Interview With Home + Lifestyle Creator Rachel Valente
Step into the world of Rachel Valente, a home decor enthusiast with a passion for creating practical, budget-friendly ways to make any space feel like home. With her inspiring DIY projects and unique approach to interior decoration, Rachel has built a loyal following and turned her hobby into a successful career. In this interview, she shares her tips and tricks for upgrading your bedroom this spring, discusses her upcoming home renovation plans, and reveals the inspiration behind her earthy and natural design aesthetic.
Join us as we learn more about Rachel and her journey to creating a mindful and personalized home.
Hello Rachel! Could you give us a brief introduction about yourself and your work for those who may not be familiar with you?
I am a mid-twenties home decor enthusiast, and I’m passionate about showing people practical ways to make their spaces feel like home! I was a renter for three years and built my communities on Instagram and TikTok by demonstrating renter-friendly hacks, budget DIYs, and easy projects that are achievable at a beginner level. My husband and I recently became homeowners in the Phoenix area, so we are now beginning the journey of customizing and personalizing our new space! While my personal style reflects a lot of adobe/desert, Mediterranean, and Spanish influences, I have an appreciation and love for every type of interior style–– and a big desire to see each person find what they like most and incorporate it into their own home!
What inspired you to start creating content focused on home improvement and DIY projects?
When my husband and I were first married, we lived in a 650 sq ft apartment. We had just recently graduated college and our budgets were tight. Despite this, I really wanted our little apartment to feel like our home! We had signed a 2-year lease and I wanted to enjoy every day of it in a space that felt like us. I had absolutely zero interior or decorating experience, and mainly experimented with my style to find what I liked. I went through mid-century modern, bohemian, Scandinavian, and lots of trial and error. I DIYed and thrifted like crazy to save money and to learn new skills. I shared this season of discovery on my Instagram, not expecting it to turn into anything–– but it did! And now, continuing to share that process is my full time job!
Could you share some budget-friendly and effortless ways to upgrade your bedroom this spring?
Think small, but big impact. The greatest differences can be in the small adjustments you make! Some great ways to start are refreshing your bedding (get a new set of sheets or a new duvet!), changing out your curtains, painting your window frame black (a quick and easy way to upgrade the look!), swapping out the rug with a new one, rearranging your decor, or adding some greenery!
Do you have any upcoming plans for renovating your home? Are there any DIY projects that you're particularly excited to start working on?
We have lots of plans! We actually still don’t have our kitchen fully functioning yet, so that is definitely on our priority list. Other than that, we also want to renovate both bathrooms, update the porch add-on room to make it a cozy office space, and create a DIY shelf/niche wall in our bedroom. I don’t have a particular project I’m most excited about–– I’m just looking forward to seeing the
progress in every room over time!
We couldn't help but notice that your home decor features a lot of earthy tones. Would you mind sharing with us what inspired you to choose this color palette for your home?
Since the beginning, I’ve always gravitated towards earth tones. My mom in particular has always loved earth tones, and I think I inherited that part of her! Like many others would say, those neutral, calm tones provide a very safe and cozy space, so I think they’re important to implement in my home. I’m also very inspired by nature (mountains, desert, rock) and I love to bring those natural colors into my home to create that feeling of bringing the outdoors in.
What elements do you consider essential for an earthy-themed bedroom?
Remember earthy doesn’t just mean brown! Some gorgeous colors to incorporate are also olive, terracotta, rust, even pink. It’s important not to get too carried away with just choosing beige/brown, as that can make your space feel flat. Bring in dimension with layers of color, and most importantly, don’t forget texture! Earthiness is home to texture–– bring in different types with linen bedding, pottery, woven rugs, handmade decor.
We'd love to learn more about your creative process when it comes to interior decoration. Can you share with us your sources of inspiration and how you go about developing your personal style?
I get inspired by so many places/things, but the primary ones are other friends/creators online, Pinterest, and the world and space around me! A great way to begin is to think of spaces you’ve felt most at peace. Was it the beach, your local coffee shop, a trip to a place around the world? Pull from the elements of those places and implement them in your home. Then research key words for those elements to find your personal style! Pinterest is the perfect spot to do this. Remember you can mix and match and pull from different styles to layer your ideal home design!
What are 3 things you are loving right now?
Interior-wise, right now I am loving pottery, jute rugs, and aged/reclaimed wood!
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