How To Decorate Your Home Like The Show Gossip Girl
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Sex, savage rumors, teenage drama, and a behind-the-scenes look at New York City's elite are just a few themes that make "Gossip Girl" an unforgettable cult classic. We are talking about the show that was so good it had to be rebooted by HBO after originally running on The CW for five years, as reported by Town and Country. The "Gossip Girl" reboot does not see the return of beloved characters like Serena van der Woodsen, her vindictive best friend Blair Waldorf, the heinous Chuck Bass, Nate Archibald, and the lovable Humphrey family (via The Daily Beast). However, it's all good because the new HBO Max series boasts the same amount of scandal and drama.
Another chic aspect of the reboot is the distinctive interior decor witnessed in every scene. The characters have tastefully designed homes, plus there's the stylish members-only club 'Dumbo Hall', which the teens love to hang out at, and even their main stomping ground, Constance Billard Prep School. These are definitely TV show homes everyone wishes they could live in. If you are somewhat obsessed with the glamorous living conditions on the show, keep reading to learn how to recreate the design tastes of the elite in your living space, even if you are on a budget. XOXO!
Install epic chandeliers
What makes "Gossip Girl" so inviting is the opportunity to peek into the obnoxiously wealthy lives of the teenagers. According to Screen Rant, the main character Julien Calloway is one of the top four wealthiest individuals in the show. As a social media influencer whose father is also a multi-Grammy-winning DJ, can we expect anything less than grandeur within her home? Her Insta-worthy living room features two dazzling chandeliers. The traditional crystal chandelier and the contemporary chandelier hang majestically in a lush Tribeca penthouse, one of the only real sets used in the show (via Architectural Digest).
Install a conversation-starting chandelier if you wish to recreate this grandeur with your light fixtures. Opt for this chic and super unique globe chandelier available at Wayfair for just $210 or their Sputnik chandelier, which offers a magical mid-century modern touch to your home. Granted, it might look like a weapon with all the spikes. However, the craftsmanship distributes light in beautiful fragments. The beauty of a contemporary chandelier like this appears to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars but costs less than $200 in reality.
Display jewelry in sleek transparent boxes
As seen in the series, Julien is very particular about her outfits, including the jewelry. The first episode begins with her snapping a picture of a brooch she wishes to wear and sending it to her PR executive and stylist besties for their approval. Their response was a resounding no because she'd already worn it for an event at an earlier date. The fashion and beauty influencer begrudgingly returned the brooch to its safe and stylish acrylic storage compartment.
According to Self, acrylic storage boxes became the must-have item of the year when influencers and bloggers began singing praises about how chic they are for storage. They offer strength, clarity, and versatility (via Le-Lapa Personalised Solutions). Julien's acrylic display sets allow her to admire the jewelry inside while keeping the items safe from dust and external influences. Should you wish to introduce acrylic into your life, opt for a money-saving acrylic box set option from Amazon. You can also use these boxes to store makeup and other small accessories. If a box set is not enough acrylic to insert into your home, you may as well add acrylic furniture, such as tables and chairs, to your abode.
When in doubt, add wall lights
Now that you've kickstarted your journey to decorate your home like a true New York elite, there's absolutely no turning back. The next feat you need to achieve is establishing several wall lights within your abode. According to Homes & Gardens, you need wall lights if you desire to design your living space effectively. They are miracle workers because they make smaller spaces appear roomier. When placed in large rooms, they bring a cozy ambiance into the area.
In a space like Julien's walk-in closet, the introduction of wall lights does not just add some charm and ambiance. It also successfully complements other light fixtures such as the chandelier and the table light on her makeup station to create a 'lightscape' (via Tom Raffield). Wall lights provide the option to switch illumination and dim the lights, depending on your mood or time of day.
Indulge in a few vintage sofas
Julien has a half-sister called Zoya. They share the same biological mother but have different fathers with different economic situations. While Zoya is not in the elite gang like Julien, her home and interior decor are still pleasantly chic and cozy. When Zoya and Julien's dads force them to throw a joint party, they sit on a vintage-style sofa decked out in retro prints. This sofa will make you yearn to add a retro vibe to your home. According to The Spruce, you don't necessarily need to toss out your current couches to achieve this look. Once you master the art of DIY slipcovers, you can make your very own retro recliner out of any vintage fabric you desire.
For team "I'd rather buy than DIY," you'll be pleased to learn that you can find vintage chairs from your neighborhood Goodwill, charity organization, or thrift store (via Goodwill). Just make sure you come in bright and early. You want to have enough time to search for your dream sofa before someone else snaps it up.
Maximize the use of wallpaper
According to HK Interiors, gone are the days when wallpapers were deemed archaic and only used in your grandma's house. It's a new day for wallpaper lovers due to all the modern styles, prints, textures, and patterns that can add excitement to your home. There are plenty of innovative ways to use wallpaper. From the walls in Zoya's bedroom to the walls in Julien's best friend Audrey's sophisticated abode or the dining space of Max Wolfe (the party boy of the group), wallpapers have been put to great use. The wallpapers used in Audrey's home, which she lives in with her fashion designer mother, are from the iconic interior decor brand — Scalamandré (via Architectural Digest).
Scalamandré has been a go-to choice for lovers of design and quality since 1929. The legendary design house is known for its bold colors, vibrant prints, and legendary icons on its wallpapers, such as the leaping Zebra and Tiger (via The Inside). The cost of a peel-and-stick wallpaper roll is a whopping $69 for a 28-square-foot portion. If you are ready to shell out the big bucks like the "Gossip Girl" elites, you can also purchase a matching bed frame for $919 or a cushion for $2,079 in the same print as your wallpaper to keep the theme going.
Integrate a striped chair and ottoman set into your space
"Gossip Girl" never stops with twists and turns. The HBO show begins with Julien introducing her boyfriend Obie to her half-sister. Obie's parents are insanely wealthy real estate developers who Obie actively chooses to protest against, delivering free food to groups of protesters who set up camp outside his parents' company. In the second episode, Obie dumps Julien to start dating her sister, Zoya, an act of betrayal that Julien never saw coming.
The drama never ends with Obie, and we see this through the decor in his living space. He lives on his own in a loft on the Upper East Side. In his living room, a stand-out piece of furniture is the matching striped chair and ottoman set. According to Architectural Digest, the eye-catching furniture comes from Italian designer Gaetano Pesce for B&B Italia's UP 20 series and costs $5,495 (via 1st Dibs). Do like Obie and choose ottomans that pick up on the colors and hues within the whole room (via Overstock). Just look at how Obie's ottoman and sofa set picks up on the warm-toned living room. Once you find the perfect piece, you can think about how to decorate an ottoman.
Go wild with floral arrangements
With the go big or go home attitude that the Constance Billard clique possesses on "Gossip Girl," it's not surprising that jumbo floral arrangements are a staple decor of choice. According to Terra Plants & Flowers, adding the arrangement to that precise location is a strategic technique to amplify the entrance while injecting creativity and boosting the mood. The large centerpiece makes the area more inviting since it is the first thing patrons see when they step into the club.
When the headteacher gives her speech in the Constance Billard school hall, two jumbo floral arrangements almost as tall as people stand beside her. Since school is a student's second home, it makes sense that the wealthy school has extravagant floral arrangements. The florals offer benefits for the teachers that work in the school. Flowers help boost mental health and lead to higher cognitive performance when arranged in a place of work (via HuffPost).
You can always swap out real flowers for artificial flowers that look similar to the real thing. The downside of relying on fresh flowers is that they are less durable, need to be changed frequently, and can be costly (via Balsam Hill). Of course, that is not an issue for the New York City elite, who most likely have a standing deal with florists to keep their centerpieces on point. If you are determined to stick with real blooms, you can save money by opting for a DIY floral arrangement (via Team Flower Blog).
Win at life with wooden lockers, walls, and panels
Unlike most high school shows and movies, the lockers in "Gossip Girl" are not metal. Instead, they a rich wood. The lockers are not the only instance where wood enters the decor. Zoya's grandmother's New York apartment features many wooden accents, such as the gorgeous wooden walls and floors. For lovers of wood, Home Designing encourages you to embrace the variety of organic wooden tones when picking the different areas that will boast the timeless material. If you choose a chocolate-toned wooden wall, opt for a honey-toned wooden flower so the varied tones will complement each other.
Half-sister Julien's home is decorated with a wealthy white monochromatic aesthetic and looks pretty pristine. However, the floor-to-ceiling wooden panel which highlights the fireplace contrasts with the white walls in the living room. If you do not wish to go with wood as your main decor, a wood paneling technique may be best. Paneling does not have to break your bank if you consider implementing budget-friendly wood planks to make a clever and visually appealing panel (via Houzz).
Fill your home with fine art
Fine art goes hand in hand with the lifestyle of billionaires and NYC's elite. We are talking about a city that has The Museum of Modern Art, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and so many other high-end galleries, according to New Yart City.
In Max Wolfe's home, a wall beside the stairs is features an eye-catching collection of fine art pieces. The pieces are next to each other in an asymmetrical display. While this is quite visually appealing, Julien's art collection will have tongues wagging (via Architectural Digest). Her Tribeca home is filled with carefully curated art that will captivate any youthful wealthy metropolitan. The extensive collection includes but is not limited to artwork by Lucien Smith and Didier William.
Lucien Smith is a massive deal in the world of art. The New York-based artist's influence in the art world significantly impacted the market in 2011 and beyond (via Interview Magazine). Some of his work sold at auction for $389,000, which is a pinch to the bank accounts of the "Gossip Girl" characters who are from insanely wealthy families (via MutualArt). Should you wish to curate quality art pieces like the elites, yet don't share their buoyant bank accounts, weep not. If you patiently scour through online stores, you will find stunning art that mirrors the expensive tastes of the "Gossip Girl" characters (via Forbes).
Decorate with stacks of books
The students on "Gossip Girl" are usually reading posts from the eponymous Instagram blogger instead of reading actual books. However, this does not stop them from having an insane book collection in their living spaces. Their bookshelves often end up holding other decorative objects like pictures and jewelry.
According to The Everygirl, you can store book collections in different creative manners. Consider stacking them vertically upon shelves, horizontally, or in different-sized stacks. Alternatively, you can keep books by the fireplace for a quirky aesthetic, arrange them on your mantel, display them on your bar cart, or carefully place them under a window sill. If you choose to organize your books the old-fashioned way on a shelf, you can always start with a classic foundation by color-blocking the sets of books according to the color of their spines (via Better Homes & Gardens). Keep in mind that there are plenty of fun ways to decorate a bookshelf. Collectibles such as mini statues and picture frames can also be placed alongside your books as decor.
Give glossy green tiles a go
Every time Julien goes into the bathroom for a private chit chat with Audrey, Monet, or Luna, the conversation is usually about debunking some drama that has unfolded in their lives, or they meet up to plan an enemy down. Nevertheless, one attention-grabbing feature (besides the ridiculous drama currently unfolding in their lives) is the glossy green tiles that cover the walls of the sanitary space.
Stone & Tile Shoppe maintains that the color green is synonymous with nature, freshness, youth, and life. Therefore, it's the right shade of green for your interior decor. Draw inspiration from the dark evergreen shade on the Constance Billard Prep school bathroom walls to convey elegance and warmth. Green tiles are a stunning choice for the bathroom. The kitchen also is a prime spot to implement these tiles (via Walls and Floors). You can stack all the same hued tiles together on a wall or break up the green tones by inserting white tiles between each green tile.
Keep a few candles on display
According to Creative Candles, humans have been using contained light since the time of the Ancient Egyptians and the Romans. Over 3,000 years ago, they used candles as accessories for religious events and celebrations. Since then, candle-making has evolved thoroughly. We still light candles for celebration purposes and dinner parties, such as the family dinner with Max Wolfe and his two dads. Candles decorate dining tables, set the mood for romantic events, and serve as decor even when unlit.
When using candles as decor, feel free to scatter different colors and unique shapes within your home to reflect a relaxed style and add vibrance and life into your space (via L'Officiel). Flameless candles are a good idea if you live with kids or pets who may not be as careful around a real flame (via The Glossy Nest). You can use LED candles (aka flameless candles) the same way as regular candles. However, ensure you integrate diffusers and fragrance oils to make the ambiance and decor work together cohesively.
Leave a few lamps
Lamps, lamps, and more lamps appear in almost every frame of the "Gossip Girl" reboot. Dumbo Hall features hemispherical table lamps that sit on side tables with the martinis and wines ordered by the teenagers. If you wish to recreate a similar light fixture in your bedroom or living room, this elegant option from Kamable Lighting is right up your alley.
In the living room of Obie's house, there are three different styles of lamps. While they serve the same purpose, they have different casings. They cast a shadow of eclectic mystery within his home. The same is true for Zoya's living room, which features a mix of lamp styles illuminate the space. In order to successfully implement this decor in your home, Homenish states that you should consider aspects like lampshades. They should all share a similar aesthetic to ensure perfect coordination. In addition to this, the lamp styles should complement each other. The color of each lamp should not clash with the color palette or the aesthetic of your living space (via Rent-A-Center).
Use stylish trays to organize your odds and ends
What is the most effective tool to gather small items like keys, watches, and coins? A mini tray, of course! Or, as Martha Stewart calls it, a catchall. Integrating a few catchalls into your living space is a good idea because they serve as an appealing method to rein in the mess and constant clutter that can accumulate in your abode (via The New York Times). Once you enter your home after a long day at work, the catchall safely stores your car keys and the mail. In addition to daily odds and ends, a catchall or mini tray can come in handy in your bedroom as a place to store reading glasses. This birch wood catchall tray from Enkel Studios is a welcome decor item for your office to store paper clips and essentials.
Quirky-shaped catchall trays add vibrance to your decor and allow your personality to shine through, just like the fish-shaped tray placed on the entryway table of a Constance Billard Prep School teacher. If you want to create a similar aesthetic, opt for this bright yellow pineapple-shaped catchall from Etsy. It's quirky enough to be used in your home and offers a bright pop of color. Plus, for $6.42, it won't break the bank.