If you’ve ever stood in the aisles of Kmart or Ikea holding a candle and whispering to yourself, “cheap or chic?” this one’s for you. We all need a chic friend to help steer us in the right direction when choosing the 'posh bits' to make our home feel luxe, and that's our friend Loui.
In this episode of The Edit, we go full home core with digital creator Loui Burke, the man the internet now knows as your “friend in home and hosting”. Loui has quietly built a career that, from the outside, might look like fluffing cushions for a living. But... inside, it’s down to over a decade of clever styling, strategy and saying no to brands that don’t fit. Plus, Loui shares a specific theory we can all learn from about rugs, window treatments, and why your living room still feels unfinished.
Alongside our friendly host and Home Beautiful editor, Elle Lovelock, Loui talks us through the long - not actually overnight - path from photography student to creative director to full-time content creator. He also reveals why his work has always revolved around the same obsession: how things come together in a room, not just how they look in a shot. There are Aje and Adairs era styling jobs, kidswear campaigns shot in Italy and Copenhagen, and the week he was offered a “proper job” at Broadsheet and, instead, decided to back himself and the algorithm - a huge leap of faith in oneself we can all relate to.
We get into the business side: how Loui thinks about mini‑series like “Cheap or Chic” as marketing strategy, not just vibes; why he refuses to gatekeep high‑street finds; and the way he decides which brands get a spot on his grid (hint: it’s about fabrics, fabrication and whether his audience can actually afford it, not just the logo). He also makes a surprisingly passionate case for Belgian linen, tone‑on‑tone monogramming and floating shelves and offers a very diplomatic verdict on leopard print.
Underneath the pretty pictures, there’s sound philosophy: everyone deserves access to good design, homewares are where you experiment with trends (not the sofa), and scale is the thing most people get wrong – especially when big‑box furniture is secretly sized for teenagers. Loui's advice, now immortalised on the internet, is "When in doubt, go bigger." Rugs, curtains, sofas. Your cottage, your terrace, your budget may protest, but your rooms will finally make sense.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
The origin story of ‘your friend in home and hosting’
How Louis went from studying photography to chasing what was happening “on the other side of the camera”, fell for interiors over fashion, and stitched together styling, marketing and content into one multi‑hyphen job title.
What a content creator actually does all day
The not‑so‑glam reality behind the reels: strategy, brand decks, long‑term collaborations and why his work has always been “connected” to his training, rather than a pandemic fluke.
High/low interiors that actually work
Why he loves mixing premium Australian furniture (think GlobeWest, Fenton & Fenton, Rachel Donath) with Big W tableware and Target awning‑stripe bedlinen – and the fabric rules he refuses to bend on.
The three things every living room needs
Louis’ non‑negotiables: a generous rug, real window treatments and a light shade – and why most people blow the budget on the sofa and forget the pieces that actually make a room feel like home.
Cheap or chic, decoded
How his viral series started as a growth tactic, why alliteration matters on Instagram, and the styling fundamentals he’s trying to smuggle into your feed under the guise of “don’t do that, do this."
Trend court: monograms, scallops, leopard, floating shelves
Rapid‑fire verdicts on which details feel timeless, which are “traditional‑transitional”, and which should probably never make it onto your bed sheets.
The scale lesson you probably need
Why medium‑sized everything is killing your rooms, how oversized furniture transformed his parents’ tiny Hunter Valley cottage, and the simple rule he swears by: if you’re hesitating, size up.
If you’re currently staring at a too‑small rug, a nervous little console and a naked window, wondering why it’s not giving “home”, Louis is here with a ruler, a reality check and permission to buy the bigger size.
Thank you for listening ❤️
before you leave...
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👀 See more
The Target Edit: How to style your space with just $50
How to Make Your Home Look Expensive
Luxury Look On A Budget
The biggest Christmas trends of 2025, according to Loui Burke
You're Doing Trends Wrong. Let's Fix That. (There Are Two Forecasts: Trends & Weather)
🙏 Our special thanks for making 'The Edit' our new home:
Luxaflex - our beautiful 'studio home' curtains
Oz Design - furniture Australians love
Loui Burke on TikTok | Instagram | YouTube
Credits:
Edited by Phil Calloway
Production by Thomas Crnkovic
Our wonderful Home Beautiful team
Learn More: HOME BEAUTIFUL
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