If you’ve had enough of minimalist decor and all-white interiors, you’re in for a treat. Meet 27-year-old Kaarin Joy — an interior decorator, fiber artist, and nurse — whose home has been going viral on the internet for completely breaking away from the norm.
Kaarin has built a following of over 2.4 million on TikTok and 483K on Instagram for sharing her and her husband's home and the behind-the-scenes of putting it all together. But before going mega-viral for sharing her vibrant design style, she started with posting sewing content online, a hobby she picked up while working as a night-shift nurse. "I loved feeling like I had a community to share things with. That slowly expanded into me sharing more of my crochet projects, design, and art — and along the way, I found a love for colorful design!" she told BuzzFeed.
Now, millions watch her home decor content, and it’s no wonder why: Stepping into her home is like stepping into an art gallery. In a recent house tour, Kaarin showed off her colorful space, which features everything from rainbow wall art to food-inspired furniture.
Some of the most impressive pieces throughout the home include her DIY decor, like this crayon chandelier in the entryway — which yes, Kaarin and her dad made themselves, and she documented the process on TikTok.
You'll also find other incredible DIYs, such as this giant ice cream sandwich bench that has storage space.
This giant squiggle painted along the living room wall.
And this purple-and-red-themed dining room, which features a glass table that was painted and filled with resin to look like a koi fish pond.
If you couldn't already tell, whimsical lighting is a huge theme throughout the home, including this strawberry cake lamp and a thrifted pencil lamp...
...and a DIY cake chandelier in the laundry room.
When describing her style, Kaarin captures it perfectly: "Definitely colorful. Joyful and bright. I love things that are a little bit weird and a little bit out there. Nothing is off limits in my home, and I really just try to do whatever I know will make me smile each day."
"I would say a lot of my home decor comes from things that are a different size than they are supposed to be. I love large art pieces that are life-size," she added. "For example, I have a giant toothbrush in my bathroom hanging on the wall just because I thought it was fun to see a toothbrush as big as me every day!"
Kaarin particularly draws a lot of inspiration from food. "I have a breakfast nook area in my home that has seating all made to look like different fruits. I just love food decor, and I think it's so cute!"
And yes, those chairs include a lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, and strawberries. 🤩
Hanging above the table in the breakfast nook, you'll find a resin spoon chandelier.
According to Kaarin, her projects can take anywhere from days to weeks to complete. In the second part of her house tour, she mentioned that this chandelier was one of the most "tedious" projects she's ever worked on, but the hard work clearly paid off; the results are stunning.
Speaking of food, there's also a CEREAL WALL in the kitchen, featuring Froot Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, and more.
And there is a touch of neutral colors in the home, as seen in the primary bedroom.
Of course, you can still find funky pieces, like hand chairs, an Oreo side table, and a moss-framed TV.
Not only does Kaarin's unique space put a smile on her face, but tons of viewers have given her praise for her creativity and talent. "I am very thankful to be able to do what I love and have it be so accepted by so many," she told BuzzFeed. "I love connecting with people about art and design, and this has allowed me to do that."
She's also had lots of support from her friends and family, including her husband. "He always encouraged me to push for my dreams, and nothing ever felt off the table. He always has made me feel like I can do anything, and I am so grateful to him for that," she said. "I am very thankful for a husband [who] lets me decorate our house so loud and colorful! I know not everyone's partner lets them decorate however they want."
As you can imagine, plenty of time and resources go into creating such a personalized home, but Kaarin has helpful advice for those looking to customize their space, like being willing to learn how to do certain projects yourself to save money. "It can really add up in cost to pay someone to do things like painting and installing fixtures. ... If I don't know how to do something, I try to learn so that I can tuck away that skill and use it again."
