Move Over, Brat Aesthetic: These Room Ideas Are Very Demure, Very Mindful
It’s been a long (and wild) Brat Girl Summer. But now? We’re getting modest, respectful—we’re getting demure. Within the last few days, the “very demure, very mindful” trend has taken over the internet.
According to Merriam-Webster, demure refers to a person who is modest and reserved. According to the internet? Being demure is a state of mind, a lifestyle choice, and a way of being. It’s cutesy; it’s dainty; it’s not doing too much (but doing just the right amount). Think of a polite feminine cough at a dinner party—noticeable, maybe a little cute, but not disruptive. Social media users use the term to describe this photo of President Dwight D. Eisenhower—need we say more?
It all started with a viral satirical TikTok video created by self-proclaimed “fierce diva” Jools Lebron, recommending that women present themselves conservatively in the workplace. “You see how I do my makeup for work? Very demure. Very mindful,” Lebron says in the video. “I’m very modest. I’m very mindful. You see my shirt? Only a little chee chee out, not my cho cho. Be mindful of why they hired you.”
The tongue-in-cheek TikTok has over 13 million views and has evolved into a full-blown series. Lebron soon began sharing more videos on how to be demure in different scenarios. In one, she shows how she picks up her ID from the bar very demurely: “Very demure. Very mindful. I don’t come to the bar and go drink. I come, I get my ID, and I leave.”
Other creators hopped swiftly on the demure bandwagon. One person showed her followers “how to be demure and take your antidepressants,” and another video shows how to be mindful when eating pizza. Wondering how to be demure after leaving a hookup? There’s one for that, too.
Yes—“very demure, very mindful” is a design philosophy too. To achieve it, think understated elegance with a touch of playfulness. Soft color palettes that whisper instead of shout, carefully curated accessories, pretty furniture that’s not too flashy. It’s demure, but not dead inside. And because we are very mindful of why you’re here, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite rooms that are so very demure (with only a little chee chee).
Demure Powder Room
A powder room in general is demure. This powder room, designed by firm Le Whit for designer Christina Wang, is VERY demure with its chic-yet-restrained blush palette and tiled floor. No surprise, this mindful look was inspired by Phoebe Philo’s stores for Céline.
Playful Entryway
On the world's fourth most expensive street, interior designer Georgia Tapert Howe is very mindful of first impressions with this stunning entryway. It's a gentle nod to playfulness, while remaining perfectly poised and reserved. It's very...can you guess what I'm about to write?
Cutesy Rosé Room
We cannot get enough of this vibrant Los Angeles home, designed by ELLE DECOR A-Lister Tiffany Howell for the writer and director Mara Brock Akil. Very cutesy, very demure, or as Jools Lebron says, very "demuretesy."
Soft Pink Living Room
So chic! Carly Cushnie's goal for her first interior design project was to create a "clean, calm, and relaxing space." Very mindful of her. You see those clean lines and subtle curves? Very demure. We're impressed!
Sophisticated Children's Bedroom
"With soft hues and curves galore, this Manhattan apartment is the definition of sophistication," wrote our (very mindful) interiors director, Bebe Howorth about this space designed by Husband Wife. It's cute, it has personality, but it's not too much -- it's very demure.
Chic Walk-In Closet
The ELEGANCE. It can be very easy to go overboard with a walk-in closet, but this one —designed by French designer Pierre Gonalons— is very mindful. It's the perfect reminder to be very demure when dressing (no cho cho out, of course).
Feminine Fabrics
Designer Anne McDonald was doing demure before demure was cool. This feminine, and refreshingly chic main bedroom has us completely enchanted with its demure vibe. (Or should we say dreamure?)
Dreamy Poolside Patio
"We want a place where we can nap anywhere," the owners of this Long Island summer home told designer Melissa Lee. With the low-slung pool loungers and fringed outdoor umbrellas, we could be mindful here all day long.
Walnut Wiggle Bed
The custom "walnut wiggle" headboard in this New York apartment designed by Cochineal Design adds the perfect amount of personality without being too extra. One could say it's very mindful.
Mindful Living Room
All-star design duo Ashe Leandro were very mindful in this living room, pairing organic shapes with an original mantel. So clean, so crisp, so very you-know-what!
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