Every zodiac sign has their fair share of eye-roll-inducing stereotypes. Aries are labeled as bossy, Leos as narcissists, Cancers as crybabies, and so on. These are the generalizations that give astrology a bad name, causing people to write it off as fake when they first discover that they’re a two-faced Gemini or a boring Capricorn. But the sign that gets burdened with the most alienating, off-putting stereotypes has to be Scorpio. If you only read and heard about Scorpios and never actually met one, you would be terrified of them. There’s a few different types of Scorpios: We have the lustful, sex-obsessed fembots; the sullen, nihilistic punks; and the tyrannical, power-hungry backstabbers. Would you want to hang out with any of these Scorpios? Probably not! Now think about the Scorpios you actually know in real life—chances are they’re nothing (or only a little) like that. But if you look close enough, you might find some traces of these cliches.
Scorpio sneaks in at number eight on the zodiac wheel, coming in as the leaves begin to die and we feel a deep chill in our bones. After breezy, passive Libra season, Scorpio season is here to escort us into the underworld, lifting the curtain on what we typically try to ignore. Being a Scorpio is not for the faint of heart—they can see through BS in a way that provokes unfavorable reactions from others. This is why they’re known as being jealous, obsessive, and vindictive. It’s not that the other signs aren’t, but Scorpios are just willing to be real about it. They’re here to remind us that life can be messy and complicated, but it’s better to confront these situations or emotions instead of ignoring them to keep up appearances. This makes Scorpios powerful healers, completing the transformation from ashes to phoenix time and time again.
Born with the ability to survive in extreme environments, Scorpios are incredibly resourceful and can turn anything they’re given into gold. They can bring an inexhaustible amount of focus and determination to any project they’re put on, which comes in handy when taking on a renovation or major design overhaul. Like any fixed sign, Scorpios can be stubborn about what they want, but they’re also a sensitive water sign that knows how to feel out and acquiesce to the needs of others. Scorpios can create a beautiful home from the barest of bones, and then pass it on to the next person when they sense it’s time to move on. We’re getting a double dose of Scorpio this year with Mars also hanging out there, which will help us plot and scheme our way through any home upgrades. Should you need some additional inspiration, these 11 Scorpio celebrities will lead you through the darkness and into the light with their mystique homes.
Make room for disco fever
Water signs typically require a lot of sleep, but Scorpios have a tendency to be night owls who don’t mind staying up late. You can find some Scorpios deep in a research black hole, but you can find plenty of others haunting bars and clubs until last call. When designing his Old Hollywood-inspired estate, RuPaul decided to bring the club home and outfitted a grand hall with massive disco balls. The sparkling spheres allow the ballroom to transform from dinner party to Studio 54 in a matter of moments. Take a page out of the queen of drag’s book and get your own disco ball (I have one in my shower!), so you can dance the night away any day of the week.
In this house, it’s always Turrell time
Is it a coincidence that two of the Scorpio celebrities (who also happen to be exes) are James Turrell collectors? Maybe, but Scorpios are also naturally drawn to the understated intensity in Turrell’s pieces. Kendall Jenner and Devin Booker both like to focus and get lost inside of their respective light installations. Another bit of kismet is that James Turrell is a Taurus, the opposite and inherently intertwined sister sign of Scorpio. Since most of us probably can’t afford our own Turrell, we can instead find a dupe that projects a similar lightscape to zone out in front of.
Load up on psychic protection
If you round up all of the crystals in all of the celebrity homes that have been featured in AD, you’d probably have enough to fill a geode wing of a museum. There’s no shortage of quartz and amethyst for the Scorpio celebrities, but since they’re so tapped into the other side, they’re going to need some extra psychic protection. Kendall is a proponent of copper rings that encourage healing and grounding, which she artfully scatters around her bedroom. Pick up some copper rings of your own or invest in singing bowls for DIY sound baths. We have to protect ourselves from energy vampires this spooky season.
Details make all the difference
Scorpios are born with a razor-sharp focus that leaves no stone unturned. They’re going to notice details that other people might miss that could make or break a design project. Lily Aldridge’s Scorpio super-vision helped her spot some of the most special parts of her gorgeous Nashville home, such as the retro kitchen tile that extends to the hood over the stove. What seems like a simple inclusion completely elevates her unique kitchen. Search through your own home and try to call attention to those little details that would otherwise go overlooked.
Start from scratch
Due to their fixed nature, Scorpios can ride things out until the bitter end, but they’re also deeply aware of the fact that you can only move on by letting go. When Scorpio couple Hannah Bronfman and Brendan Fallis moved into their Manhattan triplex, they took nothing from their previous apartment and completely started over. The blank slate likely gave them a chance to explore new design ideas that wouldn’t have taken shape with their old belongings. If you’re moving this Scorpio season, get rid of more than you originally intended to and see what new style you’re drawn towards.
Did somebody call for tub time?
As a water sign that gravitates toward small and enclosed spaces, Scorpios are basically made to be bath enthusiasts. There’s no shortage of beautiful bathtubs in the homes of the Scorpio celebrities, ranging from Hannah and Lily’s antique clawfoot tubs to Kendall’s statement gold bath. If you’re doing a full-blown renovation, prioritize getting a deep, beautiful bathtub for all of your soaking needs. If that’s not in your budget, simply upgrade your bathing setup with a waterproof pillow and fancy bath salts so you can float for hours on end.
Go deep with colors
Black and red are two of the colors most commonly associated with Scorpio, which can be cool but can also be a bit My Chemical Romance–coded. If you’re not trying to take design queues from Hot Topic, you can opt for any other color in its deepest form. Ellen Pompeo’s Malibu beach house features a churning navy blue marble and dark teal lacquered closet doors. The colors she chose are still evocative of the intensity of black and red, but without looking like you live in an emo kid’s fantasy home.
Out of office
Once a Scorpio falls in love, they rarely want to leave their better half’s side. Scorpios are so dedicated to their nearest and dearest that they don’t mind cohabitating in the smallest of spaces with them. While none of these Scorpios are necessarily living in tiny houses, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Troian Bellasario both share offices with their husbands. If you and your partner both work from home but in separate rooms, test out merging your space and seeing what happens—it could bring you closer together!
Indulge in scent sensuality
At some point in history, Scorpios developed the reputation for being horny maniacs with insatiable sex drives. While this might be an exaggeration (or not!), it’s important for all of us to explore what turns us on. One PG way to do this is through the power of scent—sensuality is just as important as sexuality! Lily and Troian are both perfume enthusiasts who show off the many bottles that litter their respective vanities. Hit your local Sephora or Saks and find what scent gets you in the mood—and as a bonus, you get a beautiful bottle to display on your dresser as decoration.
Hide-and-go-seek but make it chic
Scorpios are notoriously the most secretive sign. Even the most chipper, upbeat Scorpio holds their cards close to the chest. Scorpios aren’t only good at storing information away, they’re also great at hiding their belongings, which can be very useful when trying to optimize a limited amount of space. Ellen’s children’s bunk bed staircase doubles as drawers, and Maggie’s blue velvet couch in her den covers baskets of shoes and blankets. If it feels like all of your stuff is overflowing in your apartment, find a new piece of furniture that can double as a storage container.
Spend time scouring
Send a Scorpio out on the hunt for something and they’re not going to return until they find it. They have an unmatched tenacity for scouring thrift stores and salvage shops until they find the item of their dreams. And even if they don’t have a specific object in mind, they’re happy to search through trash to find some treasures. Scorpio Jon Batiste and Cancer Suleika Jaouad’s Brooklyn town house is brimming with upcycled goods, from a bed found in rural New Jersey to a salvaged tub in a guest bathroom. Fire up the search engine on Facebook Marketplace or take a road trip to an off-the-map antique mall and see what you end up with.
Device-free living
While we’re all careening towards peak screen fatigue, Scorpios might feel it the hardest with their obsessive tendencies getting them stuck in never-ending doom scrolls. Scorpios also know that phones and TV can get in the way of real, meaningful connection with their loved ones. That’s why a number of Scorpio celebrities emphasize their intention of creating spaces that are free of devices. Jon’s bedroom is a reading-only zone, Kendall intentionally excluded a TV from her living room to encourage deep convos, and Travis Barker enforces phone-free eating in his dining room. It may be hard to disconnect, but once you get past the initial discomfort, you’ll be glad to be free from the iPhone overlords.
Prioritize your privacy
Celebrities often stress how great their space is for entertaining while taking us through their home tours. But what if you don’t really love to host? Travis might be the only celebrity who admits that he grew tired of his partying lifestyle and now has very few guests over at his zen Calabasas home. True Scorpios know that home is a sacred space that doesn’t need to be muddled by other people’s energy all of the time. This Scorpio season, take a break from having people over and simply enjoy the comfort of being in your own space (and company).
Dedicate a zone for being moody
A Scorpio could live in the biggest, brightest, airiest house and you’re still going to find a dark, dimly lit room where they can brood in peace. Such is the case in Kris Jenner’s Hidden Hills mansion (which she didn’t want to show on KUWTK). The space is all breezy neutrals and big windows until you reach a downstairs powder room. The bathroom is painted a rich charcoal color and features a heavy stone sink, making it a perfect, cave-like place to seek refuge when you need a break from the outside world. If you have a small room or bathroom that you don’t know what to do with, turn it into your personal chamber of secrets.
Don’t be afraid to take it to the extreme
Just like their animal namesake that lives in the hottest and coldest temperatures, Scorpios are comfortable taking things to extremes. This shows up in a number of ways in the Scorpio home tours—RuPaul decorates in (mostly) black and white, Jon has an elephant bar cart that people either love or hate, and Travis went from throwing ragers to rarely allowing people to come over. What opposite binaries can you explore in your own home? Maybe you’re a staunch minimalist who needs to swing towards maximalism, or a color enthusiast who needs to explore neutral tones. As long as you’re really going there, you’re following the Scorpio path.
