Taylor Swift's Unusual Decor Choice Proves Home Design Has No Boundaries

Even if you don't follow Taylor Swift on social media or aren't much of a Swiftie at all, you probably saw her on the cover of Time when she was named Person of the Year in 2023. Swift's role became a viral sensation when she shared the cover photo with her cat Benjamin Button, of the docile and affectionate ragdoll breed, draped across her shoulders. Cats are a big part of her life and, as such, they're also a big part of her home. In 2016, she answered 73 Questions with Vogue on YouTube, some of which took place in her Cat Room, where at the time, she had an estimate of 10 or more cat-related décor items. In the years since, one can only imagine how that collection has grown. It's a testament to how interior design doesn't have to be staid to be beautiful. Your décor should always reflect who you are as a person, and if that person is passionate about cats, it's okay to lean into that with your design choices.

Taylor Swift's 281 million Instagram followers, 95.2 million X (Twitter) followers, and 24.8 million TikTok followers are likely used to her cat décor. In her photos, there are throw pillows bearing her cats' faces, among other small details fans pick up and emulate, and there's a thriving cottage industry of fan art inspired by her furry friends. So how does one turn their home into Taylor's Version? Read on.

In Swift's home, the singer-songwriter employs feline figurines as design elements, but some also have a practical use, serving as bookends, for example. You can easily follow this lead, giving any adorable cat statuette you find a functional use, or you can seek out specific décor items made in the shape of cats. The Kit Kat Clock, for example, is one of the most recognizable items of kitschy design, sold on Amazon for $59.99. Concentrate your cat décor in a single area of your home, such as the bathroom — there are cat bath mats, shower curtains, and even toilet brush holders on the market — or spread them throughout the home. 

Of course, Swift has a flair for the dramatic as well. Her 30th birthday cake was decorated with icing replicas of her three cats' faces among a bed of roses. On the home front, she owns at least one painting of her cats as well. No doubt this was a commissioned piece, but artwork is not out of reach for regular folk. In whatever form, it's a big part of design, adding depth, texture, focus, color, and personality to a space. Art prints can be found just about anywhere, from thrift stores to galleries, but a dedicated site like Art.com features nearly 6,300 prints of cats and kittens at prices as low as $15.

On her 2022 album Midnights, Swift's song "Karma" jeers that "Karma is a cat, purring in my lap 'cause it loves me," implying that she'll get the better of all the naysayers out to derail her. Her fans loved it. Mariska Hargitay, who famously plays Olivia Benson on "Law & Order: SVU," the namesake for one of Taylor's Scottish Fold cats, named her own cat Karma in honor of Taylor Swift. And if you search the phrase on Etsy, you will get thousands of results. From throw pillows for your sofa to tapestries and drinkware, there is so much to choose from featuring the now-famous line, "Karma is a cat".

In addition, there are numerous ways to customize products with pictures of your own cats, taking inspiration from Taylor in that way. After all, her cat Meredith Grey doesn't like to have her picture taken, but yours might be a total ham. And that way, you can have your own giant cat face pillows. After all, design karma states that if your home reflects who you are and what you love, then you will love your space.