This holiday season we need all the cheering up we can get and there’s nothing quite like decking the halls in new and exciting ways to help us find some festive joy. And as the most followed home décor page on Instagram, there isn’t a doubt @inspire_me_home_decor is the best go-to source for some novel décor ideas this year. This is where Lebanese influencer Farah Merhi shares her distinct style, a mix of class and cosiness, plus that all-important touch of glitz. As well as showcasing her signature aesthetic, the page is where her passion for design shines through and where she connects with her 6.1 million (yes, you read that right) followers.
The Michigan-based interior designer, who is inspired by her mother’s attention to detail, wears many other hats, including wife, mum, author and entrepreneur. She is the Founder and CEO of Inspire Me! Home Décor, a lifestyle brand offering enduring, elegant and glamorous pieces. Coming in neutral colour palettes, the designs help give any home a warm and inviting vibe.
Whether you want to treat yourself to some new decorative items for the holiday season or gift a décor enthusiast, you’ll find stunning options with flawless design detail, including a gold shimmering holly stem with cream berries, ceramic gold and white pine trees, decorative gold pinecones, a champagne gold glitter branch and a gold pillar candle with a gold glitter band. Plus, there are some beautiful items that have a festive feel but can be displayed all year long, like the jewelled glass votives, candles and candle holders. The self-taught Merhi also offers some gorgeous serving pieces to ensure optimum presentation, including a glass and gold cake stand and dome, a glass oval tray with a hammered gold edge, a Turkish tea cup and tray set and a gold feather napkin holder.
Merhi, who was born in the Democratic Democratic Republic of the Congo, started her design journey in 2012. While studying Political Science in the US, the multi-tasker realised she wasn’t following her passion and decided to drop out. And it was while she was renovating her own home that she decided exactly how she wanted to re-route her career path. As she was fervently working on and shopping for her own home, she found a missing niche in the market, a look that’s inviting and timeless, yet glamorous.
“No one was putting the glam look out there. I think people were just afraid of it. Because when you think of glam, you think untouchable, unlivable," she told “House Beautiful.”
Merhi did start design school, but with her social media following growing so much, she decided her Instagram page, where she got lots of insight from her audience, needed all her attention. By 2017, her success story, which is all about making it as easy as possible for fans to recreate her signature style, saw her partnering with the likes of QVC.
The inspirational Merhi, who knows the importance of having a sanctuary-like home, is also behind “Inspire Your Home,” her debut book. As well as giving readers an insight into her background, there’s a how-to part of the book that focuses on topics like best ways to arrange furniture, team accessories and entertaining.
