About Emily Richardson — HomeDecorDiary.com
My first apartment was a disaster.
Not the “needs a little work” kind of disaster — the kind where the carpet was a shade of brown that genuinely couldn’t be named, the walls were builder beige, and the landlord had a strict no-paint policy. I was 24, working a full-time job, and had about $200 left after rent to make the place feel like home.
That’s where this whole thing started.
I’m Emily Richardson — a self-taught home stylist and the founder of HomeDecorDiary.com. I didn’t go to design school. I didn’t have a mentor or a renovation budget. What I had was a stubborn refusal to live in a space that felt depressing, a lot of free time on weekends, and a growing obsession with figuring out what actually works in a real home — not a staged showroom.
What I’ve Learned From Years of Decorating Real Spaces
Over the years, I’ve decorated five different homes — from a 480-square-foot studio in my mid-twenties to the Nashville house I live in now. Each one taught me something different.
The studio taught me that small spaces don’t need to feel small — they need intentional furniture placement and a restrained colour palette. The rental with the no-paint rule taught me that removable wallpaper, gallery walls, and strategic lighting can transform a space without touching a single wall permanently. The house I share now is where I finally got to experiment freely — and where I learned that having more space doesn’t make decorating easier. It just means more decisions.
I’ve made every mistake you can make in home decorating. I’ve bought a sofa that was too big for the room. I’ve painted a bedroom a colour I loved in the store and hated on the wall. I’ve wasted money on trendy pieces that looked dated within a year. I write about all of it — because the mistakes are where the real lessons live.
Why HomeDecorDiary Exists
I started this blog because I kept having the same conversation with friends: “I want my home to look nice but I don’t know where to start, and I can’t afford a designer.”
That’s exactly who I write for.
HomeDecorDiary.com is for people who live in real homes — not magazine spreads. People who have a landlord, a tight budget, a weird-shaped room, or a style that doesn’t fit neatly into one category. My goal with every article is simple: give you something you can actually use this weekend, not just pin and forget.
Every post on this site is written based on real experience — things I’ve tried, tested, gotten wrong, and eventually figured out. I don’t write about $5,000 sofas or renovation projects that require a contractor. I write about what works when you’re working with what you’ve got.
What You’ll Find Here
HomeDecorDiary covers:
Bedroom Decor — from cozy, moody bedrooms to clean Scandinavian-inspired spaces. I cover everything from bedding layering to accent wall ideas that work in rentals.
Living Room Styling — furniture arrangement, gallery walls, colour palette choices, and how to make a living room feel intentional without buying all-new furniture.
Kitchen Decor — open shelving styling, countertop organisation, small kitchen solutions, and the details that make a kitchen feel warm and lived-in.
House Plants — which plants actually survive in low-light apartments, how to style them without making your home look like a greenhouse, and how to start small if you’ve killed every plant you’ve ever owned.
Decor Style Guides — deep dives into styles like Japandi, warm minimalism, coastal, boho, and Scandinavian — what they actually mean, what they cost to achieve, and how to mix them without it looking like a mess.
Let’s Stay Connected
New articles go up every week. If you want fresh home decor ideas without the overwhelm, the best place to follow along is Pinterest — I share daily inspiration, behind-the-scenes styling ideas, and all the blog posts there first.
📌 Follow HomeDecorDiary on Pinterest →
Have a question about a specific room or decorating challenge? I read every message. Reach out via the Contact page — I’d love to hear what you’re working on.
— Emily
