How to get the Nancy Meyers Aesthetic at home
Photo Credit from Top Left to Bottom Right: via Pinterest, Old Silver Shed, Henri Interiors, Camille Alexandra Interiors
With spring in the air here in Tennessee I’ve been drawn to more of a natural and authentic design style. I’ve been baking sourdough bread and have gone on more walks around our neighborhood, just craving the slower lifestyle. Especially with planning a wedding, I have become so inspired by the ‘Father of the Bride’ home wedding. That film captured the authentic emotions that come with the beauty of change. ‘Father of the Bride’ was created by Nancy Meyers, an American Filmmaker and an Academy Award Nominee known for her romantic comedies that are relatable, humorous, and full of love. Her films often feature idyllic settings like English cottages and Santa Barbara oases, and are known for their attention to detail and all-American feel. The homes in her iconic films are somehow what we remember just as much as the story of the characters, and I believe it’s from the emotions the spaces provoke.
Meyers’ films are known to have a meticulous aesthetic to them, there are pots hanging in the kitchen, there are warm color palettes, layers of subtle patterns, very lived in but well cared for, and rooms that make you just want to curl up with a book and a cup of tea. I could go on and on about what comes to mind when thinking about the homes in her movies. But the underlining theme is a well lived in, authentic home, not fusing over if the books are stacked perfectly or that the blankets are folded, but more of an impression of how the people live there.
So, how to get the Nancy Meyers aesthetic into your home?
First, I obviously am not the only person who has been so inspired by Nancy Meyers films to write about it, there are thousands of others who have been touched by how they felt watching the iconic scenes and have also shared their thoughts online. But this is how I would create a Nancy Meyers inspired aesthetic in your home. I’ve been asked countless times if something will go out of style, and I always say that everything will eventually and then come back again a little different. But if you truly love and enjoy something, it will never go out of style, I believe this is why Meyers’ films are still inspiring us almost 30 years later.
To have a timeless kitchen is to have a kitchen full of natural materials. Marble, woods, pale yellows, earthy greens, warm whites and windows to let in the morning light. I always recommend a kitchen to be facing the morning light as the sun rises, it just makes your morning coffee (or in my case cup of tea) that much better. Your kitchen does not need to always look perfect, having a cookbook out on a stand with a bowl of fruit can really add that layer of detail to create a homey feel.
A bedroom with a sitting area or a stationary/desk zone always makes the room feel more lived in. This is a personal space that is a reflection of how you use your space, so if you always need a glass of water before bed, keep a water decanter on your nightstand. You’re trying to start a habit of reading before bed instead of endless scrolling, having a comfortable seating area where your favorite books live is a great way to remind you to read before bed. This is a great room to layer in some subtle patterns in the bedding and window treatments, and adding a v-groove wall treatment to the walls is one of my favorite ways to add some extra texture.
Lastly, the exterior. Living in Tennessee especially, I remember visiting my grandparents historic 1800s home in the summers, my grandmother had arbors in full boom, a brick back patio attached to their sunroom where we ate almost every meal, and she knew the name of every plant on their property. This is what I think about when I think of a Nancy Meyers home. Hydrangeas, jasmine vines running up an arbor, a white painted home, green shutters, an herb garden and most importantly an outdoor living or dining space.
With saying all this, I think the real reason we are all drawn to the Nancy Meyers aesthetic is that it just feels so genuine and real. Her interiors feel like real life, not picture perfect, and that is what I believe we are all craving. So, in conclusion, be unapologetically you. Put your favorite things in your home and watch you fall in love with it more and more. And if you need help with achieving this, I have a passion for creating authentic design for my clients to love for years to come and I love the idea of creating a home that some grandchildren will have in their memories.
