Like every generation before them, Gen Z is setting the stage for what our home interiors will look like during the 2020s and decades to come. Enter: aesthetics and "cores" like cottagecore, goblincore, dark academia, fairycore, and cluttercore. Doing away with conventional design rules and cookie-cutter styles, Gen Z is all about hyper-personalization and embracing who you truly are, inner child, chaos, and all.
Among those born between 1997 and 2012, there are several creators who are paving the way in the home design realm with their distinctive styles, educational content, joyful DIYs, and of course, tranquil videos that make the stress of the world disappear. We spoke with a few of them about their work and what they hope to accomplish in the years to come. These are Gen Z's next big creators.
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Video of the Day
Benji Le
Age: 23 years old
Location: Los Angeles, California
Design style: midcentury modern, Scandinavian, Japanese
What type of content do you create? "I am a plant designer and create content surrounding interior decorating, houseplants, aquariums, and terrariums. I merge these interests and share my life with plants via calming and aesthetically pleasing videos."
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "Through my content, I hope to inspire viewers to integrate plants into their homes in an intentional and decorative way."
Sicard Whalen
Age: 23 years old
Location: Los Angeles, California
Design style: Afro-centric, midcentury modern with a dash of contemporary
What type of content do you create? "I create interior design and fashion lifestyle content."
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "The biggest takeaway I want viewers to get from my content is that you can find beauty and inspiration in almost everything in life. It's okay to venture outside of yourself and your taste to appreciate and understand just how subjective beauty and art are."
Kaarin Joy
Age: 25 years old
Location: Texas
Design style: eclectic, funky, colorful
What type of content do you create? "I create DIY home decor content, sewing and fashion design videos, and crochet content. I love anything artistic, and I love trying new things that are out of the box and not your 'typical' idea of design."
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "I hope that I inspire people to do the things that they love, despite what is 'trendy and popular.' If it makes you happy and feels very much like you, then you should be doing it — despite what anyone else thinks of it.
I hope my viewers can take away that nothing is off limits when it comes to art. If YOU like it, it's perfect just the way it is. Artistic expression doesn't belong in a box and there is so much joy in expressing yourself that way."
You can follow Joy on TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram, and check out her website and shop here.
Briana Santos
Age: 24 years old
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Design style: Danish-inspired eclectic decor
What type of content do you create? "Home decor and lifestyle content."
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "With my apartment, I took a lot of inspiration from what I saw online, but ultimately all my decor came from almost two years worth of picking pieces I personally loved or had a connection to. Over time, I grew a following from other people taking inspiration from everything I curated! I hope my followers are able to take inspiration from my home decor or lifestyle content, but also, in the process, are encouraged to find their own sense of unique style, just like I did."
Dani Klarić
Age: 23 years old
Location: Miami, Florida
Design style: whimsical, vintage, eclectic
What type of content do you create? "My content falls into the home and interior decor category. I post a lot about the behind the scenes of decorating my clients' residential and commercial spaces — this is actually an ongoing series I post about called 'decorate my clients dream space with me.' I also love to post regular lifestyle and fashion content when I get the chance!"
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "I mostly want to inspire those who want to pursue a career in the creative industry. I feel like most people think this isn't possible for them or it just may feel like a scary path to take.
I also like sharing my work with others so they can get inspired by all the whimsical designs and colors I incorporate when I decorate. I feel like Gen Z (my generation) grew up in a very non-colorful world because our parents' generation was tired of the colors they grew up with in the '60s and '70s. There's literally research going on about how color is disappearing in the world. So really, in the end, I just hope I can inspire others and remind them to have fun and to live in color. There is really nothing more beautiful than color, so why not bring it into your home?
Sometimes people take life too seriously, like decor, so I like reminding people that there aren't any rules when it comes to decorating, especially your own home. Adults are really just kids in disguise and just because you're a certain age, it doesn't mean you have to decorate your house in an all-gray color palette. Everyone deserves to have a little bit of fun and to live in a home that feels true to themselves."
Laura Lisbon
Age: 25 years old
Location: Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas
Design style: "Like a trashed hotel room in Paris or a destroyed Birkin, I love the classics, but I think stuff should be trashed and well loved. That or contemporary (newtro) '70s and '80s design."
What type of content do you create? "A 'lil bit of everything, mostly design curation critique and education."
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "That design isn't hard or something you can't understand, nor is it that complex. I want to give them their new favorite thing while also giving them the context to love it outside of its price or status."
Annika Hinds
Age: 24 years old
Location: Portland, Oregon
Design style: colorful, boho, eclectic
What type of content do you create? "On my channels, I share DIYs, home decor tips, and budget-friendly room makeovers."
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "I hope that my content inspires people to embrace their personal style and get creative decorating their space. I really believe that our surroundings can have a huge impact on our mental health, and our homes should be a place that we feel comfortable and good in! I want everyone to have the opportunity to create a space that they love regardless of socioeconomic circumstance, and DIY makes that more accessible."
Jonathan Colin
Age: 25 years old
Location: Los Angeles
Design style: "Colorful and playful aesthetic. Inspired by retro interiors and modular furniture designs."
What type of content do you create? "The majority of my content is custom furniture builds where I show the progress of the piece from beginning to end. I also occasionally make DIY 'arts and crafts' content."
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "I hope to spark some inspiration with my content. I would like viewers to feel the urge to build and create things themselves! By showing the process and materials, and also the many failures, that can go into making a piece or design, I hope viewers leave less intimidated with starting their own projects."
Emily Shaw
Age: 24 years old
Location: New Hampshire
Design style: midcentury modern, industrial, eclectic
What type of content do you create? "I like to create content that inspires other people to personalize their spaces. I share aspirational videos with gifted renovations, extremely unique and achievable DIY projects, and educational content about interior design. My passion is problem-solving and creating new pieces that have never existed before, and I feel so lucky to be able to explore those ideas as my job and share them with so many people."
What do you want viewers to take away from your work? "I want my content to make someone else excited about their own life ... I also want to demystify interior design and teach the principles that make a space great, so more people can feel confident decorating for themselves. I do not believe in following trends — instead, I believe in exploring personal expression. Knowledge is power and I want to empower everyone who visits my page to create something they love.
There is so much psychology behind how a personalized space can make someone more confident in every other aspect of their life because they feel as though they belong. I want to make my viewers feel like they belong in my community as well as in their homes. I grew up with little to nothing, but I always found new ways to be creative with what I had. I want to encourage others to do the same and give anyone who is struggling an idea that makes them excited.
I don't expect my viewers to recreate every single video that I produce. However, the more achievable and exciting content that I put out there, the more likely that another person finds the project they needed. And even if I haven't posted their dream project yet, my creative community full of ideas will help them find a spark of design inspiration."