Not every beautiful space feels good… Great environments ooze an authenticity that feels genuinely exciting. If you’re tuned into your intuition, I think we can tell when there’s a feeling of coherence in a space, like it just clicks. Other times, our gut tells us something feels off, even if it’s the “right” formula or seems like it should work, it just isn’t quite right.

It seems like we’re finally coming off the perfection trend in design from the last decade or so. The one where minimalism swallowed any indication that people might actually occupy a space in daily life. I personally love minimalism at home, it keeps things simple in a very Marie Kondo kind of way, functional and atheistically calming. But to create an environment that feels like it belongs in a Dwell feature (no shade), and needs to be spotlessly fresh in order to make sense, it kind of creates it’s own problem of what to do when life is lifeing and the random accumulation of things on the kitchen counter gives away the chaos of daily living.

Vogue recently released an article of 2026 design trends, and top of the list was “Lived-In Interiors”. Uh, what…we haven’t been “living” in our interiors? Seems like that same compulsion to spotlessly clean our homes before anyone comes over is in devotion to a trend that negates the reality of interior design, which is that it’s a space people live in or otherwise occupy. It should feel functional, beautiful and pleasurable, no question. But it should also be a canvas to allow the material of our lives to be expressed.

*Gather Ojai for Surf Shacks III - Photo by Matt Titone/Indoek*

‍Let us decondition this compulsion together by understanding deeper what separates authenticity in how we compose our interiors from the qualities that don’t fully own the integrity of our vision vs reality. Vogue asks, how do incorporate pieces and create spaces that truly feel like home… and answers, “Imperfection, gentle clutter and interiors that look as though they’ve been pieced together over many years feel especially resonant – and inviting – right now.”

Qualities of Authentic Design:

Personal Narrative : Spaces act as a reflection of the owner’s life.
Our interests, experiences and memories are out to be seen. Family heirlooms, children’s artwork, books, records… what we like.

Functionality : Homes are designed for daily life and comfort.
My favorite designer, Ilse Crawford, embodies this so well in her process of interrogation and empathy to offer up the blueprint of how to go forward in planning a space, Find out more about her approach here

Imperfect Perfection : I love the idea of making the best of things, it keeps us adaptable and creative. Take another look at what cannot be changed, but you wish were different, and find a solution where a problem once was.

Material Honesty : The idea that using real, raw materials like wood, stone, iron etc.. bring a warmth and longevity to the quality of a space… the patina and story they hold endures much longer than laminate.

Quality : Choose what feels like true quality to you. If something is well made, it will look good and function reliably for a long time. Remember, the things you see marketed everywhere or seem like, Instagram cool, might only have a year shelf life before they start to fall apart. Also, quality doesn’t always mean expensive, I’ll just leave that there.

In my most personal opinion, I like to mix the millennial minimalism aesthetic with the real true authenticity of my life. I try to keep the shoe pile curated and cute… I like how my son’s little Van’s look, slightly disheveled and dirty in the otherwise organized entryway. If I decide to call that beautiful and leave it alone, I can relax.

The Authenticity Trend

Cathedral Effect & the Psychology of Home