How Justina Blakeney brought her unique vision to social media
It’s entirely possible Justina Blakeney has already turned you into a plant lover but if you haven’t found yourself eyeballing this designer’s luscious & transportative interiors, meet the self-coined “maximalista.” Justina wears a lot of hats; she’s a designer, artist, speaker, business owner and mother. She started her design blog Jungalow in 2009 as a way to share personal work outside of her 9-5 job. Now, this mama-of-one has amassed over 3 million followers across social accounts, a NYTimes bestselling book, and several business deals with major stores. (Oh yeah — she also counts Drew Barrymore as a fan.)
The LA-based artist attributes her boho aesthetic to her multi-ethnic background and extensive travel. She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in World Arts and Culture, and studied fashion and communication in Italy during college. Sounds like the perfect background, right? Sure, Justina had great experience in the design-world, but she didn’t start her blog with a grand business plan in mind. "At that time I was just sort of a creative person for hire; I was doing a lot of consulting and graphic design and branding work for mostly small, female-owned businesses," she told The Zoe Report. "In the beginning, the blog was really just a way for me to chronicle my creative adventures.” These cathartic creative adventures amassed a devoted, multi-platform following. And by devoted, we mean a casual million plus Pinterest followers. After decades of creative dedication Justina has her own e-commerce site, Jungalow.com, brand partnerships with retailers like Target and Anthropolgie and was featured on the June ‘22 cover of Architectural Digest.
So, how did she do it? Justina defined her “why” from the beginning of her journey: creativity and good vibes can save the world. And, of course, color brings joy — which saturates both her social media and design schemes. The designer used her north star to craft a personal brand that resonates deeply with many design enthusiasts. Even the name of her company, Jungalow, reinforces good vibes. “The moment I thought about the word for the first time, it made me smile and laugh out loud,” she said in a Forbes interview. “It’s a fun word! Since it made me smile, I figured it would have the same effect on others so I built a brand around it.”
The boho-designer also noted that the best business advice she ever received was to “build an audience before you even know what you’re selling.” During an era when most brands were embracing monochromatic color schemes (think Kim Kardashian’s Calabasas home), the artist gained a community of color-deprived followers.
Her followers came for color and stuck around for top-tier community engagement. Justina actually listens to her audience, responds to their questions, shares resources with them and often opens up her design decisions for audience input (we’ve never been so invested in choosing pool tile). Some designers keep information to themselves, but Justina’s generosity has led to a special relationship with her audience. She also notes in her blog that she gave her followers permission to share selected images designed by her. “Buying something shouldn’t be a prerequisite to join the fun,” she writes.
The decor-influencer now maintains three Instagram accounts: @JustinaBlakeneyHome, @Jungalow, and her personal account. Her personal feed is a mix of life (images of her cat and daughter pepper her feed), creative endeavors, and business updates. There’s also healthy doses of inspiration: “Just a friendly reminder that you are beautiful. Lots of dollaz being spent to make you feel like you need wrinkle creams, cellulite ‘removal,’ a lift here, a tuck there to be beautiful,” – the copy accompanying an image of Justina using her outdoor shower. She goes on to write about self-confidence and self-love, before linking it back to her relationship with her daughter, Ida. This signature authenticity and inspiration makes her audience invest in her content.
Her other two handles serve a clear purpose, too. @Jungalow showcases the brand’s latest products, and @JustinaBlakeleyHome is a window into her design process. There’s a seamless visual consistency across her accounts – because Justina knows her brand. All of her social grids are vibrant arrays of plants, patterns, and color. And every single post highlights at least one of her core business values: live colorfully, blend the outside with the inside, and nurture a life full of energy. In the same way that Justina sets the mood for a room, she sets the mood across all her content.
She’s also crafted an authentic brand voice that is consistent across all her accounts as well. Her captions read like a friend chatting with you about their latest home project. Whether it’s a rough draft painting of a pattern or a work-in-progress photoshop, Justina centers her work around her audience. She includes them in the copy, asking them questions and addressing what they’ve said in previous comments. This candid sensibility builds trust within her community.
Listen, oodles of color and pattern aren’t for everyone. Even if you’re more minimalistic in style, there’s still plenty to learn from Justina’s digital strategy. Here’s inspo you can take from Justina:
Focused Branding: Understand what you’re offering your audience. Justina has concentrated her brand on color, patterns, and plants. Think about the purpose of your account. What do you want your audience to do once they land on your page? What experience do you want them to have?
Be yourself: Justina is genuine above all else. And even when the minimalist trend was (is still?) all the rage - she stuck to her vision. Use that as inspiration: what makes YOU unique? Lean into that – no matter what the trends might say. Being true to yourself shows your audience they can, too.
Embrace Imperfection: While a design feed might demand perfection, Justina shows her mistakes. Some of Justina’s spontaneous photos attract more engagement than a perfectly filtered one. So – don’t hold off on sharing your imperfections, too.
Be open to adapting: Part of Justina’s success has been experimenting with content and trying new things on the platform. So even though you should stick to your brand and yourself, be open to trying new content as well. Keep an eye on your analytics and adjust accordingly.
We absolutely love everything about Jutsina (if all this fangirling so far hasn’t given that away already). We are particularly obsessed with how Justina stays true to her vision and her dedication to living a colorful and energetic life. We highly recommend a scroll through her lush digital ecosystem, but don’t blame us if you find yourself wallpapering your living room in a month’s time.