
Now, before you come for me, I’m not on Team Maximalist either. I’ve seen plenty of spaces in magazines that send my senses into overdrive and cue circus music in my head.
Visual overload! Where should my eyes rest? I think I need to go up an eyeglass prescription strength!
So, Diary—what kind of aesthetic do I love? The way to my heart is a blended one. Have some wild, bold finishes? Let’s ground them with clean-lined, calm, more neutral furniture. Starting with a more subdued or neutral base? That’s the perfect invitation for fun, expressive furniture, bold art, and layered accessories.
See where I’m going with this? Too much of any one thing just doesn’t cut it.
I guess you could say I’m a design moderate—a lover of balance, contrast, and a touch of the unexpected. What really lights me up is when a space tells a layered story. I want to walk into a room and feel something. Not chaos, not sterility—something intentional, warm, and a little bit surprising.
Layers of pattern blend with solid color to create a dynamic vignette.
I gravitate toward spaces that blend vintage and modern, texture and polish, restraint and expression. Give me a sleek sofa paired with a moody, oversized oil painting. Let me see natural wood against high-gloss tile. I love when a room feels like it’s been curated over time, not just ordered from a single catalog in one afternoon.
Color? Yes, please. Pattern? Absolutely—but used with purpose. I don’t need ten different prints screaming at me, but I do want the eye to travel and discover. A subtle stripe here, a botanical print there, a rug that grounds it all—this is the kind of quiet harmony that excites me.
A neutral backdrop creates a calming base for bright accents and patterns in the art and accessories.
And while I’m at it: comfort is non-negotiable. If it looks great but you can’t relax in it, what’s the point? I want rooms that are lived in, not just looked at. Soft lighting, cozy textures, meaningful objects—those are the ingredients that create soul in a space.
Layers of texture and color blend with neutral accents to create an overall sense of balance and comfort.
So no, I’m not a minimalist. And I’m definitely not a maximalist. I’m a layered realist. And that’s the design truth I’ll be standing by.
Thanks for listening, Design Diary. Until next time!