Brooches are back: home decor gets a sparkly upgrade
From red carpets to living rooms, the humble brooch is experiencing a surprising resurgence. The accessory, once relegated to vintage jewelry boxes, is now being embraced as a playful and personalized touch for home décor in a move that’s catching the eye of designers and consumers alike.
Pin-terior design: how brooches are transforming home decor
The Oscars red carpet served as a dazzling harbinger. Stars like Michael B. Jordan, Adrien Brody, and Leonardo DiCaprio adorned themselves with brooches – a clear signal of a trend gaining serious traction. Pinterest data supports this shift; searches for ‘brooch aesthetic’ are up 110% year-over-year, and ‘brooch styling’ has jumped a staggering 500%.
Sydney Stanback, global trends and insights lead at Pinterest, notes the trend’s unexpected migration from fashion to furnishings. “We’re seeing brooches trend strongly on Pinterest, especially in fashion,” she explains. This isn’t just about replicating red carpet looks; it’s about injecting personality and a maximalist sensibility into everyday spaces.
Jaharn Quinn, founder of Smore Home, discovered the trend organically. She began repurposing thrifted brooches, initially adorning a lamp shade. “It was almost like building a miniature gallery, and it turned into something layered and expressive,” Quinn says. The key, she emphasizes, is intentionality. A simple paint color can elevate the overall effect; Quinn switched her lamp shade from a “flat” chocolate brown to a deep plum, instantly transforming the piece.
DIY enthusiasts are embracing the trend, experimenting with various surfaces. Lampshades are popular, but brooches are also being used on picture frames, mirrors, throw pillows, and even curtain clips. Juan Marquez, a DIY and interior design content creator, focuses on silver brooches with simple, bold designs. “I wanted things that were very clear and to the point,” he states. He finds removing the lampshade wires simplifies the pinning process.
For a cohesive look, Quinn recommends sourcing brooches with a unifying element – color, style, or metal tone. “I like to source secondhand brooches in the same metal tone—gold, for example—so even though each one is completely different, they still feel connected when brought together,” she says. This creates a more considered and design-led finish.
The placement of brooch-adorned items is equally important. Marquez placed his brooch lamp in a room with oranges, greens, and beiges, while Quinn opted for an olive green bookshelf. “What I love most is how it holds its own within the space,” Quinn says.