If you love feminine and fresh decor, blue and white, gingham, bows, and floral accents; then you probably have a preppy style! Curating a preppy home takes time and is something that has to be done with lots of thought and intention. In this post I break down what preppy decor is + I’ve done some digging and found the BEST and most affordable preppy home decor pieces for you.
This post is all about guiding you to create a preppy home and preppy home decor ideas!
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What is Preppy Home Decor?
Preppy home decor combines several elements of traditional design with bright colors and beautiful patterns. It is the perfect combination of light and airy with cozy and collected, and it will stand the test of time! Preppy decor is all about using traditional principles and design elements to think outside the box and put your own unique twist on your home. It opens the door for so much creativity and individuality! For example, preppy decor can be both feminine and bright with lots of pastel colors and whites AND traditional with lots of reds, blues, wood, and leather.
I have seen several different approaches to preppy decor as well: either using one theme or style for your entire home OR treating each room in your house like a totally unique space. For example, having a bright and airy living room with a moody and cozy home office. Preppy decor incorporates it all!
How to Curate Preppy Rooms
So now that we’re on the same page as to what preppy decor is, how exactly do you curate preppy rooms? First, start off by imagining how you want to feel in each room. Do you want your living room to feel relaxed with lots of natural light? Do you want your home office to feel eclectic and somewhere you can have deep focus? This all plays into what preppy decor you should end up selecting.
Second, make a vision board for each room of colors, fabrics, and general inspiration. Pinterest is a great resource for helping your draw inspiration. This will be immensely helpful to decorating – as you shop you can ask if the decor you are interested in aligns with how you want to feel in the room and the vision you have.
Third, start to shop! This is where things really get fun and you can act as a decor detective. It is important to remember that curating a preppy home takes time to find decor. Think of it as collecting timeless decor for each room instead of something that you can accomplish in one weekend. It takes patience, but you will really grow to love the process!
You can absolutely find preppy decor at stores you would normally source decor from like Target and Homegoods. There are also lots of high end stores with preppy decor – but I like to focus on affordable finds or decor I can DIY. BUT the best place to strike preppy decor gold is on Facebook marketplace, especially if you live on the East Coast or in the South.
Essential Elements of a Preppy Aesthetic
If you don’t know where to start with creating a preppy aesthetic, there are a handful of design elements that I always go to first. It makes it super easy to search online as well! My essentials for preppy decor include
- Gingham
- Ruffles
- Scallop trim/edge
- Symmetry
- Floral print
- Stripes
- Checkered
- Wicker
- Marble
- Boxwood
- Bows
- Velvet
- Blue and white colors
- Pastel colors
This list could go on and on, but having these basic elements in mind makes guiding your shopping so much easier! For example, if I am looking for throw pillows, I might Google “pastel gingham throw pillow.” And boom, you have a ton of options that will likely fit a preppy aesthetic!
Preppy Living Room
Shell dish | ‘Beautiful’ coffee table book | Faux orchid | Mini ginger jar | Flower lamp | Candle dome | Branch picture frame | Pear art
I am in love with each of these pieces! Plus most of these pieces are from Amazon! Who knew you could find such amazing preppy home decor on Amazon. You’ll definitely notice a theme of blue, white, and gold; and these colors are classics in preppy decor!
Preppy Bedroom
Blue and white lamp | Rattan tray | Faux tulips | Bow tray | Flower picture frame | Candlesticks | Fabric storage bins | Floral sheet set
These preppy decor pieces are a sure way to create a relaxing and inviting bedroom that stays true to your style! I have the adorable floral sheets on my own bed and I love them, plus you can’t beat the prices!
Preppy Decorative Pillows
Navy gingham pillow | Dotted pillow | Blue and green floral pillow | Crane pillow | Striped bolster pillow | Blue fawn pillow
If you haven’t noticed, I LOVE blue! It works for every single season, and of course fits very well with a preppy style! Pillows are a great way to add in a fun pattern or design, while still staying within your style! Don’t be afraid to throw in some eclectic pillows!
Preppy Kitchen
Blue plate set | Copper mixing bowls | Preppy Kitchen cookbook | Silver bamboo utensil set | Scalloped garden dish | Blue drinking glasses | Scallop jute runner rug
A space that is sometimes overlooked as far as decor is the kitchen, however you can still weave in your preppy interior design taste! I personally love the scallop jute runner rug and I have the blue and white plate set! Plus you cannot go wrong with the Preppy Kitchen cookbook by John Kanell!
I hope you enjoyed this incredible roundup of affordable preppy home decor items! For more home decor inspiration, check out THIS POST! Happy decorating!
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