How to Build Your AD-Worthy Living Room

Inspired by Nate Berkus, Hilary Duff & Ashley Tisdale’s Design Aesthetic

AD credits: Tour the Los Angeles Family Home That Ashley Tisdale Designed for Herself

If you’ve ever scrolled through Architectural Digest’s home tours and felt your heart skip a beat, you’re not alone. That curated-but-comfortable, layered-yet-light look? It’s not just for celebrities. Whether you’re renting a one-bedroom apartment or renovating your forever home, transforming your living room into an AD-worthy sanctuary is absolutely doable.

Here’s your step-by-step guide to building a living room that could stand proudly among the homes of design icons like Nate Berkus, Hilary Duff, and Ashley Tisdale.

1. Build Around an Architectural Backbone

✦ Define your space with intentional structure

Start by evaluating your room’s built-in features. AD-worthy rooms often embrace or mimic architectural detailing—think inset shelving, crown moldings, or intentional alcoves. Even if your room doesn’t have them, you can fake it ’til you make it with paint, trims, or wall-mounted millwork.

Pro tip: Choose a statement wall with recessed lighting or a centered niche to highlight your TV or artwork—just like Tisdale’s clean and thoughtful symmetry.

2. Embrace the Art of Soft Minimalism

✦ Less clutter, more cohesion

Designers like Nate Berkus master the balance between refined and relaxed. Avoid visual chaos by sticking to a neutral palette, with layers of natural materials: oak, linen, clay, and plaster. Go monochrome in tone but rich in texture—this is where Japandi meets Mediterranean serenity.

Think: Linen slipcovered sofas, plaster-toned walls, and boucle accent chairs. Keep silhouettes low, soft, and sculptural.

3. Edit, Then Add Character

✦ Every piece should have a voice

Don’t overfill your space. A few well-chosen items say more than an overflowing bookshelf. Take cues from Hilary Duff’s home: a gallery-worthy abstract painting, an aged terracotta vessel, or a vintage armchair with character.

Pro tip: Style your coffee table and console like a still life—think stacked books, a sculptural bowl, and one organic element like driftwood or a small olive tree.

4. Get the Lighting Right

✦ Layer it like a lighting designer

Good lighting is everything. AD homes glow. They don’t glare. Use a mix of sources: sconces, floor lamps with brass arms, and low-glow table lamps. Dimmable overhead lighting should be warm (2700k or below).

Must-have: An arched floor lamp in antique brass to give that “styled-but-lived-in” polish. Bonus if the lampshade is fabric or linen.

5. Go Custom Where You Can

✦ Built-ins, tailored upholstery & curated accessories

Custom doesn’t have to mean expensive. Repainting your media unit in a tone-on-tone matte finish or swapping hardware can elevate your entire space. Choose upholstery in durable, luxurious-looking fabrics like performance velvet or washed linen.

Tip: Customize your pillows with varied sizes and materials—mixing velvet, jute, and handwoven cotton creates depth.

6. Introduce Subtle Color & Organic Form

✦ Let color whisper, not shout

Think rust, ochre, olive, and seafoam—used sparingly. Whether in a single throw pillow or a piece of art, this color grounding adds richness without disturbing the calm.

Inspiration: Ashley Tisdale’s use of creamy tones offset by earthy paintings and olive trees in unglazed pots—inviting, grounded, and very on-trend.

7. Add Your Soul to the Space

✦ Story over showroom

The most AD-worthy rooms feel personal. Incorporate one-of-a-kind touches: heirloom photos in thick frames, ceramics you made in a workshop, or that flea market side table you couldn’t leave behind.

Your living room shouldn’t just be beautiful—it should feel like you live there.

AD-Worthy Recap Checklist:

• ✅ Natural tones + rich textures

• ✅ Thoughtful lighting layers

• ✅ One standout art piece

• ✅ Minimal but sculptural furniture

• ✅ Natural materials (wood, stone, linen)

• ✅ Subtle use of color

• ✅ A blend of vintage and modern

• ✅ Personal artifacts that tell a story

Final Thought:

You don’t need to live in a celebrity zip code to have a home that looks like it belongs in Architectural Digest. With intention, a bit of editing, and design courage, your living room can radiate calm, creativity, and timeless style—exactly the kind of space AD would be proud to feature.