3 Real Simple Home Designers Tell Us What's Inspiring Them Right Now
The creative juices are flowing for Linda Hayslett, Megan Hopp, and the duo behind Yellow Brick Home.
This year, six brilliant designers are tacking our 6th annual REAL SIMPLE Home. And by tackling we mean filling the space—a stunning, waterfront apartment in Brooklyn, New York—with their inspiring, bold, and seriously cool style. The final product will be revealed in our October issue, but these moodboards from three of our designers will give you a little preview of what's to come. Read on for some design inspo!
Related: Check Out What's Inspiring Two of Our Real Simple Home Designers
Linda Hayslett of LH.Designs
Photo: Ted Cavanaugh for Real Simple
Linda (@lhdesigned) creates modern, bright spaces with undeniable cool-girl vibes. It makes sense, considering the Los Angeles–based interior designer’s badass background. She got her start as an assistant at VH1, where she helped with a little bit of everything. She’s also worked at fashion and beauty magazines, including InStyle, and helped dress Charlize Theron for red carpet events. Now, in addition to running her own firm, LH.Designs, which she launched in 2013, she’s in charge of setting up the 1,073-square-foot rooftop at the REAL SIMPLE Home. We can’t wait to see how she, um, elevates the space. Take a look at some of her current favorites below.
Spunky Soap
Photo: Bloomingdales
Always down for some good, clean fun, Linda collects… soap! In surprising scents and shapes. This jade-like hand soap from Bloomingdales will dazzle and delight on any bathroom counter. Plus it includes all sorts of good stuff (aloe, vitamin E, jojoba oil, and more) for your skin.
Price at time of publish: $15
Southern Road 1006-9C by Valspar
This muted red paint is topping Linda’s list right now. “It’s colorful, but it’s not in your face.” It's a great choice for any space whether your color-loving or color-shy. Snag a can of paint in this shade, one of Valspar's 2023 Colors of the Year, from Lowes.
Price at time of publish: From $43 per gallon
Zellige Tile
Photo: Zia Tile
Linda is drawn to Moroccan zellige tiles because of their imperfect, artisan look. This handmade style is making a major comeback because it can add interest to kitchens, bathrooms, and more without introducing busy patterns. Plus, the tile comes in a wide range of fun colors and glazes, like this moody pinkish-purple from Zia Tile.
Price at time of publish: $19 per sq. ft.
Megan Hopp of Megan Hopp Designs
Photo: Ted Cavanaugh for Real Simple
There’s never a dull moment in any room designed by Megan (@meganhopp). Based in New York City and Washington, D.C., she infuses her spaces with bold colors, geometric patterns, and whimsy. Her flair for dramatic design partly stems from her prior career in theater. After four years of writing and performing in productions, including a one-woman show, she became a full-time designer in 2017. For the REAL SIMPLE Home, she’s creating a scene-stealing bedroom with primary colors and graphic wallpaper. Applause! Check out some bits from her moodboard below!
Trippy Art
Photo: Jessica Poundstone
Megan has always liked cube-oriented art, and this number tops her list of faves! The mod-colored artwork is a graphic design that shows the beauty and fun of simplicity. Buy the print framed or unframed, but either way it will surely dress up your walls.
Price at time of publish: from $150
Billow 4008-9C by Valspar
Photo: Valspar
The ideal cerulean blue is soft and fresh but energizing,” Megan says. This cheery color from Valspar is refreshing and unexpected: not quite turquoise, not quite powder blue, not quite sky blue. It's bold, zingy, and so much fun.
Price at time of publish: from $43 per gallon at Lowe's
Bold Striped Tile
Photo: Zia Tile
The traditional, striped pattern in a modern color makes this tile a winner in Megan’s book. The bold color is totally on-brand for the spunky designer. But the striped pattern makes this tile a timeless look that you'll never tire of.
Price at time of publish: $12 per sq. ft.
Kim and Scott Vargo of Yellow Brick Home
Photo: Ted Cavanaugh for Real Simple
If you’re looking for old-house inspiration, just check out Chicago-based husband-and-wife design team Kim and Scott Vargo (@yellowbrickhome). They’ve been posting online about their DIY adventures (with five homes!) since 2009. In that time, they’ve updated electrical work in a 130-year-old house, raised some very low ceilings, brought vintage sconces back to life, and so much more. In short, they can make over pretty much anything—which is why we asked them to turn the REAL SIMPLE Home’s big, blank kitchen and dining space into a cozy respite. More on what's inspiring them lately, below!
Easy Going House Plants
Photo: The Sill
The duo can’t resist the fun, trailing shape of a hoya plant. Plus its multi-colored (green, white and pink) leaves add a fun graphic element to your home in a natural (literally) way! Bonus? This guy from The Sill is super low-maintenance and pet-friendly.
Price at time of publish: from $38
Milk Toast 3001-10B by Valspar
Photo: Yellow Brick Home
Kim and Scott coated the entire entry of their home (floor to ceiling) in this cool cream color. Painting the ceiling the same color made the small space feel bigger and brighter. The color from Valspar is a total upgrade to standard beige thanks to it's peachy pink undertones, but subtle enough to play well with other colors.
Price at time of publish: $46 per gallon at Lowe's
A Classic Photo Book
Owner: Abe Books
“I’ve always been inspired by Richard Avedon and the way he can tell a story with one shot,” Kim says. If you're in a design rut, looking through photography can be a great way to find inspo and ideas to move forward.
Price at time of publish: from $75 from Abe Books
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