What makes a house 'Instagrammable'? This question is an essential part of interior design for influencers and content creators. In addition to the imperative to curate a home that is warm, cozy, and welcoming to live in, they have to consider how the house will appear flattened on the screen. As all of us live increasingly online, the idea of our homes beyond the physical is ever present.
In an exclusive interview with Hannah Ann Sluss, the former Bachelorette explained to Homes & Gardens how she balances these two (seemingly conflicting) ideals of what a house should be. She created her warm minimalist paradise with interior designer Patti Gosch of Atlanta-based studio and retailer Outrageous Interiors. Every square foot is built not only for calm and relaxation, but for content creation.
The idea for the design came from Hannah Ann's move across the country, where the landscape inspired her to decorate with dark colors. She states: 'I grew up in Tennessee. Over the last five years of my life, I've always lived somewhere warm. I lived in California, I lived in Florida. So, going back to Tennessee, I really wanted to lean into the warm and cozy feel. In a more seasonal climate, I wanted to channel more contrast and darker colors. I enjoyed the process of going for something that was totally out of my element.'
Shop the Look
This black and white coffee table book is one of the most popular ways to brighten a coffee table. It looks best in a stack with other tomes.
I've been searching for a throw pillow cover in this exact color for a little while, and this one is quite perfect for my green scheme. The cover is made from cotton with a solid hue and a velvet-like texture for an inviting look and feel.
Add a flourish of green to your home's aesthetic with this Faux Gypsophila Leaf Potted Tree from Hearth & Hand™ with Magnolia. With a vibrant green gypsophila leaf tree housed inside a ceramic pot, this faux arrangement brings a touch of nature indoors without the hassle of any maintenance.
Crafted from cotton jute, the Jefferson Stool has a sophisticated, cylindrical form and quilted feel. Its form is abstract and comfortable and unique design that gives a subtle nod to modern mid-century styles.
This large vase is a simple and elegant way to integrate glass into your entryway. Add a single branch for an elevated, modern feel.
This versatile marble tray is perfect for use around the home, ideal for placing on a shelf or on a coffee table to house small ornaments and accessories. The clean lines of the edges would be a great contrast to a circular table.
Though making the house look cozy was the primary concern, Hannah Ann's career was also always at the top of her team's mind. 'I always try to think of my house as a studio, especially since I film a lot of content,' she explains. 'I am particular, I want things to be content-worthy, as they say, Instagramable. Having multiple spaces with a background that isn't too much, isn't too overpowering that I'm able to film in front of is really important. Patti at Outrageous Interiors understood that, and that's why I've always worked with them, because they can make everything look like a studio, but also very warm and welcoming.'
To serve these means in a livable way, the team decided to decorate with art and decorate with mirrors to create several background vignettes. Hannah Ann explains: 'We included a lot of artwork, we included several different mirrors because I do take a lot of mirror selfies to promote different brands for clothing.'
She adds: 'One of my favorite areas is the entryway that has a massive circular mirror right in front of the stairs. They knew the exact measurements to make it the perfect width where you could see the decorations and see my outfits. We set up mirrors to complement the windows, so there can be natural light without it being backlit.'
This focus on lighting influenced several design decisions throughout the home, including the kitchen cabinet color. 'I always thought I would never have a black kitchen,' Hannah Ann laughs. 'I thought it was too dark, especially for the content I filmed. Seeing a kitchen is one thing, but when you're filming it, it's completely different. For whatever reason, the black cabinets create the perfect lighting scheme. The lighting is super consistent from the morning to the evening, and the food pops more. I don't even have to bring out my big lights anymore when I film.'
To keep the home from feeling too sparse amidst its studio-status, Hannah Ann leaned into her tastes and the needs of her family. She tells us, 'When I first got my first apartment years ago, I wanted everything to be pink because I was single and so I called it the Girls Club. I had everything very girly, very feminine, and lots of ruffles. Even like my tableware was pink. It was a really fun time. But five years later, working with the same interior designer, it's been fun just to have my design mature over the years and then also incorporate my husband into it.' This maturity comes through in the rich color palette and the incorporation of natural materials throughout the home.'
When choosing the home's color palette, Hannah Ann looked to natural surroundings. 'I wanted to lean into like a soft green,' she says. 'Because we are in Tennessee, we're close to the mountains. I didn't want it to come across as a mountain house, but I wanted it to have elements of nature. There are accents of green throughout from the pillows to the artwork to just a hint of the shade in the rugs.'
In the digital age, the way a space looks in a photograph can be just as important as how it looks in person. By channelling a distinct personality, warmth and coziness, one can ensure that these two images don't work against one another, but instead combine in perfect harmony.
