Do you have a style of your own? What is the first impression you make on people? I am so indecisive when it comes to dress sense and decorating: unlike my husband who knows exactly what he likes and dislikes. I like to try anything and be easily influenced by fashion and current trends. This is reflected by the way in which I dress, and also in my decorating style.
The décor of our homes can be as unique as we choose it to be. This is very true; but to an extent we need to be guided in order to learn what makes things beautiful and unique. There are guidelines as well as tips to follow. Hope this article can help you discover your unique style to start making your homes beautiful. It has certainly helped me!
When I first started looking up my decorating style on the internet, the first google search pop up was all about browsing magazines, taking an online quiz, examining my wardrobe, taking an inventory of my current décor etc. After completing all this, I am just as lost and confused about my style as I was before. The results of my search only give me a theme or a trend which is most closely aligned with my personal preferences, but they don't know anything about me, my family, my house, or how I live in my home. They do not give me any direction to go forward, or show me how to decorate and help me discover my style.
I am sure style is not just a theme or a color nor is it a pattern or piece of furniture. There are many things that should be taken into consideration when we decorate our homes: from how we want the space to function to what colors make us feel good. If we only focus on the function or aesthetics of the place based on our personality, we are missing the key to knowing the reason why our décor just does not come together, and there will always be something about our home that is not right. It's going to be difficult to make our home a coordinated unit of harmony and cohesion if we do not know what we want in the first place.
How to Find your Home Decorating Style
What is the Current State of your Home?
We all hate being analyzed but self-appraisal is not a bad thing when it comes to assessing the state of our wellbeing and its relation to the current state of our home. How does your home look right now? Use graphic words to sketch out what your home looks like now. How does that make you feel? Is there anything you want to change? What are the toughest hurdles you face when you want to decorate?
Do spend a little time to reflect on the current state of your home. You may be surprised. It might also tell you a little bit of your state of mind. Write down the first things that come to mind; and nothing is too silly or embarrassing. It really helps me to search my inner being and discover the essential value of my style.
How you Want your Home to Feel like
Picture what you want your ideal home to feel like. Use descriptive words again to express what you love about it. If you find it hard, maybe think of a place where you and your family have visited and felt comfortable and happy. Then compare its unique qualities with how you would describe the current state of your home. That way you will know what you are looking for.
Perhaps you want your home to feel snug, easy to clean and modern. Or maybe you want your home to look elegant, have a country-house style, and show off its ornate features. Think about your family, the lifestyle you have, and then you will see what makes this home YOU. Dare to dream big! There are endless possibilities, and no right or wrong.
Collect Items of Inspiration
You will notice that we have spent all this time discovering ourselves and our home. We are not just copying other people's ideas and emulating their style. If we are not clear about what we want, we will always be chasing an elusive piece which we hope will make our picture complete.
Once you have got an idea of how you want your home to feel, you can start gathering ideas and inspirations for how you want your home to look. Pinterest is the site where you can find a great deal of styles, home decoration ideas and inspirations to create a pin board of your own. Try to stick to ideas you love and not a particular style or trend; otherwise, you will be submerged in a sea of pictures, and will not be able to focus on what you actually need.
Using Timeless pieces and designs is always the number one rule to stick with. Timeless style can surpass any trend and fashion challenge, and it is beautiful, functional and simple. It is like having a good base to pair with any complementary decoration. You can now add pieces you like, and features, to showcase your personality.
Trends come and go and if you try to latch on to the current fashion, it is likely to change before you complete the whole look. The timeless style can be updated over time and will always look up to date.
Timeless Style Profiles
When we talk about timeless styles you will always find these 3 styles popping up in the search. They are Classic, Modern, and Organic/Natural.
These 3 iconic styles all have their unique differences in detail elements. Choose the one that you think best illustrates how you want your home to look.
Classic Style
Elements of the classic style profile:
Clean silhouettes
Neutral colors
Simple stripes or minimal detailing
Eye catching features such as thoughtful accessories
Simplicity of décor
Structured and tactile fabric
Exquisite quality - rich textures and finishes, such as woven upholstery
Symmetry and balance
Wood tones - dark materials
The key to a classic interior is symmetry and order, with furniture placement and styling usually working around a key focal point, such as a fireplace. Placement is the major factor in this style, i.e., maintaining a symmetrical balance between the two halves of a room. Addressing the large pieces of furniture first, then considering where artwork and accessories will go. The classic look has a traditional element, in which a color palette from nature is a favorite. Think soft, not bold.
Modern style
Elements of the Modern Style Profile:
Simple and clean with straight lines
Geometric format and linear elements
High contrast
Monochrome and muted colors
Solid color without much emphasis on patterns
Bold earthy neutrals
Minimalism-less is more
Abstract art
Eye catching materials like chrome, cement and metal
Wood tones- natural materials
Modern designs have evolved after styles that are elaborate and overly ornate went out of fashion. The captivating feature of a modern home is the desire for simplicity and minimalism. Today’s designs pay less attention to neo-classical features like columns, moldings, and trims, and instead accentuates functionality, and lays out a clean, crisp aesthetic presentation.
Modern design uses bold materials such as wood, chrome, cement and metals from floor to ceiling, including furniture and fixtures, thus striking a balance between functionality, beauty, and nature. These materials bring to mind aspects of texture, nature, and personality. Color palette for modern style is earthy neutral. These colors have a crisp, clean and calm sensitivity. However, over emphasis on these shades can make the space feel cold and unwelcoming. So, the use of primary bold colors as an accent is often implemented on a wall, like abstract artwork. Or a bright solid color accent chair can be used to break the neutrality of the natural shades in the background.
Organic
By Modsy
Elements of the Organic Style Profile:
Natural elements
Fluid lines- for movement and curvature
Low contrast
Airy
Light accent colors
Subtle patterns
Muted colors, specifically whites, browns and greens.
Earthy
Plants and greenery/ botanical features
Landscape and country artwork or crafts
Natural fabrics like cotton, linen, and muslin and textures such as iron, stone and clay
Wood tones- light materials
Organic style features the idea of living in harmony with nature. The style focuses on natural materials, natural energy, recycling, organic and fluid lines. The room should be light and airy with plenty of greenery and fluidity.
Furniture items should be fluid in design and have plenty of movement and curves. Feel free to use simple, straight lined units alongside one or two organic articles. The final look should be clean and natural, with a subtle display of greenery.
Create Your Vision Board
Now it is time to put together all your creative objects such as photos, graphics, words, stickers, and other forms of artistic materials onto a board.
If you don’t know where to begin, I've created a free guide to help you start. Just click the Subscription button below to get the free Home Style Guide sent directly to your inbox. (If you don’t receive it within 24 hours, please check your junk mail.) You can also create your own board by printing everything you collect and combining them together on your personal designer board.
How to Create a Vision Board
Things To Include In The Vision Board:
Main Colors/ Accent Colors
Paint Colors
Tones: Flooring, furniture upholstery, furnishing colors
Metal and Hardware Tones
Textiles
Decorations
Inspirational Ideas
This Vision Board is the starting point of your unique aesthetic choices, and it extends outward from here, and will be your guide for all your future decorating decisions. Whenever you are shopping and find something you like, you just need to go back and check if it fits in with your unique home style. And when this act of reflection becomes your instinctive reaction you will no longer need any guide. You will have the confidence to rely on your own judgement as you reach towards creating a truly artistic finesse.
Comments