For creative interior decorator, content creator and thrifting pro Nancy Cavaliere, it’s all about the thrill of the hunt! The busy Jackson Heights mom chatted with QNS about her obsession with all things vintage and antique, and her raison d’etre: A passion for one-of-a-kind, eye-catching treasures sourced from local thrift shops, estate sales, Facebook Marketplace and wherever she can score a good deal and get her hands on amazing finds for her crown jewel: the vibrant, maximalist pre-war apartment that she shares with her husband Alex and 5-year-old daughter Chiara.

Casa Cavaliere is quite a showplace, and loyal fans and followers across social media are part of a growing community of kindred spirits, who share Cavaliere’s love of foraging and decorating to the max!

Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere

Maximalism embodies a carefully curated and intentional, over-the-top aesthetic that boasts unexpected color palettes, layers of nuanced textures and patterns and interesting tableaus showcasing groupings of beloved objects, each with its own backstory. According to a recent House Beautiful piece: Intentional clutter is “a lived-in aesthetic that shows off who you are and what you love.” And, for the past few years, designers and homeowners alike have been embracing this new take on that “more is more” movement.

So, if you’re into eclectic vintage decor and flea market finds, thrift shopping till you drop, decorating on a budget and a good laugh, check out Cavaliere’s social media platforms, where she shares great tips and tricks, home decor inspo, design history and DIY projects, as well as the often-chaotic reality of balancing creativity, collecting, motherhood and decorating a pre-war New York City apartment.

Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere

“Whether I’m uncovering Picasso plates at the thrift store, styling a room entirely with vintage finds or turning flea market jewelry into wearable art, I believe great design should feel collected, creative and deeply personal — not perfect,” Cavaliere said.

The bubbly content creator and DIY-er, who is known for her viral decorating methods, like “Threading” for gallery walls and the “3-4-5 Decorating Method,” describes these concepts as “a tangible approach to decorating that helps people develop their personal style, while creating spaces that feel layered, balanced and authentically theirs. Because in the age of the Internet, who wants a home that looks like everybody else’s?”

Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere

Cavaliere’s home and work have been featured by Homeworthy, HGTV, Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy, Country Living, Newsweek and The Spruce.

Take a gander at the “perfect for maximalists” kitchen revamp on Apartment Therapy, where she talks about the “3-4-5 Method” she uses in her own spaces, i.e., maximalists can incorporate three patterns, four interior design eras or styles and five colors – to achieve their desired style at home.

And on The Spruce, Cavaliere shared her thoughts about gilded frames:

“Brand-new frames, especially big ones, can be expensive. Traditional gilding involves layers of red clay and wax that hold up far longer than the machine-made, or MDF frames you find in stores today,” she noted, adding, “They’re classic, rooted in history and line the walls of every major museum—they are the style.”

The designer also weighed in about wool rugs: “A vintage wool rug is one of the hardest-working pieces in a home and one of the smartest things you can thrift,” she said, noting, “wool rugs are trend-resistant because they’re rooted in history. We’ve been living with them for generations.”

Describing herself as “A sarcastic b*tch healing generational trauma through my love of thrifting, vintage fashion, interior design and decorating my NYC rental, and a true Virgo,” the savvy decorator told QNS that her maximalist vision has been “to create layered homes through vintage finds, secondhand treasures and a little bit of chaos.”

Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere

She added, “I believe in using your home. Nothing is too precious – not even the expensive antiques or beautiful things. Homes are meant to be lived in. I’d rather have a house full of memories than one that’s always perfectly styled.

Every home should have SOUL and amazing tchotchkes!

Upon entering Casa Cavaliere, guests experience an eclectic wonderland bursting with Italian soul. Wherever you look, you can spot lovingly curated tchotchkes and pieces of beautifully crafted furniture representing different eras, grouped into eye-catching tableaus throughout the space and in every room. Ornate mirrors and sconces, along with colorful wall art, hang over patterned wallpaper juxtaposed against interesting fabrics and textures on couch pillows and rugs. Cavaliere, who turned her daughter’s room into a truly magical space, explained that her home is a work in progress.

Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere
The backstory

Young Nancy came to New York City from Italy with her family when she was just seven. They had lived in a 17th-century church nestled in a charming little town.

After Cavaliere got married in 2014, the newlyweds started decorating their beloved apartment – in their favorite NYC neighborhood – and made her maximalism dream a reality, one tchotchke at a time.

Her husband weighed in, telling QNS:

“My wife is a force of nature, and sometimes, that works in my favor. Other times, it means I’m driving six hours to pick up a china cabinet just because she gave me her puppy dog eyes. It’s definitely never a dull moment. She’s some kind of crazy genius with her ideas, and a lot of the time, I question my sanity. But there’s always a lot of love and laughter in our marriage. I’m lucky to be married to her!

“We are so proud of everything she’s accomplished and everything she’s built, but to us, she’ll always just be my love and Chiara’s mom.”

Cavaliere chatted with QNS about her home, design business, social media presence and more.
Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere

QNS: What makes you “A Queens girl through and through”?

Nancy Cavaliere: I was raised in Queens, and I hope I’ll always live here! I truly don’t think there’s a better representation of the diversity and culture that makes NYC the melting pot of the world. Growing up here, I was surrounded by people from every background imaginable, and being exposed to so many different cultures, traditions and ways of life shaped who I am today.

One of my favorite things about Queens is that I can hop on the train, have lunch in Little Egypt on Steinway Street, and 10 minutes later, be in Astoria’s Little Greece. Where else in the world can you feel like you’ve traveled to a completely different country just by taking the subway a few stops? I think that’s pretty incredible, and it’s something I’ve never taken for granted. Now I’m raising my daughter here because I want her to have those same experiences – to grow up surrounded by people from every background, to appreciate different cultures and to see firsthand that our differences are what make this borough so special. I honestly can’t imagine ever calling anywhere else home.

QNS: Tell readers what inspired you to become a content creator and how you got started.

NC: I started posting my thrift finds and decorating projects while I was trying to decorate my first apartment on a very ‘broke girl’ budget. At the time, I was working full-time while going to school full-time, so I didn’t have a lot of money or a lot of free time.

My family and I immigrated from Italy to Queens when I was seven, and like so many immigrant families, we really didn’t grow up with much. Buying brand new furniture or expensive decor just wasn’t an option, so after I got married and we moved into our first apartment, I knew I had to get creative. I found inspiration everywhere, from museums and library books to Pinterest, flea markets, thrift stores and just walking around NYC.

I fell down this rabbit hole of learning about antiques and design, and I became obsessed with finding beautiful, really well-made pieces with history, for a steal, that I never would’ve been able to afford otherwise. That’s what inspired me to start my design blog and Instagram. I wanted to show people that beautiful homes don’t have to come with a big budget. I didn’t have family heirlooms to decorate with, so in a way, I started creating my own. What I never expected was the community that came with it. I found people who got just as excited as I did about thrifting, flea markets, antiques and decorating. We swap ideas, inspire each other and celebrate each other’s finds. To me, that’s what it’s always been about: being myself, sharing the things I love and connecting with people from all over the world who love them too.

QNS: Talk about your social media presence and why you connect with your followers.

NC: I think what people connect with is that I’m just genuinely myself, online and offline. What you see is what you get. If I’m excited about a thrift find, you’ll know it. If something doesn’t work, you’ll know that too. I think people can tell when someone is being authentic, and authenticity is something you can’t buy. I also make it a point not to take myself too seriously. I feel incredibly lucky that I get to be myself on the Internet and that people not only embrace it, but encourage it.

I feel like I know so many of the people who follow me because they’ve been with me since the OG days. They’ve watched me decorate apartments, become a mom, roast my husband on the daily, start my business and somehow turn my love of thrifting and decorating into a career. It really feels like one big, tight-knit family. I know that might sound crazy to say, but my ‘insta fam’ is always in the comments and my DMs sharing their opinions, giving advice, cheering me on and, of course, roasting me with memes. It’s just a fun, welcoming space, where I hope people feel comfortable being themselves and genuinely enjoy being there.

QNS: Describe your work as an interior designer.

NC: I offer virtual interior design consultations through Homeworthy and my website, Nancy Cavaliere, and I also work with clients in person. Some people just need help with the finishing touches, styling a room or choosing paint colors. Others hire me for a sourcing day, where we spend the day treasure hunting for antiques, vintage finds and unique pieces. And for clients looking for a bigger transformation, I also take on one-room and full-home decorating projects. Right now, I’m working on a virtual project for a client down South, finishing a NYC high rise for a fashion editor and next, I’ll be starting a fun cottage upstate for a media host, which I’m SO excited about!

Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere

QNS: Tell readers about your outdoor family dinner in your nabe and why it was a true NYC experience.

NC: I was raised in Italy, and some of my favorite childhood memories are of eating dinner outside during the summer. I really wanted to recreate that feeling somehow. Luckily, we have Open Streets in Jackson Heights, so I had this crazy idea to load all of my china, glassware, linens and dinner essentials into a wagon, wheel everything down to 34th Avenue and if there happened to be an open table, set it for dinner. We got lucky, found a table and spent the evening enjoying dinner al fresco, as a family. In true New York fashion, people absolutely loved it. So many neighbors stopped to ask what we were doing, told us they loved the idea or joked that they wanted to join us for dinner. It turned into such a fun community experience, and it reminded me that New Yorkers are always looking for creative ways to connect with one another. We definitely plan on doing it again. My goal is to make it a weekly summer tradition whenever the weather cooperates.

QNS: How do you source unique, storied pieces that are affordable?

NC: I always tell people that you have to train your eye. Go to museums. Read history books. Read design books. The more you expose yourself to great design, the easier it becomes to recognize a diamond in the rough when you’re out treasure hunting. And that whole process is actually what inspired my “Diamond Method.” I look at every piece I come across through the lens of its cut, clarity and carat, just like you would when shopping for a diamond. I’m not looking at whether something is shiny or trendy. I’m looking at the craftsmanship, the proportions, the bones, the details and the potential.

Remix Market NYC, where Cavaliere found her animal print Ottoman. Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere

Paint can be changed. Fabric can be changed. Hardware can be changed. But quality craftsmanship and solid wood furniture will last a lifetime. I’ve scored some of my favorite pieces using this method, and it really does work. Sometimes, you’ll find something that’s worth so much more than what it’s being sold for, simply because the seller didn’t know what they had. Those are the best finds because you’re getting an incredible piece at an incredible price.

QNS: What is your strategy for layering contrasting colors, unexpected wallpaper patterns and textures, so it feels cohesive instead of overwhelming?

NC: I get this question all the time because my house is a lot. People always ask me how I can mix bold wallpaper, contrasting colors and different furniture styles, without a room feeling overwhelming. The answer is my 3-4-5 Decorating Method. It’s a formula I created to make designing a room feel approachable. Every room starts with a minimum of three patterns, a mix of four design styles or eras and five colors or textures. Those three elements create the balance that makes a room feel layered, collected and personal instead of like it was bought from a catalog.

Photo courtesy of Nancy Cavaliere

The other thing I do is what I call “threading.” That’s what really ties a room together. I repeat colors, patterns, shapes and materials throughout the space. For example, the red in a bed canopy might show up again in the lampshades and the ribbon trim on the ceiling. Then I carry those same ideas throughout the house, just in different ways. I’ll repeat the same colors and patterns from room to room, but in different intensities and scales. That way, every room has its own personality, but when you walk through the house, everything feels cohesive because of all the connected “threads.”

The goal isn’t to make every room look like mine. It’s to help people discover their personal style and create a home that feels like it evolved over time instead of being bought all at once. Especially today, when we’re constantly surrounded by inspiration online, I think it’s more important than ever to create a home that feels authentically you!

QNS: In a world of minimalist “beige aesthetics,” how much of your maximalism is a deliberate rebellion against mainstream trends?

NC: Honestly, none of it. I don’t really care about trends, so it’s not a rebellion against anything. I decorate with what I genuinely love. Personally, I don’t gravitate toward minimalism because I love being surrounded by history, color, pattern and beautiful things. Some people love open space and clean surfaces, and I think that’s great. We all enjoy our homes differently. And at the end of the day, nothing about the way I decorate or live has anything to do with what’s trending. I think trends come and go, but your personal style is what lasts. I’d much rather create a home that feels like me and tells my story than to just do something because other people are doing it.

QNS: Do you ever feel pressured to constantly buy stuff just to keep your feed visually fresh for your followers?

NC: No. I don’t make content just to make content. I share what I’m already doing, whether that’s decorating, thrifting, talking about fashion or just making a funny video with my husband. I don’t feel pressured to buy new decor because I only bring home pieces I genuinely love, and almost everything I buy is secondhand, anyway.

My content has never been about constantly having something new to show. It’s about bringing people along with me and hopefully helping them along the way, whether that’s showing them where to thrift, sharing a decorating tip, DIY project, some outfit inspo or inspiring them to look at something in a new way. It really just depends on what’s going on in my life. I know there’s pressure to have a perfectly curated feed, but that’s never really been me. If you look at my page, it’s kind of all over the place, and that’s because it reflects my life, my interests and whatever I’m excited about at that moment.

QNS: How do you draw the line between a thoughtful maximalist space and a cluttery one?

NC: I think the line is intention. Every piece should feel like it’s there for a reason, not just because I had somewhere to put it. Decorating is a lot like cooking. You keep adding ingredients and tasting as you go, until everything feels balanced. Sometimes, a room needs another layer, and sometimes, it needs you to take something away. It’s really about editing, until everything feels right to you. I don’t think maximalism is about filling every empty space; it’s about creating a room where all the pieces work together. When you find that balance, you can have a lot of beautiful things in one room, without it feeling cluttered.

QNS: How do you handle the practical realities, like dusting, cleaning and maintenance, while keeping your home camera-ready?

NC: I clean all the time, especially because I’m always bringing new treasures home and switching things around. I’ll swap lamps between rooms, move artwork, restyle shelves and just take time to play and be creative. I’m always experimenting, so everything eventually gets a turn. It definitely takes a lot of time. That being said, my house is not always camera-ready. On a good day, everything is clean and in its place. But I also have a five-year-old who loves rocks, Barbies, slime and pretty much every tiny treasure she can find, so, more often than not, my house looks messy and lived in, and I’m okay with that.

Now, before a photoshoot or filming day, that’s a different story. I have a terrible habit of saving every project until the last minute. It’s become a running joke with my Insta fam that I’ll somehow cram two years’ worth of projects into the week before a big shoot. They’re always like, ‘What is she up to now?’ because it really defies logic. They know I’m probably painting something, moving furniture the night before or pretty much transforming a whole room with seconds to spare.

QNS: As a DIY-er, what is the biggest design risk you took in your own home that your followers absolutely loved?

NC: Honestly, probably my kitchen makeover. I was getting my home photographed for a book and realized about two weeks before the shoot that I hated my kitchen. So, I did what I always do and decided to completely transform it at the last minute. It was absolutely unhinged! We used what felt like 100 rolls of Frog Tape to paint stripes on the walls, covered the original gray tile with white peel-and-stick tile, changed out all the hardware, made a DIY sink skirt and Roman shades and swapped the overhead lighting for chandeliers. Somehow, we pulled it off.

What I loved most wasn’t that it looked expensive. It was that we took this boring, builder-grade rental kitchen and turned it into a bright, happy space that finally felt like us. I think that’s why my followers loved it too. It wasn’t about having a huge budget or a dream kitchen. It was about seeing a space that wasn’t working, getting a little creative (okay, maybe a little crazy) and proving you don’t have to settle just because you’re renting.

QNS: How do you help your audience find their personal style?

NC: By encouraging them to trust their own instincts and try things to figure out what they like. I bring them along while I’m thrifting, decorating, styling outfits and experimenting, so they can see that style isn’t about getting it perfect; it’s about discovering what you love. I’m always encouraging people to spend more time in what I call the “state of play,” where you’re trying ideas, mixing things together and giving yourself permission to experiment. I believe that’how you develop a home and wardrobe that truly reflect who you are.

QNS: Can you name a popular design trend that you don’t like?

NC: I don’t really dislike a specific color or design style. What I don’t love is the “copy and paste” approach to decorating, where an entire room could be added to your cart with one click. That’s a NO for me. Your home should tell your story, so the popular “buy my viral sofa, click here” is the trend I hate.

QNS: Why do you love your apartment and neighborhood?

NC: I love that my apartment has history. It’s a pre-war building with great bones and so much character, and it’s been the perfect canvas for my creativity. Even though it’s a rental, it’s become a reflection of my family and the things we love. I also love my neighborhood because inspiration is everywhere. In Jackson Heights, I can literally walk to different countries within a few blocks: Little Nepal, Little Colombia, Little Mexico and Little India. I can try a new restaurant, wander through a local market or pop into a small shop and always come home inspired. And I really love my neighbors. Everyone has a story. The famous makeup artist on the first floor, the cool married teachers on the
sixth and, of course, all the drama that comes with a typical NYC building. It feels like its own little world. It’s full of life, personality and characters, and I just love living here!

I also really love telling the story of our family and showing people how we turned a pre-war rental into a home that feels completely US, with secondhand finds, clever DIYs and a little imagination.