this is why you should incorporate BRITISH DECOR into your home

Yes color! I live in America and I hate the grays and whites! I despise beige! Just put in a maroon jasper countertop, I love it! My next project is a red bedroom!

you need to learn how to speak a bit more eloquent like those unique British designers.

1980's style

I am not rich Croat ..but i made my small room (12 squer metars) like english beautiful eclectic bedroom ..all in blue darker blue with mix modern and antique paintings from Italy and Holland and some my modern painting..the best is classical english bad..

ENGLISH HOME ARE THE BEST

My dear Mother is British, maybe it is a DNA thing, but here in US....I invariably decorate with jewel tones and wallpapers that are comfortable and soothing to the eyes. In USA we get much sunshine and the idea of nooking....is not so obvious..there are many dreary days in Britain...but as for myself, I love Rachel Ashwells designs and of course, Laura Ashley....comfortable spaces to rest and relax in. As a designer, I am so happy that we are over that grey period....it was awful. Bring on the colour and comfort and just do you!

NORTH America and this obsession with European life style . Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Paige, I love your enthusiasm for all of the designers that have struck a chord with you. Luke Edward Hall: brilliant. There are two I'd suggest you take a look at for a real treat - Max Hurd and Alexandra Tolstoy: different perspectives, but real treasures. Again, thanks for sharing thoughts, it was a pleasure 😊

I think that probably one of the reasons they look and add very well the color indoors is because the outdoors are extremely plain, gray, brown, black, white....London's palette itself is very flat. SO you need color inside your home to cheer you up. Cheers!

I think many Brits feel freer to express their style and color preferences because they are not constantly worried about “resale”. I think RE agents cramp American style potential.

i think we can thank the kardouchians for the beige disease that’s infected the us

They may not be scared of color, but they sure as hell are scared of good taste.
They need to go back to their roots & get rid of the nonsense, modern crap.

Personally, I had a color palette that I loved for 2 decades. A mix of cream, burgundy and orange. But when I moved last winter, I wanted something 'calm'. And yes, I went with white, brown and beige. For now it suits me.

I have a theory, as someone mentioned, the US went through a phase of color and wallpaper and it was amazing and fun. In the US we are moving house to house, city to city etc and the wallpapered houses were seen as a resale challenge. If you are in your “family” home the character is passed to the next generation. My kids do not share my decorating style. Not sure if I am right. Just a thought.

American here.

This stuff is *absolutely exquisite*. British design, where have you been all my life?

Wow, most designs I've seen were gaudy, but these designs are wonderfu ❤

that beige thing is a california thing (pretentious and boring), the more interesting homes have color and a curated look so it's not an "American" look, it's a copycat Cali look. People that don't know how to decorate go beige.

The majority of today's US decor uses synthetic materials and a blah follow-the-crowd look -- laminated furniture, polyester fabric sofas, copycat vintage decor made in China, acrylic rugs -- it's all ghastly! Whereas the Europeans and Brits love natural fibres, real wood, vintage Turkish kelim flatweaves, antique Caucasian rugs, and antique and vintage furniture pieces whose style is timeless. There's something odd about US antique and vintage furniture -- it's ugly and ill-proportioned, and so different in style to the equivalent across the pond.

From my experience, people in the United States are doing so much with keeping things " bland" because doing bright colorful things to permanent areas of your house is a huge project to change when you get sick of it. And when you do really bold things like that you get sick of it quickly and I for one. I'm not the kind of person who is interested in painting my house often. I'd rather have the base of my home be pretty neutral and then change out decor and furniture that's easy to change.

The homes you've been showing are FABULOUS. They're also the homes of DESIGNERS. If you begin watching 'Escape To The Country' (or some of the other shows highlighting British homes), you will see a great deal of VERY questionable taste! I have died of shame (half Brit here) to see the appalling choices made ... the very heavy use of purple (walls, curtains, counterpanes) mixed with white and black ... add to that some flashy BAD 'mid-century-modern' (or someone's idea of M.C.M. that actually ISN'T) bits ... like horrific 'abstract art' that was actually made in some factory in China by the 10,000s ... and wallpaper that is ... NOT cosy, but bordello-red-fake-velvet-damask-with-a-foil-relief... THAT sort of thing. Frightening!
It's odd that there is such a dichotomy. The interiours of really good homes hint at the idiosyncrasies and the characters of those living in them. The homes that are cringy... seem to be experiments gone wrong.

Apropos the "Why are we afraid of color?" It's because Americans are PROTESTANT. This country (America) was founded by PURITANS. There is an underlying decree which says "... you will be guilty if you enjoy yourself too much." (Everything 'over the top' here is a revolt against that... but then, there's the GUILT. This is the only country in the world that demonizes food: Everytime you put something in your mouth, there a a whole serving of guilt that goes along with it).

I'd say your style is the comfort of a cottage with good quality hand-me-downs.

And they make it all look effortless!

A long time ago I found a huge stack of The English Home magazines in my library for sale. It changed my life. THIS! This is my design aesthetic. Brilliantly, colorful, eastern rugs, tertiery pastels on the walls, antiques, comfy sofas, wood, pattern, warmth. Gorgeousl I never looked back.

I think: You are so scared to color bc you prefer french style rather british... you see that as classy and sexy... and maybe there is something anti-colonialism in that... 🤷‍♀️

American interior design is like when your closet is filled with basics whereas Britisch design is like having only eyecathers for clothing. I love both.

That is more like the newer generations as older ones, Gen X and before, we like and use more color. At least that has been my experience and my observations. And yes, may other countries love lots of color, no matter their age.

I think what I like about so the color and pattern is that it it’s designed yet looks more lived in than designer. Also the architectural style makes it easier than the more modern American styles.

I think your style revolves around Modern Eclecticism.

As a Brit with limited income, it takes time to find items at a good price, but well worth the wait. I think the gift is “ visualisation “ being able to see in your mind, colours or items working together before you actually create it in reality. Not overcrowding is helpful too, if you have small rooms. Living in a cold climate means rugs, cocoa, porridge, wool socks, cashmere blankets, furry cats, tea and marmite on toast

People have mentioned it alot here; what you're showcasing as examples all have one thing in common and it's the complete lack of middle class anxiety and values present. In Scandinavia, Britain, France and the US the working and middle class "keeping up with the Jones's" and entirely trend based interiors buying entire "sets" of furniture is very common. And the English upper classes use exactly that word "common" as derogatory in any given situation. You'd find alot of the elements you love about this style also in France, but with certain national differences in traditions of prints, and due to climate differences as well. If you're raised with an aristocratic background, appreciation for history, (your family's or in general) real art, for literature and it's many references, for singular pieces is part of what you learn to appreciate. Bc of free time, travel, education, and being surrounded with fine quality art, literature, etc so context is everything. Middle class people tend to think of design as surface value, "a look", and/or "making statements" which often means namedropping, ie some designer your friends will recognize and know the cost of. I live in Scandinavia and it's very true about the interiors here. People with money are still very middle class, and will order Cassina or B&B Italia or Fritz Hanssen furniture costing HUGE sums, only to auction them or sell second hand at the first sign of wear. It's extremely unineteresting, impersonal, matchy, and unrelaxed even when the trending look is wrinkled linnen and a relaxed concept. I think nomatter which way you turn it, it becomes banal, trite or pretentious the moment it's about pretense and impressing other people with so called "good taste". The last thing thatbshould concern you if you want a high end English or French interior look. The most affluent people I know that I wouldn't peg as "Noveau Riche" have their sportsjacket or cardigan elbows patched when worn out, don't throw out books to replace them with wallpaper prints of books you cannot read, or worry about being tired of wallpaper. One print is just a baselayer, and things are added over time and your taste in patterns will have something in common just as with art and colors etc. If you know who you are, and aren't concerned with being someone or something else, (social anxiety) it's no big deal. That's not to say alot of thought isn't put into it! Just OTHER thoughts and concerns. One of the things that stand out (of many) to me compared with Nordic homes, is young Brits obsession with china. In Scandinavia you won't find a home of anyone younger than 65 or 70 with china plates on the wall, or shown off in glass cabinets, it's considered stuffy and geriatric in private home and only seen in the odd showrooms of aristocratic 18th century estates OR collectors plates of the past working classes which again would be an old persons home.
Also mixing patterns is something Scandinavians don't have confidence in.
I love a stripe or a check to balance off a floral or more organic print, personally.
For anyone decorating a home without unlimited budget or inherited antiques, you need to give it time and add what brings odd things together and move things around, not get rid of things and buy brand new, or you'll never be happy. You also need to pick up on the fact that your personal comfort is central to all these interesting homes.
There's never any skimping on comfort. I love stacks of books and framed fragments, boot sale treasure and fine antiques mixed with modern lighting and strongly believe every interior needs something ugly somewhere, so I reallt love to see how these designers do their own spaces.

I think that there’s so much overstimulation in America because of not only technology but just there’s way less downtime there’s way less nature, fast cars, highways, fast foods, that to come home and then to have so much stimulus and color and you know just sort of like Maximalism I think is why Americans don’t like color or maximalist design I think that they feel like when they want to come home they want just like a very, very, very calm environment. I don’t agree with that. I do think that colors can actually be even more relaxing than you know sterile looking house, but anyway that’s my theory.

My mum's daughter refused to allow her parents to furnish their home as they were used to having clutter and giving and receiving useless ornaments that served no purpose... they are called gifts.

I like the neutral home palettes in America and find them soothing. I find these rooms you've shown us to look fussy/full/cluttered. I don't mind adding color, but because color trends come and go, along with colors I love/don't love, I like to have my major pieces, walls, etc. neutral and to then add color in with things that are inexpensive--pillows, curtains, throw blankets, vases. These things are easy and (relatively) inexpensive to replace as my tastes change throughout the years. Meanwhile, furniture and rugs are much more costly, and I don't want to replace them as my tastes change. The rooms you showed us aren't in my taste and style. For you to say that "those who have good taste like these things," is really just saying they have YOUR taste in things. I love clean lines and light, neutral, airy colors because they are calming. Others find them sterile and cold. And that's okay. We all react differently to style.

Personally, I feel like the mixed patterns are competing for attention and I find that distracting. I do think patterns can be mixed, but it's a bit of a delicate balance. Caroline Winkler is really good about mixing patterns well without it coming off "busy" looking.

I can tell you a big huge reason why in America we go gray or neutral. And with that a very much needed topic to cover on your channel, please 🙏🏼. The majority of people in America are of Hispanic or Latino culture. And then we have our neighboring country of Mexico. I am Mexican. I can tell you that Mexican Americans have adopted a culture style that has absolutely nothing like the gorgeous, rich elevated Latin America true artistic educated style. People in America are afraid to mimic this bad taste. There’s A huge difference between using color as in the UK and mixing colors in style that has been created by second generation Latinos in America. Nothing to do with hate btw. It’s just style fact that you can find… The style that people are trying to get away from and careful not to do when you have good taste is called “Chunti” pronounced “choontee”. The other reason is more simple: muted tones are soothing and calming, and after what the world has been going through, especially certain politics in America, everyone feels the need for peace, calm, and serenity.

"you will never get sick of it"
Me 2 seconds into seeing that... Sick of it.

The British do greens so well, nailing it every single time - give me green! I love green!

I would say your style fits best into rustic luxury or grand millennial

I would say your style fits best into rustic luxury or grand millennial

Cottage decor? I love it as long as it doesn’t look or get junkie. Comforting? Yes. Smothering? No. It better not even whisper hording.

can you talk about traditional american design?

I understand what you’re getting at and while I do enjoy some of these elements, I don’t think this entirely encompasses British decor, at least not based on design stuff I’ve watched or read or seen. For instance with the wallpaper, I don’t think that’s as common in British homes as you’re thinking, and I’m mostly basing this on the British people I work with who are in London (I’m in the US) and I can see their homes in our zoom meetings. I don’t think our design tastes are that far apart from each other. I think when you’re referring to any of these design styles (wallpaper or no wallpaper, maximalist or minimalist) you’re talking about very wealthy people. If you happen to be seeing more wallpaper in British homes, and it’s actually good, then it’s from somebody that can afford the luxury, which wallpaper is - paint is cheap. And if they’re not rich, then it’s probably really old outdated wallpaper they’ve never changed, just like in US homes. Otherwise, I think they’re painting their walls like the rest of us. Also, I think why more of them might have it is because of heating and their homes getting colder than ours or certain parts of England so it helped keep in the heat (I remember hearing that some where). There has been a bigger push in recent years towards wallpaper in design, including in the US, but that’s because it’s a trend, just like anything else, and it’s the type of trend that goes in and out of fashion fast, which can be expensive for a “regular” person to keep up with. I feel like even though you want more realism in design, or to see more realistic homes, your suggestions and references tend to be quite unrealistic.

I appreciate your taking a stab at Btitish Design. It has such a long history it's hard to get it into a neat little package. I think the use of color and pattern reflects the fact that the weather is often rainy and/or cold and they like the cozy look for that reason. They also inherit pieces that need to be incorporated into their homes so they tend to unify with color and pattern. It's fun to hear what stood out to you and what you like about it!

Buy Rita Konig’s Create Academy course. I bought it 3 years ago and still watch her videos every week. I can’t articulate how important this course is to me. There are a lot of overwhelming and restrictive design rules in the USA. Rita’s course showed me the way out. Wes Anderson’s movie sets and the family home in the 2014 Paddington movie tipped me off as well. The Paddington home is colorful, full of activity and imperfect. That is good design IMO

Ur style: the color GREEN! CHROME stuff! Random unique lamps! Balance of Vintage and modern! Weird Knick backs displayed in a stylish way! Mixing patterns!😎

I see a lot of David Hicks in your style…layers with hits of the best of 70’s modern. I’m not British but have been to London and Edinburgh and the countryside a bunch lately. I second the class discussions above as well. What I noticed was that because the buildings have so much history and authentic details, the backdrop for modern art and furniture creates a layered, nuanced look. It probably stood out more because I’m from the Pacific Northwest an nothing here is older than 1900. Love your style and I’d love to see how you would incorporate your look into newer homes.

I’m soooo inspired by this right now! The use of pattern and colors is opening a whole new world for me. However, I also like what you said about remembering what you love and mixing styles. Your channel has really elevated the way I look at home design - thank you!!