3 min readCreating a beautiful home takes more than copying the latest viral social media trends. House Beautiful Editorial Director Joanna Saltz recently joined a panel with designer and Queer Eye star Jeremiah Brent, Omar Nobil, creative director of DWR, and Emmanuel Platt, merchandising director for the MoMA Design Store, to explore where design trends come from and how taste is evolving.
Brent did not hold back when it came to expressing his opinions on how social media is influencing the mainstream’s tastes—and not always for the better.
Trending vs. Timeless
During the discussion, Saltz asked the panelists to share their least favorite current trends, which sparked a larger conversation about the overwhelming influence of social media on home decor.
“There have been some really terrible trends that have come from Instagram,” Brent says. “Fridgescaping, where people would decorate the inside of the refrigerator with plants? Like, who's got the time? Also, clean out your fridge. How can you see what's bad or good if there's a bush in there?”
Brent also pointed to the internet’s obsession with ultraminimal, “clean” aesthetics—think overly neutral color schemes, “sad beige” interiors, and his personal design pet peeve, bouclé fabric.
“I love bouclé, but I need a break from her. There are other really beautiful materials,” Brent says.
The panelists agreed that the future of design depends on staying open to emerging ideas and experimenting with trends in a way that blends creativity, curiosity, and personal discovery.
“I have nothing against trends, for the record—I think they're an interesting conversation,” Brent adds. “I think it's an opportunity to cast a wide net around different design styles that you may not connect to. You may not want a turquoise sofa, but look up turquoise. Where did it start? Where did it come from? A huge part of taste for me is exposure and curiosity.”
In quiet revolt against carefully curated and contrived perfection, more and more designers are now signaling the rise of a new era, where aesthetic choices are intentional, individualized, and rooted in personal style.
A Case for Personality
Homes have evolved from a showcase of status into a reflection of self, with a greater emphasis on functionality, familiarity, and, according to Platt, joy.
“Good design is about bringing a solution to problems you may have,” Platt says. “The question we ask ourselves is why? Why should we have this object? What problem does it solve? And the problem is not always, you know, something that you need to solve. It could be bringing joy to your life.”
In support of the impact of personalized decor, Nobil chimed in with his notes on what drives the redefinition of the ever-churning style cycle. “Taste is very much governed by people's personal set of values now, as opposed to an imposed set of values from an elite view.”
In nodding agreement, Brent expressed his admiration for those who choose to prioritize the personal over the popular. “Taste, for me, is the execution of personalization,” Brent says. “When you walk into a space, or you see something, and it feels like the perfect expression of who someone is, that’s the epitome of taste.”
Make no mistake, though: Ultra-personal doesn’t necessarily mean embracing every outlandish whim. Instead, designers want to encourage homeowners to embrace their inner whimsy while remaining poised, posh, and practical.
“I think now home is freedom. It's exploration through personalization. It's individuality,” Brent says. “Freedom to play. Which is what design globally normally is. Your design in your home, or anywhere else in the world, is built around how you live, not who you're supposed to be.”
For more expert takeaways, check out the full conversation here:
