While they influence trends and social media nearly every year, celebrities played a major role in some of our favorite things from 2024. Martha Stewart and Pamela Anderson are just two of the names that sparked our passion for hosting and homemaking, while entertainers like Dua Lipa and Matthew McConaughey inspired us to try interesting food combinations.
From gardening tips to self-care habits, we’re re-sharing some of our favorite pieces of celebrity advice from the past year. Take inspiration from these cooking insights (including a few surprisingly tasty flavor combos) and home decorating ideas from some of the biggest voices in the food and home spaces. Rediscover your passion for gardening, cooking, or entertaining, with these tips and tricks from the year’s biggest names.
Ditte Isager
Pamela Anderson: Challenges Are Life’s Poetry
Pamela Anderson let the world in on her journey of redefining herself in our September 2024 issue. From being Hollywood’s it-woman to building a family and moving back to her hometown in Canada, Anderson emphasized the importance of embracing change and following life’s natural path. “Well, I always tell my kids that challenges are the poetry of your life,” she told us. “You wouldn’t know hot if you didn’t know cold. You wouldn’t have appreciation for the good times without going through the hard times. It’s all a roller coaster.”
Al Roker: Slow Down and Savor
While it may be easier to grab food on the go or eat in front of the TV, Al Roker shared the importance of being intentional with loved ones during mealtime. “Good or bad, many of our memories revolve around food—so slow down and savor mealtimes with loved ones,” Roker says. Make it a resolution to sit down and savor time with loved ones over a meal in the new year, even if it’s short and quick.
Tia Mowry: Set Intentions for Your Home
Take a page from Tia Mowry’s playbook, and set thoughtful intentions for your home this year. “It’s something that I’m very intentional about; my house is a home that’s very zen. It’s very peaceful. Those are the intentions,” Mowry told BHG. At the start of the year, make a list of adjectives you want your space to feel like and action steps to make it feel that way all year long.
Getty Images / Susan Wood
Martha Stewart: Change What You Don’t Like
2024 was the year of Martha Stewart. She became the face of female entrepreneurship, cooking, hosting, gardening, and all things homemaking—again. It’s no surprise we are obsessed with her “take action” mentality when it comes to making changes in her garden. “I have two mottos. One is, learn something new every day,” Stewart says in her documentary. “And the second one is, when you’re through changing, you’re through. Change that garden if you don’t like it. Rip it out and you start all over again.”
Kristin Chenoweth: It’s Never too Early to Decorate
We love Kristin Chenoweth’s reasoning behind not feeling shame over early holiday decorating. “We have enough negative in our world and lots of sadness around us,” Chenoweth says. “So why not do things that make us happy and bring us joy? If that is getting ready for [the] holiday season, start right away. Do it!” Whether you’re decorating for a Galentine’s Day brunch or Fourth of July cookout, we’re taking this as an excuse to celebrate all occasions, large and small.
Shawn Johnson East: Your House Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Host
Hosting made a big comeback in 2024 with the rise of themed events, at-home cafes, and extravagant dinner parties. While the events are always a good time, preparing courses of food and making your home look perfect isn’t nearly as much fun. We loved Shawn Johnson East’s approach to stress-free hosting. “I’m a big advocate for trying not to overdo it when it comes to hosting,” she told our home editor. “It makes it seem unattainable as the host if I constantly have to make sure my house is clean or whatever.”
MasterClass
Joanna Gaines: Shop Your Own Home for Affordable Decor
We loved learning from Joanna Gaines’ MasterClass this year. And while she has plenty of sage home decorating advice, one element stuck out to us. Gaines recommends ‘shopping’ from your own home when you get the itch to redecorate. Rather than buying more decor pieces, simply rearrange for an update that feels fresh but is also affordable. “It’s all about balance when it comes to where you’re going to invest, no matter what your budget is—and I personally love a space that doesn’t feel too precious with a lot of expensive pieces, but rather casual and comfortable with a good mix of high and low price points,” Gaines told us.
Sohla El Waylly: You’re Not Using Enough Salt
Sohla El Waylly let us in on the secret to making restaurant-grade meals at home—adding more salt. “The secret between when you’re cooking at home and when you eat out at a restaurant is the chef is using so much more salt,” El Waylly says. “When you have the right amount of salt, all of the other flavors come through.” Thanks, Sohla!
Katie Lee Biegel: Prep Hard, Then Relax
Preparing meals in advance can be time-consuming, but Katie Lee Biegel shared why prepping in advance is the way to go. “When I’m doing my meal prep, I just want to do my thing and be super efficient,” Biegel says. “Once I’ve got everything prepped, I’m cool with guests coming into the kitchen. They sit at the kitchen island, and because I’ve got all my little bowls of ingredients ready, it’s just like I’m cooking on The Kitchen.” If you meal prep now, your future self will thank you.
Courtesy of Rikki Snyder
Brunch with Babs: Treat Company Like Family
Barbara Costello, known as Brunch with Babs on social media, shared that one of her home’s unspoken rules is to “Treat family like company and company like family.” Costello’s rule shows that while it’s important to be a respectable and prepared host, it’s just as important to make guests feel comfortable and at home. Next time you’re stressing over hosting friends or family, remember one of the most important aspects of hosting is not how perfect and elaborate your home and menus are, it’s how the guest feels while in your company.
Dua Lipa and Matthew McConaughey: Try Surprising Flavor Combos
Dua Lipa shocked the internet in 2024 with her surprising favorite flavor combinations. While mixing pickle juice and Diet Coke or olive oil and ice cream may not be everyone’s cup of tea, we still love that she’s encouraging fun and different mix-ins for classic flavors. For more interesting combos, try Matthew McConaughey’s tuna salad—which is made with wasabi, apples, and Italian dressing. (It’s good, we promise!)
Chip Gaines: Don’t Be Afraid to Reno on a Budget
The Fixer Upper duo might be known for full-scale renovations, but Chip Gaines says you don’t need to spend a lot to make a big impact. Whether it’s a fresh coat of paint or a bit of simple landscaping, small upgrades can transform a space without breaking the bank. “The house that we lived in at the very beginning was not much bigger than [a trailer] and so I updated the backsplashes with a cool tile—it was $200 at the big box store and a weekend worth of work,” he told our home editor. “Things have just gotten expensive, so the trend is definitely going to be trying to figure out how you maximize what you have at the lowest common denominator.”
