By Antonia Day 21.05.2024

6 Design Lessons We Learnt From Karen Emile’s Slow Living Home

These interior design approaches reflect her blissful, unhurried life.

There was much to be adored from content creator Karen Emile’s 1950s ranch-style home in Woodland Hills, California. From the bespoke furniture lovingly made by her husband, to her enviable collection of vintage homewares, no stone was left unturned when it came to the design and decoration of her charming cottage-like home.

Embracing the slow living mindset, Karen has curated a meaningful and conscious lifestyle that is prevalent in every facet of her life. This is especially evident in how she has chosen to style her idyllic home, which serves as a safe haven for Karen, her husband, and their three children.

To find out how Karen curated a space which pays homage to unhurried moments and farmhouse charm, find six interior design lessons we learnt from her cosy home.

1. Emphasis on handmade items

Karen’s idyllic home is an extension of her and her family, with sentimental items thoughtfully dispersed throughout the space. “I feel like you can sense the love in my home because of the things my husband has built and all the art that is by my son. There’s an artistic creativity in our home, and I love the fact that a lot of it is handmade and collected from within our little family,” Karen said. Her husband built most of the home’s furniture by hand, using salvaged wood for the bed frames and large pine kitchen island, which acts as a pedestal for Karen’s stunning collection of vintage European dishware.

2. Celebrates original features

What drew Karen to her home initially was the “solid bones” that made up its structure. From the original diamond wood windows to the stone fireplace, the house was alive with character before she had even moved in. These ‘dated’ features may have deterred other would-be buyers, but Karen saw the potential and used this historic charm to her advantage. Applying her natural flair for collecting reclaimed objects and furniture, Karen has created a soulful space that complements the original structure without compromising on the needs of a modern family.

3. Focus on functional spaces

Form and function were just as important to Karen as the overall aesthetic when designing her home. When speaking about her inviting kitchen, Karen said: “We’re always there, that’s our space. It’s one of the spaces I’m most proud of because of how we made it function so well.” While her kitchen is certainly the sum of aesthetic choices (just like the show-stopping curved stone rangehood), it’s very much a functional space, too – wheels on the central wooden island enable it to be easily repositioned and vertical space is used to great effect to hang utensils and display crockery on open shelves.

4. Embracing the beauty in the mis-matched

“I don’t like everything to match, and I like everything to be something special and tell a story. I love so many styles, so I said, ‘You know what, I don’t need to match my chairs, I’ll put whatever chair I want!’ And that’s exactly what I did. Why do I have to have rules?” shared Karen. This approach toward decorating is present in every room of Karen’s home, even extending to her bathroom. Adorned with art, vases and decorative objects, Karen has created a charming and totally unique space by showcasing an assortment of treasured pieces.

5. Dedicated spaces to unwind

A slow living home demands space to do just that – stop, slow down, and smell the roses. And you can quite literally do all three in Karen’s outdoor bathtub, assembled with antique tapware and raw corrugated iron to create the perfect nook to relax. While not everyone has outdoor space to achieve this, setting aside a spot in your home to practice meditation or simply read a book can do wonders to help you switch off.

6. Sustainability is at the forefront

Extolling the beauty in well-worn furniture and homewares, sustainability is at the core of both Karen’s chosen aesthetic and slow living lifestyle. “When we moved here, most of the pieces that I had in my last home came into this home. Some of the pieces are 20 years old, they’ve literally travelled with me everywhere,” she said. This sustainable approach to design has resulted in a uniquely personal space, which beautifully reflects Karen and her family's interests, values, and style.