Quote Of The Day By Hilary Farr: 'Listen To Advice And New Ideas, But Don't Get Talked Into Design That...'

Choosing the perfect design style for your space isn't always easy, but Hilary Farr has made a career of it. Born in Canada and raised in London, this HGTV icon was exposed to plenty of influences in the design and art world from a young age. She started out her training at the Royal Ballet School, eventually transitioning into acting in her 20s, but her true passion came later in the form of interior design. Inspired by her mother's job working with antiques and a desire for a more stable path after she had her son, she founded Hilary Farr Design Inc. 

It's safe to say this career switch took her far. Over time, she built a name for herself, maintaining offices in both New York City and Toronto, Canada. Her time in the spotlight wasn't over, however — thanks to her former experience in front of the camera and her growing reputation in the interior design world, she landed a role as a host on HGTV's "Love It or List It." She was on the show for a whopping 19 seasons, which made her a familiar face even to casual fans of home improvement content. After working alongside her co-host, David Visentin, for so long, she decided to branch out and carve her own path, becoming the host of another HGTV show, "Tough Love With Hilary Farr."

Farr has proven time and time again that listening to your instincts will get you far, both in her career path and her design choices. That's why she's House Digest's quote of the day.

Farr's full quote reads: "Listen to advice and new ideas, but don't get talked into design that you don't absolutely love. If it doesn't excite you, or doesn't work with your lifestyle you will not be happy in your home. Never, ever design your home based upon a trend."

This quote comes from a Tastemaker Tuesday interview with Erika Ward Interiors. In it, Farr mentions some of her inspirations, doles out advice for home design enthusiasts, and shares a bit more about her upbringing and career journey.

Her quote is especially poignant when you factor in her primary goal on both of her popular HGTV shows: creating a space that is functional and feels like home for each of her clients. Hilary Farr's best renovation tips center personal needs and functionality rather than trends, and while the final goal is an updated, gorgeous space, it's clear her designs are meant for actual living, not just looks.

Farr's advice is all about trusting yourself, finding what will make you happy, and not falling in with the crowd. While there are plenty of home design trends to choose from, Farr cautions that choosing something simply because it's popular will leave you unsatisfied with the final result. Of course, there's nothing wrong with taking inspiration from what's currently en vogue — we're all bound to be influenced in one way or another — but if you create a space entirely based on the expectations of others, you're just wasting your time and money.

To implement Farr's perspective into your own home, consider the two main factors that she mentioned: designs that work with your lifestyle and pieces that excite you. Finding solutions that work for your routine is the easier part of the process. First, take a look at the things that frustrate you in your existing set-up, and then brainstorm ways to change them. Whether you decide to make your entryway more functional with a drop zone or add additional storage space in your bedroom, these improvements are all about making life easier.

The other consideration is a bit trickier to nail down. Determining what you like beyond what's trending can be surprisingly difficult, so consider starting small. What colors are you drawn to? What art styles do you like? Do you gravitate towards a certain decade of design? With some time and focus, you can create an overarching aesthetic that feels personal to you. If you truly love everything you pick, it will never go out of style.

• "Ace it, then you can give up if you want to. But you don't give up out of the sense that you can't be as good as you want to be." — from a 2018 Hello! Canada interview
• "The most important thing is to understand what gives you pleasure. If it's orange, paint it orange. Bring in orange, whatever that is. Don't allow yourself to be completely influenced by whatever is so-called on-trend. Don't be influenced beyond what you are drawn to." — from a 2022 Realtor.com interview
• "The concept of a room's character being open to change — through color, pattern, and texture — has to be the starting point." — from a 2023 Homes and Gardens interview
• "You want to feel that every day is something different and special and grasp for those challenges. That's really what I think drives me, anyway." — from a 2023 People interview
• "I worry about people going away from their true selves to emulate something that they have seen. I've met people who have done a renovation and two years later, they decided to do it again. That sort of thing upsets me on the sustainability level, and it upsets me on the spending-of-money level." — from a 2023 Vulture interview