Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carson Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Carson thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My mission really is simple, to create beautiful spaces & inspire others to make their homes exactly what they want! A lot of people are scared of DIY (do-it-yourself) projects and making a house a real home because of the “resale value” and having to change it all back to off-white when they move out. I’m here to change that narrative. What most people don’t know is how far a little paint and a few nails will transform your home.

My rental condo became a personal canvas for me, allowing me to bring the vision of a vibrant 1980s pastel-themed home to life. After just one weekend of projects I totally transformed my home into an immersive scene right out of a 1980’s movie. Mainly by using some Dusty Pink/Mauve paint and doing simple moulding on the walls. It was this personal project that sparked my desire to share the unique design style with a wider audience. After starting my blog on TikTok, I have cultivated an amazing community of people who love vintage inspired interior design just as much as I do. Over the last year, I’ve received hundreds of messages from my followers explaining how my journey has inspired them to re-do their own homes themed around a particular decade.

My success on TikTok has helped me shake those feelings of self-doubt and ignited a desire to help others bring their dream homes to life. In a perfect world I envision establishing my own vintage-inspired design service studio one day. With an emphasis on unique pieces and curated aesthetics, I hope to keep inspiring others with my personalized and memorable spaces that transport anyone to the nostalgic 1980’s.

Carson, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Carson Lee, an Atlanta based creative who moved to the city in 2018. After living a few years in a white box one day I finally decided my home needed a major change. I started to become inspired by vintage interiors of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, & 80’s. I ultimately felt the most connection to the interior design style of the mid to late 1980’s. I began selling my boring old furniture on Facebook Marketplace and would buy a unique 80’s piece after I sold each thing. I then decided to move full force into the theme. After a few months of renovations I launched my TikTok blog, “Carson’s Room” in late 2022. It has since become an internet sensation, showcasing my 1980s-inspired designs, but don’t expect to see the usual assortment of bright neon colors and leg warmers in my home. Carson’s Room is majorly influenced by Miami’s 1980s Art Deco revival period and Hollywood Regency maximalism with a focus on soft tones and materials like brass, glass, and beautifully lacquered furniture.

My upbringing in rural South Carolina and spending summers between the Carolina Lowcountry & the enchanting Appalachian Mountains, provided me with an innate appreciation for beauty in all its forms. My childhood years were spent exploring antique shops with my Aunt Alexandra, an avid antique historian in her own right, I believe this further nurtured my passion for vintage & the stories embedded in each piece.

While creating captivating content, I’ve amassed over 10 million video views, 1.2 million likes, and a following of more than 27,000 fans. Through TikTok, I engage with my community, offering tips, answering questions, and sharing my passion for aesthetics of the bygone era. My audience resonates deeply with the fun and dreamy aesthetics of my 80’s time capsule home, where every single furnishing & décor piece was hand selected myself from estate sales, thrift stores, antique shops, and local sellers from Facebook Marketplace.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

To just put yourself out there! If you’re thinking about posting it, just do it. It’s hard to get out of your comfort zone but it can be so rewarding when you find a community that likes the same things as you!

In the beginning it was hard to decide on what decade to choose for inspiration for my home. Originally I was leaning towards the 60’s, but something about the 1980’s was calling my name and I know now that it was the best decade to go all in for. It was scary making content at first and putting myself out there. Fortunately everyone on TikTok has been super supportive and encouraged me to keep making more fun 80’s content. I probably would have given up without the positive reception from my audience.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is what I’m most proud of— to keep inspiring others to make their homes a happy place. Whether that be honing in on classic traditional design or choosing a decade to create a full blown time capsule.

I think the fact that I appreciate and embrace the 80’s design everyone had written off as “ugly” really intrigues people. After the 90s and 2000’s people started throwing around the term “that’s so 80s” as an insult to say something is dated/old. If you look back at design books from 1980-1995, everything there is absolutely so beautiful, bright, floral, shiny, and one of a kind. You don’t get that anymore by shopping at the same place as everyone else.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.tiktok.com/@carsons_room
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@carsons_room

Image Credits
Carson Lee / Carson’s Room | Vintage Design LLC