Exclusive: HGTV's Jenn Todryk says this is the single most impactful design lesson she's learned in her career
With a HGTV show and a book to her name, it's safe to say Jenn Todryk is among the most influential design figures of our day – and with her résumé comes a host of knowledge that impacts how we decorate. Naturally, therefore, when H&G sat down with the personality herself, we were keen to uncover some of her most surprising pieces of wisdom – and her stand-out design lesson was at the top of our agenda.
'The biggest and most obvious lesson I have learned is that everyone thinks beauty is different,' Jenn says.
'It takes different shapes. It's not the same for everyone. I have a style that I like to design and decorate around, but I have to get to know the client. At the end of the day, I could design the most beautiful space for me, but then the client might get into the space and absolutely hate it.' So, how does this impact Jenn's decorating ideas, and what can we learn from her ideology?
As Jen explains, every client's taste is subjective – meaning it is hard to say that a single one-size-fits-all trend will work for all.
'I have to dig into who my clients are. I have to make sure they hire me, and they know my style, so they know what they're getting into. But I have to be able to figure out what they like, even if they don't know what they like themselves – and then incorporate them into their design,' Jenn comments. 'I do this so they think it's beautiful. At the end of the day, they're the ones living with it.'
Inspiration for how to incorporate personality into a home can be seen in the new season of No Demo Reno, which premiers on September 14th on HGTV. However, we can also look to embracing sentimental items – whether that involves decorating with antiques, family heirlooms, or art that means something to us personally.
'The biggest takeaway after doing this is I can think something's beautiful, but it doesn't mean everybody will,' Jenn says. 'I really have to put each client into their own home design. You can use their personalities in their space, and that's what makes them the happiest overall.'
Beyond interiors advice, we're taking notes from Jenn's book, Whine: 50 Perfect Wines to Pair with Your Child's Rotten Behavior, available via Amazon below.
Whine: 50 Perfect Wines to Pair with Your Child's Rotten Behavior – $6.05 on Amazon
Spanning sweet, pink wines to full-bodied reds, Whine has the humor (and libations) to help you survive parenthood, according to Jenn Todryk herself. View Deal
