Hi cuties! Earlier this fall at High Point Market, I had the true pleasure of taking part in a panel alongside designer Amber Lewis. The panel was hosted by House Beautiful’s Carisha Swanson and Four Hands. It was all about the art of designing unforgettable spaces, such as House Beautiful’s Whole Home 2025. Amber and I were both thrilled to design rooms for this year’s Whole Home project, set on a lush, tree-lined street in Austin, Texas. I dreamt up a soulful, moody primary bedroom and Amber designed an inviting indoor-outdoor loft.
"For me, the most fun part of the process was setting aside time to focus purely on design— product, palette, story—and getting back to what I love most: the creative process itself. It reminded me of the joy of creating—sourcing, sketching, building, and every little step in between."
For anyone who couldn’t make it to our panel in person, I wanted to share a few key takeaways from our conversation, including mytips for designing a home that feels like a reflection of you. I hope you enjoy!
1. Define Your “Why” for the Design
In any design project, your why should be considered across every step of the process. It’s how you end up with a curated, cohesive, and meaningful result. Staying rooted in your why keeps the design authentic and intentional from start to finish.
"In designing this primary suite, my why was creating a warm, welcoming space that felt perfectly reflective of the fictional persona I imagined living inside it: Rupert Penhaligon."
Rupert is a 19th-century flâneur, a person who enjoys a leisuring pace of life, indulges in frequent travel, and collects objects of meaning wherever he goes. Through every single step of the process, from ideation all the way to execution, Rupert lived at the core of each decision.Our Kathy Kuo Studio team designs with our clients’ needs at heart, so creating a fictitious someone I’d always dreamed of working with helped me feel unstuck; it made the process playful and inspiring. That’s how this bedroom became so layered and full of curiosity. Photo by Andrea Calo
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2. Let Your Home Tell Its Own Story
I’m forever captivated by rooms that tell a story. In this space, the tale is one of rich, moody hues, natural elements reminiscent of the landscape outside its windows, and unique objects beloved by Rupert. The experience of bringing this space to life reminded me that design should always be fun, and that the design process can start anywhere. For this room, I literally started with the bed, a Kathy Kuo Home piece we customized with luxe bedding by Peacock Alley and exquisite Fabricut drapery crafted by AQ Interiors Atelier and Quilting. To choose the perfect fabric for this custom bed, I visited Fabricut’s showroom at the D&D Building in New York. This double-faced fabric feels super luxe, and I was immediately drawn to the colors and the scale of the Wilde Lotus pattern.
"With its sumptuous texture, rich palette, and nature-inspired pattern, the bed grounded the entire story of the design."
Once I knew we could fit this grand, four-poster silhouette in the space, everything else flowed naturally from there. With 68 yards of fabric and hours of tailoring by exceptionally skilled artisans, the total retail cost of the bed is $38k.I find people often get nervous to place such big statement pieces in small rooms, but I don’t think it’s something to shy away from! Statement-making furniture and décor brings a focal point to the heart of the room, grounding it with a sense of presence and just the right amount of drama.
3. Add Something Unexpected
"I live by the rule that every design should include something (or a few somethings) unexpected."
A fluffy sheep statue? Yes, please! A vintage painting that makes you pause and stare? Perfect, it’s in. A sculptural wooden Mathani churner used for centuries to churn raw cream into butter? Layer it into the design. Those are the details that make a space memorable and just a little surprising. Photo by Andrea Calo
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4. Capture the Feeling of Home
Beyond its appearance, home is about evoking a feeling, one of warmth, comfort, and ease. In every space we design, our Studio team aims to echo the emotion each client wants to bring to their home.The House Beautiful Whole Home primary suite was designed to feel cocoon-like, a quiet place of respite away from all the noise. When you lie beneath the soft canopy of fabric draped over the bed, it’s peaceful. You wouldn’t even know the world is buzzing outside.
"I hope this space nudges people to design not according to trends or rules, but in a way that feels authentic to them."
And above all, have a little fun with the process—play with sensorial textures, layer accents that feel a bit unexpected, and add personal mementos that tell your story. When your everyday spaces reflect who you are, that’s when the real magic happens.
Kathy Kuo Studio
Need design help? Kathy Kuo Studio is a full-service design firm working with clients in the United States and abroad. From warm, timeless interiors to serene outdoor retreats, our talented team of accredited designers creates spaces that feel like home, designed around how you live and what you love.
Photo by Andrea Calo
Photo by Andrea Calo
