What Taste Actually Means (And Why We Confuse Taste, Class, Style and Trends)
Home & Hosting with Loui BurkeShow Notes
In this episode of Home and Hosting, we explore what taste actually means and why people so often confuse taste, class, style and trends. Conversations around taste always spark interesting discussions online, so we unpack how the words taste, class, style, and trends have started to blur together and why that causes so much confusion. Style is talked about constantly, trends move faster than ever, and taste often gets avoided entirely because it can feel loaded or exclusive. We also explore how social media has contributed to the TikTok-ification of design language, where everything becomes an “aesthetic”. When trends are packaged as aesthetics, it can make it seem like participating in the right trend means having taste, when in reality, those are very different things. From there, we look at how taste actually develops through exposure, environment and experience. We touch on ideas from sociologist Pierre Bourdieu and the cultural landscape he was writing about in the late 1970s, and how the internet, globalisation and the pace of modern media have changed how people encounter culture today. We also talk about why wealth can broaden exposure but does not automatically mean better taste, and how broader exposure can sometimes be treated as authority in the same way education or expertise can be used to signal status. Most importantly, we explore how taste is shaped by the environments we live in and the experiences we have. It is not something reserved for a particular class or price point. If you have ever felt unsure about the language around taste, design or aesthetics, this episode offers a thoughtful conversation about how to understand these ideas and apply them to your own home and daily life.
More from Home & Hosting with Loui Burke
A clutter clear-out is more than deciding what to keep. Loui talks about donating perfectly good things he no longer needs, organising the things he does, and choosing between recycling, hard rubbish and a skip bin. Plus, why regular edits matter even when you own your home, how to make the work manageable, and why you don’t need a perfect house before you invite people over.
What’s replacing bouclé, brass, curved furniture and asymmetrical styling? In this episode of Home & Hosting with Loui Burke, Loui breaks down the interior design trends moving in, what’s beginning to move out and five considered updates that can transform your space without a complete makeover. We’re talking tailored lumbar and bolster cushions, contrast piping, fringe and bordered rugs; the return of symmetry, Art Deco influences, sharper edges and stainless-steel furniture; chocolate brown, powder blue, yellow-green, magenta, animal print and botanical wallpaper; mixing velvet, stone, oak and walnut; and the move from brass towards polished nickel, chrome and silver metals. Loui also covers Italianate vintage sconces, chandeliers and mirrors, relaxed Roman shades, curtain walls and how to introduce these interior trends without replacing everything you already own. What feels current, what it’s replacing and what you can confidently leave in the shop.
A beautiful home still has to support a full life. In episode two of my listener Q&A series, I’m answering your questions about designing around children without surrendering your own taste, whether kitchen appliances need to match, making a tiny bedroom feel intentional, living with daily mess, owning a white sofa, where the dog bed should go and, finally, what to do with the permanently wet towel. Because if your home only looks good when nobody is eating, charging a phone, making coffee or owning a towel, it isn’t well designed. It’s simply between activities. Function isn’t the enemy of style. It’s part of what makes a home chic.
Buying more things will not automatically give you personal style. Sometimes the chicest thing you can do is stop shopping, properly understand your taste and edit what you already own. In this episode of Home & Hosting, Loui answers your questions about developing a personal interior style, working with the architecture of your home, making colourful and eclectic interiors feel considered, creating the Nancy Meyers aesthetic without becoming themed, and keeping country style from looking dated. Plus, a quick-fire round of Chic or Cheap covering bifold wardrobe doors, feature walls, chopping boards behind the stove, overfilled cushions and the dreaded karate chop. A practical guide to making your home feel more expensive, personal and put together without filling it with more unnecessary stuff. Follow Home & Hosting with Loui Burke and leave a rating if you enjoyed the episode. Instagram: @louiburke
Before you spend another dollar on your home, look at the home you actually have. This week on Home & Hosting with Loui Burke, we’re talking save or splurge, but not just what’s worth the money. We’re looking at how the age, architecture and existing character of your home should influence where you spend it in the first place. From ’70s walk-ups and traditional cottages to contemporary new builds, I’m breaking down why fighting your home’s architecture can become an expensive mistake, which original features are worth preserving, and where spending more will actually make a difference. Then we get into the practical stuff: where I’d save, where I’d splurge, what’s worth investing in and, importantly, when the answer is to spend absolutely nothing. Because the rule is pretty simple: save where the item is flexible, spend where the decision is foundational, and stop assuming buying more is always going to make your home better. If you’re enjoying Home & Hosting, follow the podcast and leave a rating. It really does help more people find the show.