Exclusive: Chelsea DeBoer's top design lesson will change how we decorate all spaces

Chelsea DeBoer: the HGTV personality and Aubree Says co-founder has an enviable résumé in the design world – so when she shares decorating lessons, we take note. 

The Down Home Fab star, whose home decor brand is known for its everyday products, recently sat down with H&G, and naturally, the conversation quickly turned to the surprising decorative power of accessories. 

'With my brand, Aubree Says, I wanted to focus on everyday home products, as they can be a building point or a finishing point at the same time,' Chelsea says. In many ways, this rewrites conventions that suggest accessories should be one of the last things to consider when designing a space. 

Though these items may be smaller and conventionally less powerful than elements like new flooring or paint, Chelsea says we can use these products to form the 'base of a room' and decorate around them.

'You can throw your blanket down, get some cute candles, and build from that,' she explains. 'Or alternatively, you can use them in the final steps or as filler items that allow a room to come together.' We can shop her collection via Amazon here. 

Chelsea DeBoer

Chelsea DeBoer is a female entrepreneur, social media maven, and co-founder of Aubree Says. Aubree Says, founded in early 2021, offers a range of high-quality, affordable everyday home products, including blankets, candles, and baby, household, and kitchenware accessories. Chelsea also stars alongside her husband, Cole, in HGTVs ‘Down Home Fab,’ which is currently filming season 2.

Whether working with accessories or embarking on a large-scale renovation, Chelsea adds that we should always focus less on following trends – and more on creating a home that feels like our own. This could be a case of decorating with antiques or painting in a color that brings us joy personally, no matter what others may say. 

'How do you want to feel in your space? It's about finding things and items and finishes that kind of give you that feeling. It really is that simple,' she says. And, while larger-scale redesign often comes with reservations, Chelsea urges us that it's often not as complex as people believe. In some cases, we may even find it enjoyable. 

'The process of redesigning is often not as complicated as people think. When we started building our house, everyone we spoke to wished us good luck, but we really enjoyed the process because we made it fun.'

'We wanted to design a space that gave us a warm, cozy feeling in our home, and so we took enjoyment from that process. We simplified it, and I think that that helped a lot.'

We're taking this as our cue to begin a redesign, and when in doubt, begin with accessories. Plus, for more tips from Chelsea, we're catching up on the first season of Down Home Fab via Amazon now.