Olivia Culpo’s Lake Home Is Stuffed with Little Design Tips

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From Miss Universe to full-blown way of life tastemaker, Olivia Culpo has mastered the artwork of creating issues look—and really feel—good. But at house, it’s much less pageantry, extra peace and quiet. When she and her husband settled into their lake home in Charlotte, North Carolina, Culpo envisioned interiors that felt grounded, pure, and deeply calming.

To deliver that imaginative and prescient to life, she turned to Crate & Barrel’s Design Desk for steerage—although she jokes that her relationship with the model goes approach past formal collaboration. “I’m embarrassed to admit how much time I spend in their store and on their site,” she says. “But I’ve worked with their design experts before and knew they’d get exactly what I was going for.”

Armed with a temper board and a transparent sense of what she wished the rooms to really feel like, Culpo labored with the workforce to construct out her bed room and eating room—layering in tender textures, sculptural silhouettes, and heat, earthy finishes that echo the pure magnificence simply outdoors her home windows.

Below, she shares her favourite styling tips and the design decisions that made the largest influence.

Start With a Mood, Not Just a Style

Before choosing items, Culpo anchored her method across the setting itself. “Our lake home is a special place where we unplug and recharge,” she says. “We wanted the interiors to reflect that same sense of calm and natural beauty that surrounds us outside.” Think wealthy woods, touchable textures, and a palette that pulls straight from the panorama. “Inviting and grounded, but still refined”—that was the objective.

Layered Neutrals Are Never Boring

Culpo’s palette is stuffed with lotions, browns, and mossy greens—however there’s nothing flat or forgettable about it. “To keep neutrals from feeling flat, I rely on layered textures, intentionally mixed materials, and varied finishes,” she says. Her trick? Subtle shifts in depth and tone, like pairing wooden grain with velvet or matte ceramics with tender linens.

One standout instance: the deep inexperienced Medoc Swivel Chairs within the bed room. “They mirror the natural tones of the trees outside and tie the whole space back to the landscape in a really thoughtful, cohesive way.”

Choose a Mix of Shapes and Materials

“Balance” is the phrase Culpo returns to typically. “In both rooms, I wanted to create contrast while still keeping everything cohesive,” she says. That meant pairing linen and boucle with modern brass and sculptural marble—combos that add polish with out overwhelming the house. “It’s really about combining different finishes and shapes in a way that feels layered but not chaotic.”

Let Lighting and Rugs Do the Heavy Lifting

Culpo handled lighting and rugs like true design gamers—not afterthoughts. “The ivory area rug in our bedroom adds warmth and brightness,” she says. “It was so funny—right when we rolled out this rug, Oliver [my dog] ran in and cozied himself up right in the center, so we knew it was a keeper.”

And within the eating room? The sculptural Revelery Glass Pendant brings the whole lot collectively. “Its soft glow really sets the tone—it adds elegance without feeling overly formal and perfectly complements the room’s natural textures and relaxed palette.”

Pick One Piece to Guide the Room

No concept the place to begin? Culpo recommends zooming in on a single piece. “Start with one piece you really love—whether it’s a bed, a dining table, or even a piece of art—and let that guide the rest of the space,” she says. “That helps ground the room and gives the rest of the pieces a clear direction.”

Entertaining? Think Layers, Not Fuss

As a frequent host, Culpo’s objective is to make friends really feel immediately comfy. “It’s important to me that my guests feel at home in a warm and welcoming space—not overly formal or sterile.” Her go-to tablescape components: preserve dinnerware easy, lean on pure linens, and play with proportion.

“Varying height and texture will make your tablescape feel full and interesting,” she says. One considerate contact? Embroidered napkins. “The Marin Linen Napkins add a polished but relaxed feel—they are perfect for embroidering my guests’ initials on for dinner parties.”

Don’t Be Afraid to Let It Evolve

Even with professional assist, Culpo embraced a slower, extra lived-in method to design. “I think layering takes time—and that is what makes a space feel personal,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to live in a space a little and let it evolve. Mixing textures, adding meaningful pieces, and playing with scale helps make a room feel elevated—but the most important thing is that it still feels like you.”

Design Help Makes a Difference

While she has a powerful eye for design, Culpo credit Crate & Barrel’s Design Desk with serving to her get from inspiration to execution. “They helped me refine my ideas and find pieces that elevated the design without overpowering our home’s architecture,” she says. “The end result feels beautifully curated—not overdone, just perfectly balanced.”