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Elsie’s decor style has shifted from bright, pink-filled mid-century modern rooms to a look shaped by historic homes, vintage objects, and memorable movie interiors. After nearly a decade with her earlier style, a change in home and new sources of inspiration helped guide a different approach. These ideas can also help you find details that feel right for your own space.
What Inspired Elsie’s Decor Style?
Movie interiors and memorable details
Movies became an important source of ideas. After watching fewer films for much of the previous decade, Elsie spent recent years catching up on around ten years of movie releases and revisiting older favorites. Horror films, in particular, offered plenty of intriguing house details.
Films by Nancy Meyers and Nora Ephron also provided inspiration, especially their inviting interiors and historic homes. Other memorable settings included the house in Knives Out, Clue, and parts of Harry Potter, such as paintings that turn into doors.
Hidden doors, tucked-away nooks, and concealed bars are recurring features that stand out. When using a film as a reference, focus on a specific feature—such as an unusual doorway, a cozy reading corner, or a distinctive color combination—rather than trying to copy an entire set.
Historic homes and traditional design
Historic houses became another major influence. While searching for a home a few years ago, Elsie toured several remarkable older properties and began paying closer attention to traditional and historic design. She also explored contemporary interiors that draw on historical details.
Falling in love with a couple of old homes prompted her to imagine how her decorating choices might change to suit that character. If you are inspired by an older house, consider which details appeal to you most, such as architectural features or the overall atmosphere, and use those as a starting point.
Vintage books and collected objects
Vintage mirrors, picture frames, and old books have become prominent in Elsie’s current home. These kinds of collected pieces can add visual interest and give a room a more personal feel. Grouping objects with a shared material, age, or theme can help a collection look intentional.
A recent addition to the collection is a group of brass insects, showing how a small, specific theme can bring personality to a display.
Does Elsie Miss Her Previous Home or Decor Style?
Elsie’s former home was meaningful after years spent improving it, and looking back at photographs can bring a sense of nostalgia. However, she says she no longer misses the old house or its style. She is enjoying her current home and the chance to explore a different look.
Keeping photographs of rooms and projects can be a practical way to remember past decorating choices. It also makes it easier to see how preferences change over time without needing to recreate an earlier style.
Why Did Her Decorating Style Change?
The style of a home can influence the way it is decorated. A house with a different character may call for different choices, and there is no single correct way to design an interior. Each home can develop its own look, even when the person decorating it is the same.
Elsie hopes that decorating ten different houses would result in ten distinct projects, each with its own direction. After sharing her homes and ideas publicly for much of her adult life, she is also comfortable with readers seeing her taste evolve. Trying a new approach can be a creative process, not a rejection of what came before.
For more discussion of home design and movie-inspired interiors, these podcast episodes are recommended:
- Episode 60: Our Favorite Movie Houses
- Episode 96: How to Nancy Meyers Your Home
- Episode 100: How To Define Your Decor Style + Make Mood Boards
- Episode 117: Movie Houses (part 2)
- Episode 134: Elsie’s Dining Room Library
Conclusion
Elsie’s decor style reflects a mix of movie houses, historic architecture, and vintage collections, shaped by the character of her current home. The key takeaway is to gather inspiration from specific details and adapt them to your space. A home can change along with your interests, and Elsie’s decor style shows how a new chapter can lead to a fresh design direction.
— Elsie
