Interior design inspiration never goes out of style. Whether it’s a striking DIY wall mural, an elegantly composed living space, or simply an inventively bold use of color, designers and artists on Instagram provide an endless supply of creative ideas for room makeovers and home décor upgrades with their beautiful (and strategic) design feeds, Reels and Stories.
Last year alone, Google searches for home improvement work went up nearly 50% from the previous year, as owners spent more time at home and began to reimagine their living spaces — either out of necessity, for beautification or just for fun. And with the current housing boom, as people look to buy or sell homes, or even just give a room a much-needed makeover, the trend is hotter than ever. We’ve curated a list of some of our favorite swoon-worthy (and marketing-savvy) Instagram designer profiles sure to spark inspiration for your next home redecorating project or to spur ideas on how you, too, can enhance your social media presence.
@eyeswoon – Athena Calderone knows how to live the beautiful life – literally. As creator of the entertaining, food and lifestyle destination, EyeSwoon, her brand is “dedicated to the beauty and deliciousness of the every day.” Elegant, graceful interiors fill her robust Instagram feed, both of her airy, contemporary retreat in The Hamptons and her stately Brooklyn home, with gorgeous statement chandeliers, pottery and sculptures juxtaposed against natural wood, marble or stone textures and backgrounds. Neutral, clean color palettes and soft, natural lighting with moody shadow-play turn the most minimal room scenes into dreamy compositions that’ll make you want to declutter and simplify your own living spaces, stat.
This picture of elegant living doesn’t just stop with her gorgeous interiors; her feed also features carefully curated culinary, dining and entertaining tableaus. There’s good reason, after all, why The New York Times dubbed her “the modern girl’s Martha Stewart”: whether it’s a mouth-watering bowl of handmade pasta plated against a striking, textured marble countertop, or an airy table setting composed of pastels and florals against a clean white tabletop and floor-to-ceiling windows, Calderone’s tasteful elegance always shines through. The diversity of her creativity feels very aspirational, if a little geared towards high-end, but that’s what makes her Instagram profile so appealing: she runs the gamut of dining, entertaining, designing, fashion and living so flawlessly that you can find inspiration for many aspects of living a more beautiful life all on one page.
@nateberkus – The most well-known interior designer on our list also has one of the most beautiful and inspiring Instagram feeds. Style icon Nate Berkus has long been a go-to interior design guru, first as a regularly featured guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show and more recently as co-host of TLC’s reality design series, Nate & Jeremiah By Design alongside his husband, Jeremiah Brent (also an interior designer). Known for his elegant, traditional designs with clean lines and a masculine aesthetic, it’s no wonder he’s created countless furniture lines for retailers like Living Spaces and Target and still takes on sophisticated interior projects for high-profile clients.
While his Instagram feed and Stories regularly feature swoon-worthy interiors with tips on how to minimalize any room and his latest remodeling projects with Jeremiah, many of the photos also focus on his beautiful family – naturally lit outdoor shots of his two adorable children, him and Jeremiah casually lounging at home, or decorating the dining room or house for a holiday occasion. We admire how much thought and intention he puts into marrying design with his family life, and the resulting peek into his own personal home shows how perfectly the spaces are arranged to blend comfort with style to create a retreat away from the cameras and celebrity life. It’s what makes his page as charming, endearing and “real” as it is inspiring.
@justinablakeney – If your style runs more towards the free-spirited and outrageous, then welcome to The Jungalow. Founder, creative director and interior designer Justina Blakeney is well on her way to becoming a franchise and household name with a line of her signature textiles and décor in Target stores, a new coffee table book on her “wild” design aesthetic and mantra and a popular Instagram page that’s veritable eye candy. And eye candy, it is. Her feed is so colorful and vibrant it practically pops off the screen, with sumptuous photography capturing her bold prints and textiles, lush living spaces bursting with flora and primary color pops, and a distinct nod to African heritage in many of her original Jungalow paintings, wall hangings and patterns.
She strategically mixes up her posts to also feature her personal side as a wife and mother, with loving shots of her daughter in their California-cool bohemian home, along with new products from her Jungalow store and room makeover shots (mostly from her own home). It’s the perfect blend of earthiness and business-savvy; she seems at once laid-back and relatable to the average person, impressive and inspirational to fellow female entrepreneurs and highly marketable to potential clients or partners like Target. Blakeney’s page also feels very accessible. She readily posts and comments and has a link in her bio to the Jungalow online hub and e-comm store so fans can easily go buy her line of home decor. In addition, she regularly posts about new partnerships and Jungalow announcements so her followers are the first to know about deals on her line and where to shop for her newest products. In all, her page showcases her smart yet subtle mastery of self-promotion, which is undoubtedly what makes her social presence as “wildly” successful as her home décor is.
@grantkgibson – Esteemed interior designer and founder Grant K. Gibson describes his boutique firm, Grant K. Gibson Interior Design Inc., as being “known for classic, well-edited spaces that are not only beautiful but functional.” With work featured in Architectural Digest, The New York Times, Real Simple and more, and being named to Elle Décor’s “A-List,” he is definitely one of the most acclaimed designers in the industry, and a visit to his Instagram page showcases why.
Gibson’s clean, modern palettes often tend towards classic, black-and-white furnishings against rich textures like marble, playfully patterned wallpaper and modern lighting fixtures shot in natural light – rooms his studio has renovated or of his own San Francisco home. These gorgeously shot interior photos are interspersed with his personal love of traveling the world for design inspiration. One of the things that sets his Instagram apart is his obvious passion for the architecture and style of exotic locales – from Mexico City to Marrakech to Jaipur, followers get to accompany him on a rich visual journey that showcases grand palaces, breathtaking vistas and interesting building facades. Seeing his client work juxtaposed with his travel posts, it’s obvious he takes cues in his design from all the places he’s been.
His page is also a great example of putting your expertise in the spotlight; Gibson has Stories and video tutorials that showcase his craft, like meticulously styling a table setting by positioning flowers so as to not block the art on the wall behind it and how to get the most out of a room’s composition. It comes across as ingenious and appealing to followers, cementing him as a true authority on interior design.
@dabito – With his eye-catching use of bold color, flair for creative DIY design and ability to deftly mix vintage alongside modern pieces, designer, photographer and style trailblazer Dabito has a well-earned social media following as well as an impressive client roster, including Crate & Barrel, The Home Depot, Amazon and IKEA. As founder and creative director of Old Brand New, his creative studio, he specializes in jaw-dropping home and room makeovers, including his own home. Unsurprisingly, his Instagram page is chock full of inspiring interiors with pops of vibrant colors (like his signature sunny yellow), eclectic artwork, elegant bespoke décor and botanical touches that liven up his curated spaces.
He most often features his favorite redecorating projects for clients, friends and family, and the before-and-after pictures are a feast for the eyes. With a deft hand at choosing bold printed wallpaper, layered textiles and dramatic window dressings, he can turn any blasé room into a playful yet elegant work of art. But what we love most about Dabito’s Instagram is that though his cheeky design choices are unmatched, they still feel achievable for the average person; the mix of budget-friendly décor (always tagged in the pictures), unique vintage finds, shoutouts to fellow designers like Justina Blakeney and relatively simple DIY design will keep you coming back often for new ideas on how to freshen up your own living space – without emptying your wallet.
We also want to point out Dabito’s lush photography skills: he recently shot Justina Blakeney’s (also featured in this list) new Jungalow: Decorate Wild book featuring design advice, stories, and of course, lavish interiors and textiles. It’s the perfect collaboration from two of the most creative and eclectic style masters in the industry.
Whether you’re a homeowner looking to make over your own living spaces, add some DIY ideas to your wish list, or simply admire how interior design moguls use best-in-class marketing strategies and visuals to enhance their social presence, we hope these Instagram profiles spark your own creativity and help kick your design mojo – or social mojo – into high gear. Happy scrolling!
Ready to take your Instagram presence to the next level? Let’s talk! Connect with Barbara Wray at barbara@wickmarketing.com or 512.479.9834.
