Endearing, loveable, hilarious, talented — these are the adjectives HGTV fans use to describe Michel Smith Boyd, who has starred in several of the home improvement network’s franchises over the years, including “Rock the Block,” “Luxe for Less” and coming later this summer, “100-Day Hotel Challenge.”
While viewers know him to be a maximalist who loves an explosion of color and texture, the Atlanta-based interior designer has officially entered his minimalist era. Just don’t call him a minimalist, OK? “Lately I have been working from a minimalist principle,” he tells CNN Underscored. “But I can’t be minimalist. It’s not possible; it’s not in my DNA. Today, I’m editing a lot, and my point of view is more refined. I feel like I can tell my design story and create these incredible interior narratives with a lot less stuff. I’m actually calling myself a moody minimalist — as in, when I’m in the mood to add more, I will.” Case in point: He’s leaning into white walls (his top two paint colors are Sherwin-Williams Alabaster and Shoji) and is designing spaces with fewer and more unique pieces in them.
As a judge on season five of “Rock the Block” — where he had to give up his crown as reigning champ (he and partner Anthony Elle won season four of the show) — Smith Boyd has made a TV career out of being able to eschew elevated design while keeping cost in mind.
“I’ve never met a client that didn’t have a budget,” he says. “Even if it’s massive, people still want to know where their money is going! If you’re kicking off your own project, the key is deciding what your priorities are — what is an absolute must, what’s most important to the family and then also what’s going to add the most value to the house. I’ll tell you right now, that’s always going to be the kitchen and the master bathroom.”
Below, Smith Boyd shares some of his favorite design details for the home, from his brand’s own candle to the chicest ice bucket we’ve ever seen.
“One of the elements about minimalist interiors that I love is that everything is utilitarian, strategically placed and well hidden,” Smith Boyd says. “These bins can corral everything from remote controls to whatever you use to light the candle to batteries and all the mail. They make it easy to clean up really quickly.” Available in four sizes and three colors, the lightweight bins are crafted with Paulownia wood and are easy to carry, thanks to the integrated handles.
A quality rug is key to anchoring a room, and Smith Boyd’s go-to brand is Feizy. “The great thing about Feizy is that they have gorgeous contemporary rugs that are really well priced and accessible to everybody,” he says. “And if you’re in the market for something that’s collected or antique, they have that too. I love the idea of luxury being accessible to everybody in the same spot.” Handcrafted in India and available in six sizes, the linear design of the Fenner rug also has a 3D texture.
Mirrors are great for making a room feel and look bigger, not to mention taking up wall space, and this one is among Smith Boyd’s favorites. “It’s the shape,” he says. “There’s something modern about the subtle curves that offers the best of both worlds with this pill-shaped mirror. We get the length/coverage of a rectangle, while still softening the space with organic edges.” Available in three finishes (black, gold and silver), the mirror can be hung vertically or horizontally.
Interior designer Sheila Bridges collaborated with Williams Sonoma on a Harlem Toile line of homeware products, and Smith Boyd is smitten. “I love this collection because it feels like contemporary heirlooms,” he says. “There’s a joy in each piece that I experience each time I use it.” In addition to the ice bucket, the collection includes glassware, coasters, bar towels and more, all of which bear the Harlem-inspired Toile de Jouy that Bridges designed herself.
More from Williams Sonoma x Sheila Bridges
Colored glassware is having a moment, and Smith Boyd is a fan of Estelle. “One of my greatest joys is hosting my friends for dinner parties,” he says. “It seems simple, but coordinating glasses is exactly the kind of intention that I consider luxury.” Available in a rainbow of hues — sets can be monochromatic or mixed — Estelle glassware comes in a dozen formats, from champagne flutes to decanters.
A die-hard devotee of Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Oud Satin Mood Eau de Parfum, Smith Boyd says, “Over time I became known for my scent because I wear the same fragrance every day. And I thought to myself, ‘What if I created a luxury candle so that your home could also have a signature scent too?” Enter: The MSB Signature Candle, which contains notes from his own preferred fragrance and comes bottled in a sleek ribbed vessel that can be repurposed once the candle is finished.
“Planters are the heroes that create those next-level outdoors experiences,” Smith Boyd says. “A sleek planter or a grouping of three is my go-to for expressing personal style in an exterior space.” Designed by Studio Anansi, this sculptural set includes one wide planter, one medium and one tall, all three of which are outdoor-safe and contain drainage holes.
