In Defense of (a Little) Bad Taste

Plus, a Rockefeller carriage house reboot.

View in Browser  Friday, March 27, 2026 Our market director Ben Reynaert has a controversial take: The best rooms include something ugly. It's an argument he makes in his new book, The Layered Home, by taking readers inside 17 spaces that belong to collectors. Each of these rooms captures the way these creatives actually live—with an eye towards discovery and joy. Here, he shares his advice for achieving the ultimate layered home which, yes, includes embracing questionable taste.   —Annie Goldsmith, senior editor  4 Design Secrets to Create the Ultimate Collection ELLE Decor's Benjamin Reynaert takes us inside his new book, The Layered Home, and explains what makes the most stylish spaces a feast for the eyes.   When Benjamin Reynaert set out to write The Layered Home: Inspiration for Crafting Cozy, Collected Rooms, he was inspired by the kinds of interiors that catch his eye on Instagram. "I really enjoy dense images," he says. "I like things to feel crowded and where there's a lot to look at." It's not that Reynaert, who also happens to be ELLE Decor's market director, doesn't appreciate the austere beauty of a spare or minimal space. After a career spent moving up the masthead at Domino, Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and more—and a degree in architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design—the writer, editor, and stylist has a keen eye for a wide range of design sensibilities. But for his first book, he wanted to showcase the eclectic, overstuffed, ebulliently personal spaces of creative individuals he admired—not styled to perfection the way they might be for a magazine, but exactly as those people live in them. "Often interior design can be so perfect, but I wanted spaces that didn't feel perfect or precious," he says. "There are holes in the wall and things hung randomly." READ THE STORY   They Bought a Rockefeller's Carriage House—Now, It's Their Forever Home On the Upper East Side, ELLE Decor A-List designers Brittney Hart and Justin Capuco of Husband Wife infuse a Gilded Age relic with midcentury Italian flair.   READ THE STORY   Your Messy Apartment Might Be More Chic Than You Think, Thanks to the "Cluttercore" Trend A decidedly messy ELLE Decor editor explains why.   READ THE STORY   10 Dark Green Paint Colors That Will Make You Feel Like You're Living in a Forest It's Mother Nature's fave for a reason!   READ THE STORY   Follow Us Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection ELLE Decor is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2026 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779