How To Decorate Your House Like Dream Home Makeover
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Shea and Syd McGee captivate home audiences with their rustic and modern home renovations in their hit Netflix show, "Dream Home Makeover." The power duo tackles new home builds and one-room renovations for select clientele in the United States. The couple, who welcomed a new family member in addition to their two older daughters, plan to stun audiences with brand new reveals in the upcoming third season debuting this year. What if you didn't have to wait for the new season to bring the looks you love on the screen to life in your own home?
If you have seen the first seasons of the Netflix original, you will be tuning into season three, and you probably already have an item or two from their home decor line at Target. If so, you are off on the right path to decorating your space like the show. While purchasing the decorations for your home will fill it up, what you buy is only a portion of what it takes to decorate a home like McGee. How you choose to display the decorations and add color will turn your house into a dream home. Continue reading for tips and tricks on how to decorate your space like "Dream Home Makeover" below.
Determine your budget
No stranger to construction, Shea McGee encourages homeowners to create their dream homes no matter the budget. Whether you are think about upgrades you can make to your kitchen, build something brand new, or spruce up a bedroom, you should draft a budget for the space. "You want to make sure you're being strategic about how you spend your money," interior designer Brad Ford told The New York Times. "A budget gives you a roadmap for how to divide the costs of things between rooms." This roadmap is necessary for any home project as it helps keep you on pace and achieve realistic goals while decorating.
Mindful of the everyday interior designers like yourself, McGee designed a home decor line that "Gives everyone the chance to bring that intentionally designed, but approachable feel into their home, no matter their budget" (via Real Homes). Whatever your budget, there is something for you in the line. You can accessorize your space with the objects McGee uses to style interiors in her show, such as decorative spheres, ceramic bowls, and wood console tables. The style of your dreams is approachable within your walls and budget.
Decide how you will be using the space
When you choose a place to live, temporarily or permanently, there are probably specific elements that you consider important. Kitchen storage, vaulted ceilings, arches, or living room shelving are some preferred inclusions. According to Shea McGee's home living room tour on YouTube, these elements are your must-haves. Your home must-haves come from how you live day-to-day and what you like. When picking a place to call home, look around and start designing your life inside the walls.
"To the best of your ability, you have to try to discern how you would like to live in a given space," interior designer Alexa Hampton told The New York Times. "What will you be doing? How many people live there? Are there children? What are your ambitions for how you would like to live?" The answers to these questions guide how you decorate the space. From choosing the right sectional or sofa, leather or upholstery chair, and coffee table or ottomans. Knowing what you need for your home will guide the entire decorating process.
Take your time to find the right accessories
Decorating a bookcase, built-in cabinet, or open shelving is an art form. Why? A well-curated home takes skill. "When things are scattered everywhere it tends to feel messy," Shea McGee said to Livingetc. Focus on displaying pieces that you find meaningful, visually appealing, and represent who you are. When shopping for the perfect accessories for your shelves, take some advice from "Dream Home Makeover." Shop for shelf decor like landscape art, ceramic bowls, candlesticks, brass bells, and unique items like the ones in the mountainside project completed by Studio McGee above. Even large baskets belong on a shelf — if you can fit them. These decorative pieces don't just add interest and take up space. They offer valuable storage for clutter and knickknacks.
"When taken care of, these items [and decisions] can last for years," interior designer Grant Gibson told Time. There is no rush to fill the space up immediately. The perfect pieces will come together as your style and needs develop. Minimize the pressure on yourself, and you will find the right items for your shelves. Collections should happen naturally, so take your time to accumulate objects that add height, texture, and dimension into your home.
Always layer in a rug
Get your space looking like "Dream Home Makeover" by adding one or two rugs to a room, as seen in the McGee living quarters above. "Adding a rug to your living space or bedroom gives your furniture a place to 'live' and easily adds dimension and texture," Shea McGee told People. "You don't even need wood floors, if you have a low pile carpet you can layer a rug for an extra cozy lived-in look." If you opt for decorating with multiple rugs in your space, be sure to layer with two different-sized rugs so that both are visible. Rugs are highly transitional decorative elements, and if you tire of one, you can always swap it out for a fresh new look.
"Every room begins with the rug," interior designer Robert Kime told Architectural Digest. Beginning your design with this foundation will help you create structure in your space. The rolled-out carpet will also give you a good idea of what furniture items and their respective sizes will actually fit. Take notice of how accent chairs and sofas line the edges of the rugs above — without the structural layer on the ground, the overall aesthetic would not have an anchor.
Decorate flat surfaces with character
Shea McGee styles art, books, lamps, and knickknacks in all sorts of ways throughout "Dream Home Makeover." There is a surface for everything, including tables, mantels, shelves, and ledges. Whether you are remodeling a house or redecorating a room, there are sure to be flat surfaces that need objects. When decorating these flat surfaces in your home, follow McGee's example. Adorn them with elements that vary in height, like a vase and lamp, create a focal point with a mirror or art, and sprinkle texture in spaces. While ceramic vases and oversized lamps take up space, they don't say much about you. One of McGee's favorite style tips is to make decor feel personalized by adding vintage decorations. As McGee shared with Livingetc, "they add character and make a home feel unique."
To complete the home design of your dreams, add books to the shelves or table tops in vertical and horizontal structures. Interior designer Courtney Turk told Insider, "Stack them on top of one another, and add in a few favorite pictures or vases you may have stored away to create some depth and character on the shelf." These elements will bring your dream house from a reality TV show to your reality.
Lean, hang, or stack artwork
In almost every episode of "Dream Home Makeover," you can see art displayed in unique ways that make it more interesting. For example, look at the art on the easel. How cool is that? Consider all the art you see in the living space above. Where are the frames displayed? Are they on the walls? Do you notice any art on the table? How about the mantel? When decorating with artwork in your home, get creative while displaying the pieces. As seen on Studio McGee, you can lean, stack, or hang art on the wall. When decorating with stacked artwork, keep the art similar in size for a cohesive look.
If you display wall art, consider if it will be a single piece or paired with another picture. The quantity of art you choose to display will determine where you should secure each frame. "If a piece is hanging on its own wall, 60 inches from the center of the piece to the floor is usually the magic number," said Shea McGee to People. For multiple pieces, the measurement will differ but should remain at eye level.
Mix things up
Shea McGee's contemporary rustic style is noticeable when you see all the mixing and matching in a room. Your eye bounces from the accent chair to the end table, coffee table, ottomans, and sofas, to the archways, mantel mirror, and round again. This connection is the vibe you want in your "Dream Home Makeover"-inspired living space. "You should mix things up a bit — not only with the wood species and stain colors but take it a step or two further and bring in some painted pieces as well as some non-wood pieces," interior designer Suzan Wemlinger told Insider. These different yet complementary pieces will create that classic "Dream Home Makeover" aesthetic and complete your home.
When you are ready to decide on furniture for your space, say goodbye to the identical sofa and loveseat combos you see in typical furniture showrooms. The days of one-stop shopping are a thing of the past. Interior decorators are embracing a more eclectic mix of furnishings — not only in appearance but price range, too. Rooms touched by McGee typically feature structural sofas, accent chairs with detailed backings (so they look good from behind), and a mixture of materials, patterns, and tones.
Style with patterned elements
Patterns are very much at play in rooms designed by Shea McGee. Any fan can tell you about the delicate floral designs, pinstripe details, and neutral fabric she uses in almost every episode of "Dream Home Makeover." Using the correct patterns in your space requires considering existing color palettes, furniture, and features. "I love adding quiet, painterly patterns in a soft tonal color palette with a mix of white, gray, and taupe," designer Rebecca Atwood told Real Simple. "Texture is key and can create a lot of dimension and movement."
The room above features items from the 2021 McGee & Co. fall collection, and pattern is evident across the tablescape (via YouTube). Feast your eyes on the chic patterns in this dining room. The floral print and tablecloth border creates depth and dimension for an elegant tablescape. There are limits to how much pattern you should use in one space, so be wary of adding too many to avoid clashing. Keep the structures organic and the designs simple in your dream home. Consider incorporating these features in other elements throughout the house, such as pillows, throws, and upholstery.
Incorporate a calming color palette
How do you feel when you look at the living room picture above? Calm? Relaxed? Ready to sit in one of those soft blue chairs and not move? That would be the "Dream Home Makeover" experience you want to bring to life in your own space. Colors are one way to evoke feeling and are used in makeovers on the show, just not in the traditional ways like paint or wallpaper. Shea McGee prefers tones and hues as accessories against primarily neutral backgrounds.
Blend warm tones against a neutral backdrop for a genuine dream home interior. Neutrals include shades of white, cream, and light gray colors. One of McGee's favorite shades is white interior paint. "White Dove by Benjamin Moore is one of those white paints that you almost can't go wrong with," McGee shared with People. As visible above and in many of McGee's home makeovers, white walls are the perfect background for the colorful furniture you need to make a statement in the room. Don't forget the paint can opener!
Embrace natural materials
A fresh way to utilize natural materials in your home is by replacing cabinets with wood shelves. Not everywhere, just on the upper portion if you can. Shea McGee uses this technique, as seen in the season one trailer of "Dream Home Makeover," per Netflix. The kitchen pictured displays dark blue cabinets with white countertops and no upper cabinets. McGee and the homeowner decided an open shelving system was best for the space. The exposed shelving transforms the kitchen into a more open space and provides new opportunities for decoration.
The light-toned wood shelves are a pleasant contrast to the dark doors and drawers. McGee is known for puzzling contrasting pieces together in one room for a cohesive design. The kitchen area is not exempt from the McGee touch. Even down to the accessories on the shelves, McGee weaves homey decor like landscape art, baskets, plants, and cutting boards. These natural-toned elements are welcome additions to your kitchen inspired by the series.
Bring in lightweight curtains
Treat your windows to a curtain-lift and dress them as Shea McGee did in the bay home project. You can surround your windows with off-white curtains that blend beautifully with the light paint color and allow the scenery outside to come alive. "Window treatments should frame a space, but they don't have to be overbearing or heavy to add warmth," interior designer Annie Santulli told Insider. When you choose panels for your windows, ensure they maintain functionality and are liveable. After all, this is your dream home!
Not only do neutral curtains blend into the walls, but they also allow other pieces in the room to make a statement. You probably already noticed the dark fireplace or the two matching light brown accent chairs that commanded your attention in the space above. Warm tones against a neutral background are a common pairing throughout "Dream Home Makeover."
Create ambiance with accent lighting
A "Dream Home Makeover"-inspired design is not complete without the right light fixtures to illuminate the space. "You want to make sure you have enough accent lighting, so try a combination of floor and table lamps in addition to overhead fixtures," Shea McGee said to Livingetc. Glance around the room and note how many light types are missing to give an idea of what fixtures you need to purchase. This step is crucial to maintaining the budget and creating the "Dream Home Makeover" aesthetic.
Layered lighting is preferred in residences and for those who adore McGee's style. Different types of lighting are best in any space, depending on your needs. Consider implementing floor and table lamps as they are considered ambient lighting and used for bouncing light in many directions or while pendant and recessed lights are used daily as task lighting. Don't forget accent lights like wall sconces and other wall-mounted light fixtures. They can offer beautiful low light, perfect for an evening movie (via Stanpro). Enhance the traditional decor style of your home and light up your place with McGee & Co. table or floor lamps, pendant lights, and wall sconces.
Design a focal point
In the ranch home tour, Shea McGee discusses her design decisions behind the kitchen layout pictured above, noting how a focal point was necessary behind the stovetop and how hand-formed tile played a vital role in bringing the elements to life on the backsplash, per YouTube. "No matter which color we choose, we love that clé tiles have so much character, texture, and interest from their hand-formed construction," McGee shared with Clé Tile. "Every time is uniquely different; the color variation adds interest and character to any space."
Focal areas are not just necessary in a kitchen. If you ever start putting a look together and still feel that something is missing, chances are you need to center your design. "Create one design focal point, like a fireplace surrounded by large format tiles, a gorgeous stair carpet runner, or a kitchen tile backsplash," interior designer Nichole Abbott told MyDomaine. These focal areas are necessary for interiors as they help anchor the look and pull together the overall scheme.
Make it your own
When making a house a home, decor often helps share your personality, emotions, and story with others. Tell your story by picking decorative items that make each space a unique creation. "There are so many different ways to do this, but two of the easiest and most impactful ways are through wallpaper and curated accessories," Shea McGee shared with People. Those one-of-a-kind trinkets, framed family photos, and collectible art from your travels are all pieces to layer in to your dream house look.
McGee knows innovative ways to use wallpaper in laundry rooms, mudrooms, and powder rooms (via Studio McGee). Wallpaper with delicate floral details in shades of color from light to dark often appears in her designs. Through the paint on the walls, accessories on the shelves, rugs on the floors, and neutral color palette, you can bring the "Dream Home Makeover" aesthetic to life in your own dream home.