Design Secrets- Everything I Swore I’d Gatekeep

to thank you for your support

Hi, I’m Lily, I’m an interior designer, and because of you I just hit 100k on Instagram. It would take me over a day to count that high. Absolutely insane. In honor of that, I figured I’d stop gatekeeping. Below are all my favorite design tricks, must-know search terms, ride-or-die vendors, and the oddly specific things I think about in every single space.

Bookmark this. Share it with your design-obsessed friend. Come back when you move.

The Exact Light Temperature You Need

2700K. Always.
Not 3000, not 4000. If your space feels cold and weird and you can’t figure out why, it’s probably the light temperature. 2700K is the warm glow that makes everything and everyone look better.

While we’re here: if the bulbs are visible, make sure they’re frosted. Clear bulbs are the enemy of good vibes.

How to Hack Facebook Marketplace

Search terms I always use (and why they work):

• "Primitive" – rustic, textural, often handmade

• "Danish" or "Scandinavian" – gives you minimalism with character

• "Brutalist" – funky, sculptural, heavy

• "MCM" or "Mid-century" – obvious, but still hits

• "Antique" or "Vintage" – cast a wide net

• "Solid wood" – weeds out the IKEA

• "Campaign" or "Burl" – niche, but gold when they hit

• "Pottery" or "Studio pottery" – so many good ceramics hiding under this tag

If I’m sourcing for a project, I’ll save 2–3 versions of the same search (ex: “Danish desk,” “Danish modern,” “Danish wood desk”) and refresh them daily.

What I Look for in Rugs

• Material: Natural fibers only- wool, jute, cotton. No poly, no blends. Especially no washable rugs.

• Backing: If it has a glued-on backing, skip it. It won’t age well and it traps dust.

• Size: Go bigger than you think. Your rug should at least touch the front legs of your furniture.

• Color: Muted, earthy, or wild, just not too matchy. I want a rug to feel collected, not like it was made for the room.

• Where I Shop: Facebook Marketplace, Etsy (search “Persian rug” or “hand knotted”), Revival, and the occasional vintage dealer.

Hardware That’s Not Ugly

Cabinet hardware is one of the fastest ways to upgrade a space. These are my go-tos:

• Signature Hardware – classic shapes, solid feel, great in bathrooms and kitchens

• Matilda Goad – scalloped, playful, vintage-adjacent

• Rejuvenation – if you want timeless without being boring

• DeVol – $$$, but their unlacquered brass is unreal

Tip: mix knobs and pulls, and go oversized if the cabinetry can take it. It’s a subtle way to make your space feel custom.

Frame TV Only

Just do it. I know it’s more expensive, but if you care at all about aesthetics, nothing kills a room faster than a black rectangle floating on the wall. I treat the Frame TV like art, and yes, I swap out the display depending on the mood.

Sources for art: Etsy, Juniper Print Shop, and museums with open-access archives (like The Met).

I Put These Everywhere

• Lola blankets – They feel good. They look good. You’ll keep stealing them from your partner. Use code LILYW35 for a juicy coupon

• Sconces – Especially in rentals. Plug-in sconces can change your whole life.

• Secondhand mirrors – Always. They add so much movement.

• Tiny stools – For stacks of books, for plants, for your coffee mug, for no reason at all.

• Vintage oil paintings – Even if they’re not your color palette. That’s kind of the point.

Brands That Get It

If you want to invest in pieces with soul and not just fill a room these are the brands I keep coming back to:

• House of Leon – sculptural and soft, without being too trendy

• Maiden Home – beautiful shapes, made-to-order, and built to last

• En Gold – high-impact statement pieces that still feel livable

• Slow Roads – perfectly wavy, perfectly weird, and made in small batches

• Sabai – sustainable, customizable, and one of the best lower-cost brands that still looks elevated

One Last Thing

Good design isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being interesting. So if you take anything from this post, let it be this:

Make your home weirder. Buy the chunky lamp. Hang the tiny art. Layer the rugs. Do what feels like you, even if it doesn’t “match.” That’s how you end up with a home people remember.

Thank you for being here, whether you’re brand new or you’ve been following since I was just yelling about rental hacks into the void. I’m so glad we’re doing this together.

xo,
Lily

P.S. If you loved this post, my paid subscribers get early access to new guides, sourcing secrets, and tools I don’t share anywhere else. I’ll never put fluff behind a paywall, only the stuff that’ll actually make your home better.