It's possible to create beautiful spaces using only one interior design style, but in our opinion, the best rooms take inspiration from a variety of eras, looks, and influences. Lily Collins bathroom is a masterclass in how to artfully combine these disparate elements.
The asymmetry starts with her geometric bathroom lighting, which shines like an angular beacon above her Scandinavian-style wood walls. Lily worked with Emily Farnham Architecture to transform her Los Angeles home into its current elegant state. Of course, they started with good bones; Lily Collins and her husband Charlie MacDowell's home was built in the post-war era as one of a handful of 'Case Study Houses' designed by top architects for soldiers returning to the states as inexpensive model homes. Kemper Nomland Senior and Junior designed theirs. The couple fell in love with the historic property after a fateful visit in 2021.
Together with Emily, they sought to preserve the home's past while making it feel cozy and personal. This bathroom idea, which mixes mid-century Scandi style with a modern organic look, is the perfect example. Luckily, their look is easier to recreate than you might think. To help you out, Homes & Gardens has curated an edit of products that take inspiration from the look (including this stunning geometric light from Etsy) and gathered expert quotes on emulating Lily's style. You'll also get a sneak peek into the couple's stunning home.
Recreate Lily's Look at Home
With a combination of vintage lighting and modern wooden pieces, creating a space that feels as stylish, cocooning, and chic as Lily and Charlie's is a piece of cake. These are our top picks.
This chic angular lamp resembles the one in Lily Collins bathroom. It's so pretty and stylish, and would be a perfect complement to panelled wooden walls.
Each wooden soap dish is naturally mold- and mildew-resistant and is handmade by craftspeople using solid teak wood. Since it's made of natural materials, no two pieces are the same. Each has its own unique color variations, meaning you have something truly one-of-a-kind.
This washstand shape feels Victorian in style with its spindle legs, but would work equally well in a contemporary bathroom, and it's elevated further by the beautifully grained Carrara marble sink.
Crafted from acacia wood, this soap dispenser sports a grainy wood finish for an attractive natural appeal, while the clean lines and simple design add a chic, minimalist vibe to your bathroom. It's the easiest way to tap into this textured trend for the year ahead.
This mirror is so pretty with its gently curved edging and beaded detail, while the wood finish grounds it in a rustic farmhouse aesthetic. Hang above a bathroom sink to instantly elevate the room.
We love the elegant silhouette of this storage caddy, which has plenty of room for your shower gels and products, and you can hang it straight in your shower as it's made from 100% teak and naturally water resistant.
So, what do the experts have to say on mixing unexpected interior design styles? The first piece of advice is simple: buy what you love.
Carlin van Noppen, interior designer and owner of Fig Linens and Home explains: 'When you buy only pieces that you adore and leave the rest, everything you have in your home will automatically be in conversation. Though it may not be unified by traditional "design style," it will be connected by your singular taste, which can help to create a cohesive feel. Rather than buying what you think you should buy, or what has the best resale value, this technique builds a narrative in your home. As Lily's space shows, the best rooms have a point of view.' With this kind of cohesion, a '70s lamp and '50s mirror can be the perfect marriage.
Lily's space is a good demonstration of the second designer-approved lesson on combining styles, which is that spaces look best with a mix of curved and straight lines. Carlin advises: 'Lily's geometric light fixture looks so incredible because it contrasts with the curving organic sensibility of the marble sink and the vase of flowers below. To replicate this technique, be sure to alternate lines in your home. A room where everything is angular looks too rigid, and one where everything is curved feels directionless.'
Lily Collins bathroom demonstrates that when it comes to interior design styles, you don't have to choose. Variety is the spice of life, and also, the home.
