We love design inspo just as much as the next person, but sometimes peeking at celeb mansions and paging through fancy interior decorating glossies can be a downer. Without unlimited funds, recreating those luxe homes seems totally impossible… until now. We're sharing 12 affordable hacks to make your home look more expensive while staying on a budget.
Classic patterns like stripes and toile, romantic silhouettes, and fancy flourishes like fringe and tassels have been beautifully making their way into interiors — and no one captures this dreamy aesthetic quite like celebrity interior designer and home stager Francesca Grace. The creative force behind Somme, a darling interior design shop located in LA’s Silverlake neighborhood, Francesca curates a world of European vintage glamour with a soulful, lived-in feel.
Gavin Cater
On a recent visit, B+C's VP of Content, Ali Ives, and I wandered into Somme and were instantly smitten. Imagine cottagecore with depth, where antique treasures meet bold, layered styling that feels both timeless and unexpected.
Francesca is a master at crafting vintage-inspired spaces with a distinct, modern POV. Here, she shares insights on her design philosophy, her latest collaborations, and her stunning transformation of a $24 million estate now on the market.
Gavin Cater
B+C: How would you define your aesthetic?
Francesca: I’d define my aesthetic as eclectic, nostalgic, and unexpected. It’s about mixing eras, textures and patterns in a way that feels curated and collected over time — like stepping into a space with history and soul.
Gavin Cater
B+C: How do you make a space feel one-of-a-kind?
Francesca: I love designing spaces that have depth and a bit of tension, whether it’s a balance of feminine and masculine, vintage and modern, or soft and bold. To make a space personal, I lean into unique, one-of-a-kind pieces — antiques, art with a story, textiles that feel lived-in. I want it to feel like someone’s life has unfolded there, not like a staged set.
Gavin Cater
B+C: What's the strangest or most surprising source of inspiration you've ever drawn from?
Francesca:I love wandering through European flea markets, where every object has a history, or getting lost in an old city and noticing the way time has shaped its architecture. Even something as simple as the tilework in a tiny café or the way laundry hangs between buildings can spark an idea. LA still influences me in the way it blends so many cultures and eras, but traveling pushes me to see design through a different lens — less polished, more lived-in, always with a story to tell.
Gavin Cater
B+C: What is your design pet-peeve?
Francesca: Anything that feels too sterile or overly "designed" with no personality. I’m also so over the idea that everything has to be beige to be timeless — give me color, give me texture, give me something with character!
Gavin Cater
B+C: You recently staged and styled a 6-bed, 9-bath Spanish-Mediterranean Bel Air Estate that just hit the market for $24M. What were your design goals for this Bel Air project, which leans into the more neutral territory?
Francesca: Our goal was to use our furniture and décor to enhance the home’s Spanish-Mediterranean elegance while introducing a sense of modern livability. We wanted every piece to feel intentional — respecting the architecture while making the space feel fresh, inviting, and effortlessly luxurious.
Will Myers
Francesca: To achieve this, I partnered with home decor brand Olive Ateliers and leaned into organic textures and warm, neutral tones. Soft linen upholstery, sculptural wood accents, and vintage-inspired statement pieces brought depth and a sense of history, ensuring the interiors felt collected rather than staged.
Will Myers
Francesca: In spaces like the living and dining areas, we focused on balancing grandeur with intimacy — placing oversized, plush seating to emphasize comfort while layering in antique and contemporary elements to create visual intrigue. The use of ceramic vessels, textured textiles, and aged metals further complemented the home’s natural materials.
Will Myers
Francesca: For the bedrooms, we aimed for elevated serenity, incorporating soft, layered bedding and curated accent furniture to create a retreat-like atmosphere.
Will Myers
Francesca: Overall, the staging was designed to bridge the past and present, celebrating the home’s timeless craftsmanship while making it feel approachable and effortless for modern living.
Christopher Amitrano/CS8 Photography
B+C: You recently worked with designer Amr Samaha of Samaha Studio on his latest project, an eco-conscious ranchette in Beverly Hills. He said he pulled heavily from his Egyptian background, citing the mashrabiya-inspired front door as an example of the textures and tones of historic Cairo. "Every decision, from materials to layout, was made with the intention to tell a cohesive story," he said. How did you stage the home to complete the story?
Francesca: For the Beverly Hills project at 1300 Shadybrook Drive, our aim was to stage the home in a way that accentuated its contemporary architecture and designer fixtures while creating an inviting and aspirational atmosphere for potential buyers.
In the living room, we placed a plush, earth-toned seating arrangement to complement the home's incredible steel fireplace and built-in cabinetry. To add a little extra warmth and character to the living room I added these gorgeous Myrtle Accent Chairs from Arhaus that I felt really elevated the space.
Christopher Amitrano/CS8 Photography
Francesca: In the dining room I wanted it to feel really funky and eclectic so we added some really fun sculptural dining chairs from Neue Maison. We brought in some incredible art by CLEW and Kader Boly that really amplify the appeal of the home.
Christopher Amitrano/CS8 Photography
Francesca: For the bedrooms, we aimed to create serene retreats by using soft, layered bedding and understated decor while still infusing some pops of color. I wanted the bedrooms to provide a sense of luxury while still feeling like cozy and warm.
Christopher Amitrano/CS8 Photography
Francesca: Throughout the home, we utilized accessories such as ceramic vases, greenery, and area rugs to add depth and cohesion to the overall design. Our goal was to present a lifestyle that potential buyers could envision themselves enjoying, thereby enhancing the home's appeal.
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All the intensity of Yellowstone and 1923 season 2 can be hard to consume when you just want to turn on the TV and relax. And that's exactly where When Hope Calls comes in. The TV show has all the Western flair you love about shows like Yellowstone, with the romance, friendship, and well, hope, of your favorite Hallmark movies.
You can stream the first season on Hallmark+, and it looks like after three years, we're finally getting season 2! Keep reading for everything you need to know about the When The Heart Calls spin-off, inspired by the world of Janette Oke's books.
Hallmark Media
New episodes of When Hope Calls are premiering on PureFlix Thursday, April 3, 2025 and Great American Family Sunday April 6, 2025.
Hallmark Media
The TV show follows Lillian (Morgan Kohan) and Grace (Jocelyn Hudon), who were separated as children after the death of their parents. Reunited as adults in 1916, and still healing from past wounds, the sisters open an orphanage of their own in the Canadian town of Brookfield, and quickly fall in love with the children — and handsome strangers — they meet.
Hallmark Media
The When Hope Calls season 2 cast features some incredible names, including your favorite Sullivan's Crossing star! Here's the full breakdown:
Hallmark Media
There will be eight episodes of When Hope Calls season 2 total, premiering on April 3, 2025. Stay tuned for the full schedule!
Hallmark Media
Because of scheduling conflicts, actress Jocelyn Hudon was not able to appear in the When Hope Calls Christmas specials. To explain her absence, the show wrote that Grace moved to England to open an orphanage there. I have all my fingers crossed we'll see her make a season 2 guest appearance, though!
Hallmark Media
Yes, season 2 is coming! The When Hope Calls: A Country Christmas holiday special premiered in 2021, but it's not necessarily part of season 2 of the show. You can rewatch the special anytime you want on PureFlix.
Stay tuned for the latest When Hope Calls season 2 news, and updates on Netflix's New Romance TV Show Ransom Canyon.
Design lovers rejoice! There's a new design book out and we're swooning. Defining Style: The Book of Interior Designby Joan Barzilay Freund (Phaidon) offers up a gorgeous tour through 25 of the most notable design styles around the world. Catch a glimpse inside 150 home interiors from leading designers and the key design styles they favor. Designers featured include Los Angeles-based Studio Shamshiri, French architect and designer Laura Gonzalez, and Brooklyn-based Leyden Lewis, who designed the pattern-filled home of textile designer Malene Barnett, among many others. Peek inside the homes of icons like musicians Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats, artist Mariko Mori, and writer Umberto Pasti too.
Phaidon
Not sure how to describe your home aesthetic? Take cues from these stunning spaces in Defining Style, which comes out on March 18, 2025. Plus add the book to your coffee book collection for more design style inspiration.
Audra Kiewiet de Jonge Art & Interiors
If your home feels like a tranquil, nature-infused retreat like this Richmond, VA home of artist and designer Audra Kiewiet de Jonge, you're leaning into biophilic design. This design style is filled with organic shapes, lush greenery, and natural materials to create a serene sanctuary. A natural indoor-outdoor flow is also something you'll covet in this design style.
Simon Brown / Natalia Miyar
Like a tailored suit, these rooms pay attention to the finer details. Freund says its unfussy and clutter-free and incorporates luxury elements like stone and leather. Designer Natalia Miyar designed this tailored London penthouse that's featured in Defining Style.
Ben Richards / Naoki Terada
If you favor simplicity, functionality, and clean lines, this design style rooted in the early 20th century is your core aesthetic. Modernism emphasizes open spaces, minimal ornamentation, and the use of modern materials like steel, glass, and concrete. Form follows function, with a focus on practicality but also really great design. Here is an example in Defining Style from designer Naoki Terada's Tokyo, Japan home.
Anson Smart / Greg Natale
Organic materials inspired by seaside living delivers an elevated coastal decor. This Sydney, Australia home designed by Greg Natale embraces the views of the sea with rich textures and neutral decor with splashes of organic elements.
Jason Schmidt / GRT Architects
I'm in love with this former Harlem rectory designed by GRT Architects. The layers of textures from leather to wool to wood and glossy surfaces defines this design style and delivers a truly sensory experience.
Courtesy of Atelier ND
If there is a single hue you fully embrace in a room or your entire home, monochrome is the definition of your design style. It's bold and unapologetic. This family villa in Amsterdam was designed by Atelier ND Interior in the perfect pink hue.
Gonzalo Machado / Casa Muñoz
Freund describes this aesthetic as a "melting pot" that blends elements from the past with trendy pieces, colors, and materials. Casa Muñoz, the Madrid-based apartment of Spanish supermodel Eugenia Silva, was designed by wife-and-husband team Mafalda Muñoz and Gonzalo Machado with this aesthetic in mind.
Paul Massey / House & Garden © Conde Nast
Climate plays a crucial role in design, especially in tropical regions, where homes must be thoughtfully designed to adapt to and limit its effects. Covered porches, concrete and tile flooring, and an invisible line between indoors and out define this decor style. Anita Calero makes it look effortlessly elegant in this Colombia home.
Mike Karlsson Lundgren / Cappelen Dimyr
Rustic is about being ok with the imperfections and embracing natural beauty with raw, organic elements like weathered wood, stone, and earthy tones. It celebrates a cozy, lived-in feel, a place you can kick up your heels and just chill. It also has a Scandi vibe as in this Maja Dixdotter-designed Swedish country home.
Eric Piasecki
You may have elements of the Art Deco aesthetic in your space as it has a timeless elegance to it with sleek lines, luxe materials, and geometric patterns. Freund describes it as the most glamorous design style of the 20th century that's also rooted in modern design principles. This quintessential Art Deco apartment in Chicago was designed by Steven Gambrel.
Martin Morrell / Aldridge & Supple
This design style is all about woodsy charm with exposed wood beams, stone fireplaces, and cozy textures like sheepskin and wool. Surrounded by breathtaking views, mountain homes like this farmhouse in the U.K. designed by Aldridge & Supple feel like a total escape.
Joachim Wichmann
If you prefer aQuiet Luxury aesthetic, this design style is your preferred taste. With neutral tones, everything from furniture form to luxe and textured materials become the stars of the show. This Milan palazzo designed by Vincenzo De Cotiis is neutral but not at all understated.
Romulo Fialdini / Sig Bergamin
Maximalist design celebrates creativity and individuality with vibrant colors, bold patterns, and layered textures. If you can't commit to a style this is a design style for you. It mixes eras with eclectic decor to create a visually dynamic space. This is the maximal São Paulo, Brazil home of designer Sig Bergamin.
Paul Massey / VSP Interiors
Stemming from a neoclassical style, timeless design styles look to "balance, symmetry, and proportion," says Freund. It's a refined look with decorative details, as illustrated in this family home in the U.K designed by VSP Interiors.
Find more design styles, from Collected to Floral, in Defining Style: The Book of Interior Design by Joan Barzilay Freund (Phaidon).
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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.
The internet is already buzzing about Netflix's new romantic Western drama, Ransom Canyon, which drops on the streamer April 17. It's got everything: secrets, romance, horses. And plenty of standout stars. Here's a full rundown of the Ransom Canyon cast, because the lineup is almost too good to be true. Until the show drops, stock up on The 10 Best Cowboy Boots Right Now ;).
Netflix
Josh Duhamel stars as Staten Kirkland, the owner of Double K Ranch who's fighting to protect his ranch and his way of life.
Anna Kooris/Netflix
We'll also see Euphoria and Friday Night Lights star Minka Kelly as Quinn O’Grady. Quinn's back from a life in New York as a concert pianist and is looking for a new start.
Netflix
Marianly Tejada (who you'll recognize from One of Us is Lying) stars as Ellie Estevez, who yearns to leave an impact on Ransom Canyon. But while she's as tough as they come, she also checks in on Cap.
Netflix
Jack Schumacher plays the charming, mysterious Yancy Grey, who has a secret past he's struggling to keep hidden from Ellie and the rest of Ransom Canyon.
Ursula Coyote/NBC
Eoin Macken stars as Davis Collins, who owns Bar W Ranch and constantly buts heads with Staten over capitalizing on the land — and over Quinn.
Netflix
Sweet Tooth's James Brolin stars as ex-Army captain Cap, who owns Fuller Ranch.
Netflix
Lizzy Greene is a part of the Ransom Canyon cast as Lauren Brigman, head cheerleader, sheriff's daughter, and girlfriend to quarterback Reid. But she dreams of leaving for Austin, and isn't expecting Lucas to capture her heart.
NBC
Garrett Wareing stars as Lucas Russell, who's working to provide for his family and dreaming of a life beyond the Canyon.
Jose Haro/Peacock
Andrew Liner plays Reid Collins, who's dealing with secrets of his own and hides his desire to be loved behind a cocky exterior.
Read up on the latest Ransom Canyon news for more!
Though we're all about our reusable water bottles (and everything related to the Stanley tumbler), the love we have for fancy-shmancy bottled water is just undeniable. Despite the crisp, cold convenience associated with bottled drinking water, there's a *huge* rift in which brands actually taste good.
Some drinkers prefer Aquafina over Dasani (or even artesian water cuvée, like the cast of Vanderpump Rules), and that's okay – but sommelier Belinda Chang has an immeasurable wealth of knowledge to dictate which ones are worth sipping on based on their flavor (and yes, they differ).
Pavel Danilyuk / PEXELS
Mineral water is considered the healthiest bottled drinking water since it contains additional minerals and vitamins.
Towfiqu Barbhuiya / PEXELS
According to our ranking of the best and worst bottled waters, Roundy's bottled drinking water is #1.
Mart Production / PEXELS
In terms of your health, all plastic bottled waters are the worst – they can contain hundreds of thousands of microplastics that harm the body. The safest bottled water you can drink is likely some filtered drinking water that you put into a reusable water bottle.
Karolina Grabowska / PEXELS
Propel, Dasani, Ice Mountain, Aquafina, and Naleczowianka are the top 5 worst bottled drinking waters, according to their taste.
Nerea Arance / PEXELS
According to expert water sommelier rankings, the top 5 best drinking waters are: Evian, Smeraldina, SmartWater, Fiji, and Roundy's.
Belinda Chang hails from Chicago, and was formerly the head of the wine and spirits program at upscale steakhouse Maple & Ash, so she knows her drinks. While she usually puts her skills towards perfect pairings of wine and sumptuous meals, Belinda welcomed Thrillist into her domain to put water to the ultimate test.
Belinda compared ten different bottled water brands by evaluating their flavor, aroma, texture and finish of each, giving them a score out of a possible 100 points. Her bottled water ratings shed light on which brands you should drink!
“A good bottled water shouldn’t have any off-putting aromas or flavors – that would be an automatic negative,” Belinda explained. “In wine, we always talk about terroir, and I think for water, it’s the same. You want it to speak of the place where it comes from. And, of course, you want it to be delicious.”
Propel
When it came to tasting Propel bottled water, Belinda was immediately put off by the odor, saying it smells "salty, metallic.” Ew. When it came to taste, it might not have been as bad, but it certainly wasn’t an A+.
“When it gets onto your tongue, the impact is bizarre. The texture and flavor is a lot like Gatorade, but not masked with orange or blue raspberry.”
Dasani
Dasani was another bottled drinking water that was... somewhat stinky. “See, this one does not smell good — it smells like a wine that’s been dosed with sulphates.” What’s with all the smelly water?
Belinda deemed that when it comes to Dasani, “The thirst-quenching quotient is really low on this guy.”
Ice Mountain
Ice Mountain bottled drinking water got it right if you’re looking for nothing but water – tasteless water.
“It’s completely neutral in almost every way, which I think is a total positive.” In this case, definitely. Though Belinda did note a slight “mineral-y” aftertaste, a “pipe-like flavor.” No thanks.
Aquafina
Instead of tasting pipe-like, Belinda felt Aquafina tasted “a little powdery, with some dissolved minerals and a little bit of salt.” Still, she felt that this was a decent thirst-quencher.
“For an inexpensive water that you’re just drinking because you’re in the airport and you want to hydrate before you go on a flight, I think this is a good option.”
Naleczowianka bottled drinking water was another water with a “distinctive” smell — this time, a stony hint. Kinda strangely, it made Belinda think of “a salt character — I want it with a pierogi.” That’s… specific.
Overall, this one failed where it seems to matter the most, with the skilled sommelier noting, “It’s not that thirst-quenching. It dries out the palate.”
Evian
Evian bottled drinking water is better when it comes to the smell, Belinda claiming it’s “really clean on the nose.” But interestingly, she also noted, “I do taste the Alps — I don’t smell them, but I taste them. And I can definitely imagine myself après-ski with a bottle of Evian.” That’s a plus for Evian!
Smeraldina
Smeraldina bottled drinking water scored slightly higher than Evian despite the fact that “after you have a sip of it, it feels like there’s this fine silt lying on your tongue.”
Besides that, however, “this would transport you back to the south of Italy.” Whoa. First the Alps, now Italy. We’re globetrotting with every sip.
Smartwater
Smartwater is actually something that Belinda is familiar with herself, but admitted, “I’ve always chugged this the next morning when I’m hungover.” However, when she took some time to consider it, she claims, “it’s probably 1000% the marketing, but it does taste different,” i.e. a really interesting texture in the mid-palate, which Belinda assumes is the added electrolytes.
Fiji Water
Fiji took the runner-up spot of the best bottled water to drink, partly due to the fact that it’s “totally neutral on the nose, which [Belinda thinks] is important,” but it was also the fact that it’s a heavy water that got Belinda’s stamp of approval.
“[If] you want to drink a glass of water after a spectacular dish or, like, a great bite of a burger, you want something that cleanses, and this is it. I really love this water.”
Roundy's
And the bottled water winner is… Roundy’s!
First, the smell won Belinda over. “This is going to sound so weird, but it’s a little sweet-smelling — which I like!” But, of course, that wasn’t all. Taste is the major factor here, and the sommelier thought this option was delicious. “It has no pretension, it’s incredibly thirst-quenching."
"It doesn’t taste like anything, which is perfect. When you’re drinking water you just want to be drinking water, and this is the most watery of all the waters. This is the Moet Imperial of bottled water — it’s simple, it’s classic and it does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It delivers and that’s my professional opinion.”
Do you notice differences in the taste of water from different brands and your tap? Tweet us @BritandCo!
H/T Thrillist.
This post has been updated.
