How to Achieve the Nancy Meyers Home Aesthetic

Apart from being modern classics, what do the films “The Holiday,” “The Parent Trap,” and “It’s Complicated” have in common? Two words: Nancy Meyers. The beloved rom-com writer and director has successfully cemented her brand of feel-good coziness, but her characters and storylines aren’t the only thing viewers fall in love with: Meyers has also become known for her home interiors, which exude timelessness, class, and, above all, warmth.

In fact, a 2024 Pinterest summer trends report found that searches for “Nancy Meyers-core,” “Nancy Meyers living room,” and “Nancy Meyers homes” have skyrocketed, proving that the filmmaker, and her longtime production designer Jon Hutman, have inspired a distinguished interior design style.

“I think this aesthetic is so popular because it appeals to the majority of people,” says interior designer Brianna Untener. “The interiors feel like the true definition of home with their warmth and ‘lived in’ personality.” Thankfully, the aesthetic is fairly attainable, and its elegant, yet charming, palette can be achieved in any space — not just those large homes you see in the movies.

If you’re looking to achieve the Nancy Meyers look in your own home, we tapped several interior designers for answers on how to do so.

Experts Featured in This Article

Brianna Untener is a New York State and NCIDQ-certified interior designer and owner of Brianna Scott Interiors with a background in both residential and commercial spaces.

Emma Beryl is an interior designer and the owner of her eponymous design firm, Emma Beryl Interiors.

Kate Marker is an interior designer, owner of Kate Marker Interiors, and author of “The Love of Home: Interiors for Beauty, Balance, and Belonging.”

How to Achieve the Nancy Meyers Aesthetic

1. Go neutral.

The Nancy Meyers aesthetic is built on neutral tones including white, beige, wood, and marble. “This allows color to be brought in through accessories or pieces that can be easily swapped out,” says interior designer Emma Beryl. In other words, stick to neutral tones in your wall paint and furniture, then add in textured rugs, eye-catching artwork, and colorful pillows.

Simple, uncomplicated bases act almost as negative space that allows the observer to be wowed by the details and textures surrounding it, says Marker. Ultimately, staying in the natural realm is exactly how Meyer’s homes feel timeless, like they’d fit in 20 years ago and 20 years into the future just the same.

2. Fill in empty spaces with books.

Books give character to a space and add to a home’s cozy feel. Design-wise, they’re also the perfect way to fill in empty spaces. According to interior designer Kate Marker, Meyers’s use of books are never highly curated or rigid. Rather, they’re “carefully placed as if they have been loved, read, and admired for years,” she adds.

If you’re stuck on how to style books in your home, Untener recommends stacking similar books that have coordinating colors together and pairing them with other decorative elements like frames, vases, and other accent pieces.

3. Display vintage finds and heirlooms.

Generally speaking, you won’t find an overly trendy or super modern piece in a Meyers home. Instead, her sets are home to time-tested heirlooms or vintage finds that can easily be transported from room to room during an inevitable fit of rearranging.

“The heirlooms and vintage pieces Meyers weaves into her sets make each space feel so personal to her characters and adds to the element of storytelling,” Untener says. “I think it’s important to find a place that displays the item and allows for its story to continue, whether it be on a table, highlighted under beautiful light, or selectively paired with other storytelling pieces to ensure they don’t get lost in the space.” Beryl, meanwhile, recommends integrating these elements into your whole house so that your space feels more cohesive.

4. Opt for open shelving.

Meyers’s use of open shelving in her films is a window of opportunity to further showcase her characters’ stories. In your home, open shelving may be a great way to display personal items and make a space feel less museum-like. Untener says, “I recommend styling open shelving with a few different types of items, whether it be books, frames, or curated accessories to create visually appealing pairings.”

Keep in mind, though, that there is a potential of overdoing it. “Open shelving should never feel untouchable, cluttered, or overfilled — it should be curated with both beautiful and useful items,” says Marker. Choose to display items that you use often, have significant decorative value, or are of the same category (for instance, books, kitchenware, or decorative objects).

5. Add throw pillows liberally.

The benefits of throw pillows are two-fold: yes, they can add color, texture, and pattern to your space, but in a more practical sense, they keep you comfortable. And, of course, if you have a neutral palette, throw pillows add character and dimension to the room.

Beryl says sofa throw pillows should at least be 20″ by 20″ for square shapes, or 12″ x 24″ for lumbar pillows. She adds, “Layer different patterns and colors together to make the space feel less flat — I usually do two square ones on one side of a couch and two squares plus one lumbar pillow on the other.” Another pro tip: order your inserts one size larger than the pillow cover to obtain that full plush look, says Marker.

Ultimately, you know you’ve achieved a Nancy Meyers aesthetic if your house feels like a home. Think about things that you love and things that inspire you, and find ways to better showcase them: this can be anything from having a designated spot to display fresh flowers if you like to garden, to having a perfectly curated gallery wall to remember some of your favorite life moments, says Untener. Remember, it’s the unique personal touches that can make a big impact.