It's All About Finding a Decorating Style you Love
Is your home a chaos of styles, with furniture from different eras all clashing and nothing that matches? It's all about finding a decorating style you love and bringing your personal touch.
12/02/2022
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When moving into your first home, or every home after that, many people can identify their personal style, whether it be clothes and accessories or decorating their home. But many others struggle to find an identity and end up with a wardrobe of clothes and accessories that are a conglomeration of styles and a home that is decorated with no particular style in mind - one that ends up as a mishmash of furniture and accessories. Don't stress. Here are a few tips that will guide you in successfully decorating your home so that it reflects your style and personality.
Many people tend to view Traditional decorating as a bit straight-laced but compare traditional to that all-time-favourite little black dress. It is all about what you pair it with that makes a difference.
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Traditional doesn't necessarily mean it has to be dark. Pair Traditional with Coastal style for bright, cool interiors.
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1. Take a look at yourself
The only true way to determine your style is to look at yourself. What are your favourite clothes? Do you have a colour you love more than others or are you more into neutral colours? Do you enjoy plain or patterned fabrics? These choices say something about your personality and will help you to focus better on choosing what you like for your home.
Another way to address style problems is the look at where you live and the type of house you live in. Although, having said that, I have been to some very old houses where the inside decor is anything but. But the style of a house should have some impact on how you decorate the interior.
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Cottage style and Shabby Chic share similar elements in that they both prefer neutral colour palettes, white upholstered or covered furniture and distressed vintage furniture, although Shabby Chic brings in pastel hues, flounces, and frills.
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2. Pinterest saves the day
Is there anyone out there who hasn't visited Pinterest? Most of the people I know either spend hours browsing Pinterest or browsing Instagram, both of which offer excellent inspiration when decorating a home. The only downside with popping on to Pinterest is the overflow of information. There are too many styles to choose from and so many home decorators end up with a hoard of ideas that, when put together, simply don't work.
If you are one of those that loves almost everything you see, set up Pinterest boards of the different styles so that you can view these at a later stage to determine which one appeals to you the most. There is nothing wrong with <3 everything, just identify what you Pin and how it will fit in with the style of your house and your personality.
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Boho and Eclectic decor have a similar symbiotic relationship as Japandi, where they are both a combination of colours, patterns, textures, and styles that are brought together to complete the overall look and feel of a room.
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3. Your likes and dislikes
Everyone has likes and dislikes. Some people think minimalism is pointless while others believe that decorating in Traditional style is old-fashioned. And now there are a whole lot of other decorating styles to add to the mix. Mid-century modern, Bohemian, Scandinavian and Japandi, to name a few. At the end of the day, it can be confusing to determine your own style and, like me, you end up considering your style to be Eclectic simply because you can't make up your mind! Try to stick with a particular style and then tie this in with any images you have Pinned and how these will fit in with your ideas for decorating your home.
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Japanese and Scandinavian styles have a lot in common. Both are about organic and natural materials with a neutral colour palette of earth tones and white, and both are tailored towards a clean and calming atmosphere above all else.
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4. Mix and match... with restraint
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a mix of styles if it is done subtly and balances out when you look at the room. A good example of this is Scandi style where blonde wood and organic textiles are all about this style but throw in some Traditional elements and everything becomes out of balance. Some styles work well together, and others don't. So, while you may love dark, detailed vintage furniture it won't look good in a Scandi or Japandi setting.
Before you buy something you "love and simply must have", consider how it will look in the room. If it is going to stick out and has no place being there, don't buy it. Rather save the money for something that else you like that would fit in the room perfectly.
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Minimalism and Contemporary design styles have similar traits. Both are about restraint when decorating a space and both focus on unique furniture and accessories. A monochromatic or neutral colour palette serves as a backdrop for design elements.
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Takeaway
When all is said and done, if you love the way your home looks, then leave it. If you think that changes need to be made, then consider the above steps and how you can put them into action.