At Home with Medina Grillo

We’re excited to bring back our popular home tour feature At Home With. This week, we are touring the home of author and blogger, Medina Grillo. You can read Medina’s past ABM articles here.

OK, let’s jump into the tour. Her home is a DIY masterpiece!

Q: I love how you focus your message on renters! What do you say to someone who feels like they can’t truly personalize their home because they rent?

A: I’d say “please don’t think that” because you totally can! If anything, my home is proof that it can be done. My home reflects a lot of my personality and the things I love, and I think even if I weren’t able to paint walls or make other changes, this would still be the case.

I’ve injected character and color into my home through bold accessories and furniture pieces that make statements. I’ve used removable wallpaper to showcase my love of pattern and feature walls, and I’ve hung plants and stylish lights using self-adhesive hooks.

Decorating a rental definitely requires some out-of-the-box thinking, but I honestly think it’s worth it. Life is far too short to spend time living in a soulless box that doesn’t reflect the amazing person you are!

Q: Your home has a really nice color scheme without being too matchy. What are your tips for honing a color scheme? 

A: Mood boarding is a great way to see colors, themes, and textures on paper before you start the actual decorating. I would suggest picking 3-4 colors and materials and sticking to them when putting a room together.

For example, you don’t necessarily have to have one tone of wood in a space—you can have multiple tones just as long as it’s within your original selection.

Try to avoid buying furniture sets that are too matchy. Mix and match throughout your home to create interest and more depth in your style.

Q: DIY is a big part of your decor! What’s your favorite DIY you’ve ever done in your home? 

A: My favorite DIY is going to have to be my IKEA cabinet hack in my entrance. It’s a simple little hack— I mean, all I did was cut out the door and add cane webbing to the IVAR unit, but it has made such a difference to the space. I really love and appreciate the simple DIYs.

Q: Your numbered stairs are so cool. Can you tell us a little about how you created those? 

A: Yes! I wrote a blog post about stenciling and painting my stair risers here. I love the industrial look of them.

Q: Your children’s spaces blend so seamlessly with the rest of your home. Do you have any tips about decorating for kids? 

A: My biggest tip is to buy stylish storage to put their “stuff” in, haha. This is especially the case in my living room. Those baskets you see on the shelves actually hold a lot of baby accessories and toys.

Q: Where can we follow you? 

A: You can find me on Instagram here, and my website is Grillo Designs.

P.S. Be sure to check out the posts Medina has written for ABM here! xo, Elsie

• 5 Creative Ways to Use Peel and Stick Wallpaper
• How to Add Cane Webbing to an IVAR Cabinet
• 7 Bedroom Storage Tips to Maximize Your Space

Photography: Medina Grillo and Kasia Fiszer Photography