Welcome to The Inspired Room! Before I dive into my secret to decorating tip, I’m SO excited to be a part of this fun How to Decorate summer blog series, hosted by my friend Beth at Home Stories A to Z. I participated the last time this series graced the internet and it’s very fun […] More

I have always loved the cozy timeless homes featured in Nancy Meyers movies such as Father of the Bride and Something’s Gotta Give and It’s Complicated.
Increasingly I’ve been receiving messages on social media from people saying they spotted my new kitchen in several online “inspiration” videos and Pinterest boards that people have labeled as the “Nancy Meyers Aesthetic.” Two more showing my kitchen were messaged to me just today, so it seems that I’ve inadvertently captured a trending “Nancy Meyers” style in my own home. I do love this classic look and always have. I’m happy to hear that people love a timeless look as much as I do (but of course I wish people would at least credit my photos when they feature them.)
I know it helps to break elements of a room down so you can see what it is that achieves a certain style, so that’s what we’ll do here today!
Sources: Rattan Cart // Click here for all above sources
The real magic behind “Nancy Meyers” style in many of these movies is that her kitchens are always feel so warm and welcoming. Don’t you agree? They feel like a place where people want to gather and make memories. Each kitchen is different, but there are some common threads that make these spaces feel like home to so many people.
Choose appropriate architectural elements
If a kitchen renovation is on the horizon for you, I think one of the keys to getting this “come in and make yourself at home” style is in selecting a mix of classic, interesting elements that are also appropriate for the home.
In each Nancy Meyers movie, you can sense the feeling of being welcomed into the home as you go from room to room and into the kitchen. If the kitchen style didn’t make any sense with the rest of the home, you’d feel like you walked onto a different set! To get that same feeling in a real home, the elements chosen for a kitchen should make sense within the style and context of the rest of the home.
The style of my own home was influenced by traditional cottages on Nantucket. We carried this same style through to our kitchen with choices that will make our home feel cohesive and welcoming for years to come.
Architecture is a place where you can get creative in a renovation, but you really want to select elements that will make you feel at home there years from now, too. We’re still talking about Nancy Meyers movie kitchens decades later!
Sources: Wood Oval Tray // Scalloped Lampshade Lamp and more
Incorporate elements that aren’t pretentious
Nancy Meyers kitchens are very nice, but they never feel pretentious!
Regardless of your style you want to add a mix of elements that will feel warm and inviting so they feel lived in.
For our new kitchen, we chose timeless elements such as honed Carrara marble and soapstone. A nickel faucet. Tongue and groove paneling. Creamy white cabinets in a traditional style. Timeless elements can feel classy yet unpretentious. They always feel like a home that has been around awhile, rather than one designed around the newest looks from a designer show room.
It is true that organic finishes such as marble or soapstone will show the patina of age. While many people fear those signs of life, I embrace them because to me patina from daily use feels more welcoming and unpretentious. I wanted our own kitchen to feel like it has been in our family for years. Those signs of life will simply be evidence that our kitchen is enjoyed and has been a gathering place for family. (I wrote more about our countertop decision in this post.)
Sources: Farmhouse Sink // Nickel Faucet (linked the same brand, finish and style of faucet I have but I bought mine through deVOL Kitchens, it appears to be a special deVOL edition and the price I paid was far less than the version on Amazon) // Rug: World Market (washable, Niko Blue and Rust Distressed Rug) or here is another similar washable rug, and one other similar rug // Kitchen Hardware // Brass Pendant Lights (other finish available)
Include an inviting center island
You sense that a Nancy Meyers kitchen is a gathering place. Whether it is large or small, or built in or free standing, center islands offer a sense of invitation. Islands are a destination where people can gather around to help in the kitchen or talk about the events of the day.

Add nooks for display
Nancy Meyers kitchens feel lived in by real people! Built ins or free standing furniture such as a little nooks or shelves, a bar cart, bookcase, plate rack or china hutch will bring a sense of personality, warmth and character which is essential in the “Nancy Meyers” kitchen aesthetic.
We added several book nooks in our renovation so we can have our collection of books and cookbooks, art and other pretty pieces within reach and to add style through the ever-evolving seasons.
Favorite Cookbooks // Favorite Home and Garden Design Inspiration Books
Sources: Toile Cafe Curtain and how I hung it // See the stool niche behind the curtain here // Click here for all above sources
Try Touchable Textures
A variety of touchable textures help create more interest in a kitchen. Look for ways to bring in softness, color and personality through fabrics, curtains or rugs. In our kitchen we added rugs, pillows on the nearby banquette bench, as well as cafe curtains on our “stool niche” and window. We also incorporate a variety of other textures that add to the “touch-ability factor” such as such as a mix of marble, bamboo, rattan, soapstone, and wood.
Click here for above sources
Bring in plants and flowers
Flowers and plants bring a sense of life to a kitchen which creates a more welcoming atmosphere. Put them into collected vases, pitchers and pots for an additional sense of character.
Source: Rattan Basket
Set out bowls of fruit and vegetables
A bowl of fruit or vegetables adds to the simple charm of a lived in kitchen. Whether they are real or not, they make you feel like this is kitchen where people cook and eat real food!
Sources: Toaster (color options) // Gold Frame // Kitchen Hardware
Decorate with plates
Plates are a classic element that can be used for more than just a meal! Hang them on the wall, stack them on a shelf or a plate rack to give it that charming “we live here” Nancy Meyers’ kitchen mood.
Related Post: How I Hang Plates, Platters, and Bowls on the Wall
Put every day on display
A Nancy Meyers kitchen doesn’t feel cluttered or messy, but a glimpse into the every day lives of the people who work in that space makes it feel so much more like home. Hide what isn’t attractive but if your toaster is pretty, don’t hesitate to leave it out! If you use your stand mixer often, let it sit on the counter.
Incorporating glass front cabinets for pretty items you don’t use as often will help items stay clean but still allows you to enjoy them as part of your decor.
Place cooking or serving tools into stylish crocks, baskets or other containers. This adds style and but also organization and practicality where everything needed is within reach.
And no need to fear of everything getting dusty. Items stay cleaner when you use and wash them often so if dust is a concern, reserve display for every day items!
Find kitchen accessories here in my Amazon Storefront and more at the end of this post!
Sources: Pendant Lights (similar to mine) // My Pendants
Invite in lighting
Pendants over islands, wall sconces or lamps on a counter are an opportunity to add personality as well as make a kitchen feel warm and welcoming even at night.
Paint cabinets
A soft or creamy white cabinet never goes out of style. You see them in several of Nancy Meyers movies. Her own real life kitchen is a soft white, so similar to the Something’s Gotta Give kitchen! We chose a soft creamy white for our English Tudor kitchen years ago and I still love that classic look today so we chose it again in our current kitchen!
Paint is a “simple” way to update any kitchen. Not always cheap or easy, but much simpler than a renovation.
White isn’t the only option for a Nancy Meyers look, try a color you love. Or mix in traditional wood tones for cabinets or islands!
Someone had messaged me years ago after seeing “The Intern” movie because the kitchen cabinet color and subway tile reminded her of my own kitchen at the time. My kitchen had been updated before the movie ever came out. Dark painted cabinets were not yet trending at the time of my renovation, but I just felt like that darker color contrasted with classic white subway tile is what my builder grade kitchen needed. The email sender was convinced my kitchen inspired Nancy’s movie kitchen! Wouldn’t that be funny? Perhaps it did. The power of Pinterest …. and classic kitchens.
My cabinet and wall paint color is Classic Light Buff by Sherwin Williams.

Keep it classic
I’ve loved designing all of my kitchens with classic elements and I love them all still! Over the past 17 or so years I’ve been messaged about ALL of my kitchens at one time or another feeling like a Nancy Meyers kitchen. We definitely share a love of classic kitchens! (Take a tour of my last kitchen here, and the kitchen before that here)
The truth is that a Nancy Meyers kitchen incorporates the elements of so many classic kitchens that have been around for ages, long before the movies came out. Yet it is so fun that we can all watch and rewatch these movies and fall in love with them over and over again. They are timeless so they will continue to be loved by so many! These kitchens have captured our hearts and the longing we all have for our homes to be warm and welcoming.
I hope you are inspired by all the ways you can create a kitchen you love by incorporating classic elements found in the Nancy Meyers aesthetic.

Sources:
White Lamp with Scalloped Shade (several color options and 2 size options)
Patterned Rug (washable)
Brass Hanging Bells
Bamboo Roman Shades (see photos of these in our home here)
Spode Blue and White Sugar Bowl
Blue and White Striped Linen Napkins
Stoneware Crock
Wood Salt and Pepper Mills
Cookbook
Wood Cutting Board
White and Wood Kitchen Island (Freestanding)
Tea Kettle (many color options)
Landscape Artwork
Woven Scalloped Bowl
Pendant Lights (similar to mine)
Faux Boxwood Topiary
Looking for more of my kitchen sources and details? Find them in my Kitchen Reveal + tour post here!
More Get the Look Sources below (click the thumbnails for details): More

Click here for above sources
Pillows are one of the simplest ways to change the decor of a room. I usually try get the zippered covers in fabrics, colors and styles that are versatile enough to mix and match for the season (you can read more of my advice on all things pillows here, including my favorite inserts). I also like to have some neutrals that can work in every season!
Today I am sharing a few fall pillow mood boards that I hope will inspire you for pretty pillow pairing possibilities! When you scroll down you’ll also find a few beautiful “neutral” pillows I bought on Etsy that I think could be used year round. Enjoy!
Click here for above sources
Click here for above sources
Sources top to bottom left to right: Rust Floral Pillow // Cross Pattern Pillow // Mustard Stripe Pillow // Black and White Plaid Pillow // Beige Floral Pillow // Terracotta Floral Pillow // Teal Floral Pillow // Beige Velvet Pillow // Brown Plaid Pillow
Sources: Linen Striped Pillow Cover // Gingham Neutral Pillow Cover // Blue Reversible Throw Blanket (as bench seat cover, see more styles of blankets like this in my home here)
Source: Gingham Neutral Pillow Cover
Source: Linen Striped Pillow Cover
Source: Soft Pink Striped Pillow Cover
Source: Brown Gingham Pillow on Wingback Chair // Jute + Cotton Rug with this rug pad // Blue and White Floral Ginger Jar // Clam Shell (similar) and other sources
More Pillows (click the images below for details):

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How to Pick Decorative Pillows That Go Together (5 tips on style, pillow inserts and saving money!)
Throw Pillows in my Amazon Storefront
5 Clever Ways to Make a Small Space Cozy and Inviting
13 Simple Ways to Make Your Home Feel Like Fall
Find more decorating advice for your home in our Style Tips gallery! More

It’s that time of year when we all want our living spaces to be cozy, welcoming and comfortable. We want to love our homes. But as you look around your room, do you ever have a nagging feeling that something is “off” but you don’t know exactly what it is? I definitely have! Perhaps you’ve considered getting rid of everything you have so you can start over with new things you love. I’ll admit that thought has crossed my mind a time or two.
Sources: Plaid Arm Chair // Waffle Weave Blanket on back // Jute + Cotton Rug // Round Black Art (my art is birds which is sold out, but this is the same style with butterflies!)
I’m a fan of using what you have when possible and not always buying new things.
But sometimes it’s hard to figure out where to put the furniture you have, or how to combine what you have in a new way or a new room. And how to determine when you just need something new!
Did you know years ago I wrote a book called But Where Do I Put the Couch? with KariAnne Wood from Thistlewood Farms? Seems like I should be an expert on answering that age old question of where a couch should go in a room, but as is often the case with design, the best answer is often found through trial, error and experimentation rather than in a universal set of rules to to follow.
I think we need to give ourselves freedom to try new things, to break the rules and just arrange furniture in a way that is best for the room! This way your room will be better designed for you and make more sense.
Source: Brown Gingham Pillow on Wingback Chair // Jute + Cotton Rug with this rug pad // Blue and White Floral Ginger Jar // Clam Shell (similar) and other sources // No link for those toys on the floor, ha!
I am happy to say I stand by my advice in the book (which is not just about where to put the couch, by the way! It’s so much more than that! It answers 101 actual decorating questions from readers like you! Read all about it here).
But even if we know the rules, break the rules or both, we can still feel stuck. I get stuck, too.
Case in point.
I was so excited when our renovation was nearly complete because I finally got to arrange furniture and get settled. But my enthusiasm soon turned to a slump. I just wasn’t feeling like the living room was coming together.
It wasn’t the backdrops at all. I was grateful for this newly refreshed space and love our paint colors and new flooring. Love the new feel and layout of our main floor. I still planned to get blinds in the living room, and I knew we’d get those soon.
Sources: Wicker Trunk // Jute + Cotton Rug // Leather Sofa Armchair Version (loveseat no longer sold) // Pleated Lampshade // Blue and White Stamped Pillow on Sofa // Dining Room Details
While I was stumped at how to solve the furniture arrangement, a little voice in my head told me to STOP DROP AND ROLL.
Catchy, yes? You’re welcome. A little lesson we all learned in kindergarten.
This time though, there was no fire to put out.
Just a little crisis in my head, but nothing STOP DROP AND ROLL can’t handle!
STOP scrolling for more ideas that just overwhelm or confuse you.
DROP the idea that shopping is the only way to solve problems.
Get out of your head so you can get ROLLING!
Sources: Blue and White Flower Pot // Plaid Arm Chair // Waffle Weave Blanket on back // Jute + Cotton Rug // Lidded Rattan Basket Under Table // Lidded Basket on Right // Round Black Art // Blue and White Geometric Blanket (reversible)
Even though I felt stumped — like I already tried every combination or arrangement, I told myself I needed to get up and try again. If I didn’t like it, no problem, I could just move it all right back. If nothing else, it could give me clarity on what it was I needed so I could make a better decision.
It was time to STOP DROP AND ROLL!
I turned on my Fall Puttering Playlist, got my comfy tennies on, and started moving the furniture all around the room. I tried every possibility, even the ones I was pretty sure I wouldn’t love. But you never know until you try!
Several arrangements later…it suddenly clicked! This felt right. Cozy, inviting, and pleasant for conversation. Funny enough, this is the arrangement I tried FIRST! I promptly dismissed it previously because when I tried it before, the dining room was still under construction.
Sources: Wicker Trunk // Jute + Cotton Rug
Here’s another handy tip. Don’t judge a room when it is under construction (or in a mess as the case might be). I can often look past a mess but this time, I made a quick judgement that was incorrect. I thought it was too crowded, but I am so glad I gave the arrangement another chance once the mess was picked up.
There is plenty of room to get around, and the couch there gives each room a cozier feeling! It works! Best of all, I was so happy I was able to use what I already had! All I had to do was try and try again.
Stop drop and roll.
Sources: Blue and White Geometric Blanket (reversible)
Once I fell in love with how the room felt with the furniture this way, it gave me ideas of things I had in other rooms that could serve a new purpose in this space. Our ottomans seemed too big and there were just too many legs in the room with four more on an ottoman (although I might try again, or maybe just get a new one someday). But I brought down a basket trunk I had up in the Snug and much to my surprise, it worked just fine in front of the couch!
We love how the room feels now. I’m so glad I didn’t give up!
If you’ve followed along here for awhile, you’ll recognize that many of these pieces are ones I’ve had for years and years and have used in many different ways in several homes!
If you’re not feeling the love for your home, maybe it’s not your home or your furniture!
Maybe you just need to STOP DROP AND ROLL!
Source: Jute + Cotton Rug
Hope this inspires you today! If you try a new arrangement in your home, I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @theinspiredroom. In my HomeBody Gathering Place membership group I share in depth on decorating and creating a sanctuary through custom mini-courses and workshops.
Join the waitlist HERE (homebodygatheringplace.com) to join us when we open HomeBody Gathering Place again!
Find more inspiration and encouragement for your home in my books, including Love the Home You Have, The Inspired Room, and Simply Home. Find all my books here.

Jute + Cotton Rug – with this rug pad
Plaid Arm Chair
Blue and White Geometric Blanket (reversible)
Waffle Weave Blanket on back of chair
Round Black Art (my art is birds which is sold out, but this is the same style with butterflies)
Blue and White Flower Pot
Lidded Rattan Basket Under Table
Lidded Woven Basket by fireplace
Wicker Trunk
Leather Sofa Armchair Version (loveseat no longer sold)
Pleated Lampshade
Blue and White Stamped Pillow on Sofa
Brown Gingham Pillow
Wingback Chair
Blue and White Floral Ginger Jar
Clam Shell (similar) and other sources
Dining Room Details
My Battery Operated Candles
Blue paint color: Beach Glass Benjamin Moore
White paint color: Classic Light Buff Sherwin Williams
Find more sources from my home and more decor I love in my shops! More

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Sources for above — click here
Styling shelves can feel daunting, but it can be fun and less stressful when you know a few designer secrets for selecting the right items and how to style them.
Here are some of my favorite tried and true tips for selecting items to display and how to style open shelving in a kitchen (or anywhere!).
Botanical Plates // Brass Bells // Blue and White Chinoiserie Ginger Jar
Pair practical and pretty
I like to use both practical and pretty items decorate a kitchen. This philosophy is true of shelves, too. Often some of what I choose to display are pieces that are stored on the shelves because they are practical. They could be brought down off the shelves and used, such as a stack of plates, a pitcher or a basket.
Seascape Art Print in This Wood Picture Frame //  This art print and others are in my Amazon Art and Frame Storefront // Blue and White Plates // Stoneware Crock
Set the mood with a palette
Determining a mood for your shelves will help you narrow down what you want on the shelves and ultimately brings everything together. The mood can be built around your style or the items you have to work with. It can be altered through the selection of colors and textures to give your shelves a more intentional, cohesive, streamlined look.
A cohesive palette doesn’t mean everything has to match, or stay neutral or that you can’t use your favorite colors.
Pick a mood word or two to describe the overall feeling you want to achieve. Do you want your shelves to reflect a certain season? What word would help you to describe the overall vibe? Moody? Happy? Colorful? Serene? To establish a strong mood, be intentional with what you add to the shelves. If something doesn’t contribute to the mood or is a distraction, it can go.
Sources: Blue and White Chinoiserie Ginger Jar // Botanical Plates // Brass Bells // Favorite Cookbooks // Artificial Artichoke // Seascape Art Print in This Wood Picture Frame // This art print and others are in my Amazon Art and Frame Storefront
A formula I use often in my home:
A few shades of two colors + a wood and a white tone + a metal tone. Any additional hues are included in small doses.
On the top two shelves you can see I used shades of blues and greens with mid-tone woods and whites. Then I included a few very small pops of reds and yellows only within the dishes on the plate rack.
Blue and White Chinoiserie Planter Pot on Shelf // Seascape Art Print in This Wood Picture Frame
Use unmatched + unexpected
While you certainly can style shelves with one kitchen collection for impact, such as a matching set of dishes or all cookbooks, you can also mix pieces that don’t necessarily match or are unexpected in a kitchen. This makes it easier and more affordable to change the look through the seasons and show off smaller or growing collections in fresh ways.
Mismatched pieces can look pleasing together because they all contribute to the mood and color palette you’ve selected. While it can be nice in a kitchen to display every day items on my open shelves I like to include pieces that aren’t necessarily just “kitchen related.”
I use various collected or vintage items, interesting textures, a few plants, books, faux or real organic elements like florals, vegetables or plant stems, as well as artwork and vessels.

Blend a mix of sizes and shapes
Rounds, cylinders, rectangles, spikey or feathery shapes … blend together elements with opposite or unique shapes to add interest! Don’t use too many small items, but a couple of smalls will make the overall look more pleasing, interesting and natural.

Pair, Lean and Layer
To make mismatched pieces look more intentional and cohesive on shelves, practice the pair, lean and layer techniques. Start in the back. Depending on the length or height of your shelves, you may be able to lean a piece or two against the back wall of the shelves. Artwork and large platters or plates work well for this. Then layer / slightly overlap some pieces in front of others. Pair different heights, allowing some breathing space. Try to style three items together at least once for a cohesive grouping. Combine textures and colors for style and function — for example, placing apples in a basket.
Kitchen Hardware // More Kitchen Details
Step back and look
Does the overall look feel natural and pleasing? Step back to look around the room, too, not just directly at the shelves. If it’s too cluttered or crowded or not interesting enough for your taste, nudge items around, add or take away colors, sizes or shapes, until you like the way it feels!

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Click here for mood board sources (and see more below)
Botanical Plates
Brass Bells
Blue and White Chinoiserie Ginger Jar
Seascape Art Print in This Wood Picture Frame // I ordered this art here because I wanted a specific size but you can also get these prints (and others) HERE on Amazon in a variety of sizes and some already framed as well!
Blue and White Plates
Stoneware Crock
Favorite Cookbooks
Artificial Artichoke
Kitchen Hardware
Blue and White Chinoiserie Planter Pot on Shelf
Basket plant is in (pineapple lidded basket)
Paint color: Classic Light Buff Sherwin Williams
Kitchen Tour and Details
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