For many homebuyers, there is a specific feature or look to a home that inspires them to buy, but making the home fit your personal style can be a process. For KDWB radio star and influencer Falen, making her home feel like her own has become a passion project.
When Falen and her husband Jake found their home in 2020, it was the mature trees and the stunning forest views that drew them in.
“Jake really wanted mature trees when we were looking for a new house. The windows in our living room are the first thing you see when you walk in with an amazing view of the trees,” said Falen. “I love it! We have a lot of trees in our yard, so it’s like a beautiful piece of nature art that changes throughout all the seasons.”
Falen immediately began dreaming of ways to make her home her own. Most of those changes were simple updates like paint and new fixtures. Other changes included a full bathroom remodel that transformed their primary bath to a California dream spa.
Like many of us, Falen struggled with narrowing down her design and style choices.
“My problem is finding the commonalities of the 3-4 different styles I like at any time. I will love a house I see with a coastal Cape Cod look, and then I’ll lean more into a cool modern California home, next thing I know I’m loving a cozy cabin feel,” said Falen.
Falen finds most of her style inspiration from Instagram and traveling. Her favorite strategy for narrowing down her choices is to invest in a few statement pieces and build the rest of her design around those key selections.
“I find the inspiration, and then I look for sources. Then I make the decisions based on the 1-2 things I can splurge on and then find the other pieces at a more affordable price point. I did that for my bathroom. The tile wasn’t my top choice, but I found something similar at a more affordable price that worked.”
When walking through Falen’s home you can’t help but notice all the personal touches. From the artwork, some of which she painted herself, to her vintage radio collection in her dining room, to her large fiddle leaf fig plant in her living room, her personality and style is reflected. Those are some of her favorite features of her home and they are critical pieces that make her beautiful home her own.
“One thing I loved about our home growing up was the photos it had all over. I love taking pictures, and I miss seeing them in home design, so I make sure to include those even if it isn’t popular,” said Falen. “I love adding art and plants (if I can keep them alive) too.”
I primarily find inspiration from other homes I see on Instagram. I follow a few designers, my current favorite one is @heidicaillierdesign and locally, @oho_interiors, but I have many others too. I also love seeing hotels and airbnb decor on vacation. Here are a few of my favorite home features:
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