We know how it is. You’ve just moved into a new apartment, and all you want to do is finish getting settled—but why not take it a step further? Add some personal style to your space and you’ll be calmer, happier, and more productive. And it doesn’t have to be as difficult as it sounds; you can find inspiration in other people’s homes and then apply it to your own.
Now, before you look at some gorgeous images and start to despair that you’ll never recreate them, keep in mind that you’re looking at professional accounts featuring fantastic architecture (and fantastic budgets for expert designers and high-end decor). However, familiarizing yourself with how the pros set up a space can help you start to piece together your own personal interior design style. The more examples you see, the easier it becomes to understand the fundamentals of arrangement, how to incorporate art and plants, balance color, play with texture, and so forth.
To get you started, we’ve rounded up 11 of our favorite decor-focused Instagram accounts so you can get all the inspiration you need simply by scrolling through your feed. Once you're inspired, use our store guide for finding the best affordable home decor for men on a budget.
1. Johnstoffer
Chicago-based John Stoffer shares snippets of his life, from shots of his well-appointed studio to stylish dinner spots around the city. His photos tend toward the monochromatic, with appealing warm accents and lots of texture.
2. Aframehaus
The A-Frame Haus is a rentable cabin in the mountains of Utah, and it’s a veritable wealth of design inspiration. The owners documented the renovation process on Instagram, and they now share snapshots of the space along with lighthearted captions. The rugged surrounding terrain pairs nicely with the cabin’s interior design style, which is contemporary with a mostly neutral color scheme.
3. Entrancemakleri
Entrance is a high-end real estate brokerage based in Sweden, so you can imagine that they’re immersed in the latest Scandinavian interior design trends. Their feed is filled with enviable spaces, from kitchens to living rooms to exteriors and everything in between—and there’s something to learn from each and every one.
4. Kronfoto
Kronfoto is another Swedish-based account, this one coming from photographer Adam Helbaoui, who specializes in interiors. His style is a bit more maximalist than some of the others on this list, for those of us who are collectors and savers.
5. Homepolish
Homepolish is a one-stop service that helps the design-challenged decorate their spaces, and their Instagram documents these projects. They design according to their clients’ tastes, which means they share a wide variety of styles on their Instagram account—making it the perfect feed to follow if you’re still trying to nail down yours.
6. Emastajl
Emma is a stylist for a real estate brokerage in Sweden (are you seeing a trend here yet?) so the photos she showcases are predictably Nordic-looking, with muted colors and textured surfaces. Her images are great inspiration for anyone who struggles to style the contents of a bookshelf or arrange a space in a pleasing way.
7. Blankslatereno
Blank Slate Reno is a husband and wife team specializing in design and renovation. (They’re working on their 16th house, so they have quite a bit of experience in the industry.) They share a combination of shots from the homes they’re renovating and interesting tidbits from daily life as a contractor/designer duo.
8. Scandinavianhomes
We would be remiss not to include Scandinavian Homes, a Stockholm-based interior styling firm. Their style is quintessential Sweden, with a mix of light airy spaces and dark moody ones. They have a bit of a sense of humor, too; you’ll see that they play with scale in a unique way, and if you look closely, you might even see a monkey light or some very unusual artwork.
9. Thestyleandliving
The Style and Living sources images from other accounts, rounding up some of the best modern interiors from the world over. So if clean lines and dramatic lighting gets you fired up, you’ll want to give this account a follow. They do share some smaller spaces too, making it easier to apply their ideas to real-world apartments.
10. Tbrownstudio
Timothy Brown is an interior designer based in New York, and his signature warm minimalist style can be seen throughout his inspiring Instagram feed. While his spaces are all impeccably arranged, they have a livable feel to them, making them seem more approachable and friendly. So if you enjoy some color in your space, give Timothy a follow.
11. fotografjonasberg
Jonas Berg’s photography highlights the many beautiful interiors of Gothenburg, Sweden (another Scandinavian account…surprise, surprise). You may see a rare splash of color in his feed, but his style focuses on mostly-white rooms with pops of black that are so common in Scandinavian design. Prepare to be wowed by the many inventive decor ideas.
We hope these Instagram accounts will provide you with plenty of solid inspiration the next time you move or decide to up your decorating game. Do you follow other Instagrammers that post interior design inspiration? Please feel free to share them with your fellow Primer readers in the comments section below.
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We feature home interior inspiration that we encounter in life and share the work of others we’re inspired by, as well as our favorite affordable DIY projects and art.
