Zooey Deschanel's unexpected antique collection taps into a 2025 interior design trend – the unique decoration is full of personality

An unorthodox collection in the actress's living room is the key to making her home look warm and inviting – it's right in line with the styles of the day

Zooey Deschanel
(Image credit: Kate Green via Getty Images)

Zooey Deschanel's home is not like the other girls'. It fittingly pays homage to an actress who has made her quirky public persona a huge part of her career – and part of this includes her love for non-traditional design. Most recently, she debuted a new element of her unorthodox take on decorating: A vintage phone collection.

In a jokey Instagram reel, the actress quoted the popular meme format 'I never see you at the club' with the response 'Yeah, well, I don't see you collecting obsolete phones.' The accompanying video features Deschanel dancing with an antique dial phone and a blocky 90s phone. Though the tone of the video was in jest, it's clear that the phones add an interesting edge to the actress's living room decor. They are proudly featured on her open-concept shelves alongside coffee table books, vases, and other hidden decorative objects.

Deschanel's choice of vintage phones as decor is right in line with interior design trends. In their latest trend report, independent sellers marketplace Etsy reports that we're entering an 'Heirloom Era' for 2025. The experts state: 'In a world of fast fashion and fleeting trends, there’s something undeniably magical about the things that stick around. Enter the Heirloom Era, where timeless treasures and vintage-inspired finds are stealing the spotlight. Whether it’s hand-embroidered napkins, jewelry steeped in history, or patterned porcelain dishes that channel a certain fictional pasta-making grandma, this trend celebrates meaningful gifts meant to be passed down (or just looked at adoringly).'

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Though decorating with antiques is currently popular, the beauty of this 'trend' is that it will always remain in style. Antique and vintage pieces bring a unique sense of character to any space. This addition of personality is never off trend. These pieces that are built to last for centuries will be in style for centuries.

To decorate with vintage and antique pieces in your home, I recommend mixing older pieces with newer styles. There is nothing more gorgeous than a transitional home that seamlessly combines design styles, integrating the modern with the vintage and mixing a variety of decor schemes.


Though you might not start collecting vintage phones, Zooey Deschanel's interest is a reminder that sometimes, design ideas can come in the least expected of places. Integrating something old is never a bad idea.


Sophie Edwards
News Editor

Sophie is a London-based News Editor at Homes & Gardens, where she works on the Celebrity Style team. She is fascinated by the intersection of design and popular culture and is particularly excited when researching trends or interior history. Sophie is an avid pop culture fan. As an H&G editor, she has interviewed the likes of Martha Stewart, Hilary Duff, and the casts of Queer Eye and Selling Sunset. Before joining Future Publishing, Sophie worked as the Head of Content and Communications at Fig Linens and Home, a boutique luxury linens and furniture brand. She has also written features on exciting developments in the design world for Westport Magazine. Sophie has an MSc from the Oxford University Department of Anthropology and a BA in Creative Writing and Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.