Uncovering Your Home Decor Style

One of the most common situations I encounter when I first meet with a client is intimidation over deciding on an interior decorating style.  Quite frequently I hear the following words uttered within moments of my arrival,  “I’m so overwhelmed by all the styles out there; I love everything.  So how will I ever decide?”

This will be the most challenging hurdle to overcome when taking on the prospect of renovating or decorating your home.  I have a few tips to help work thru the “I love everything but can’t decide on anything” phase and move forward to the “AHA” moment.

Hunt for inspiration.

Start with a simple folder or binder to keep you organized.  Don’t let the many home decorating magazines intimidate you.  Look through some of your favorites and pull out anything that catches your eye…could be just a chair, a small accessory, a fabric sample, a light fixture or it could be an entire living room layout that inspires you.   Creating a collection like this, more easily defines your “likes” and sets you on your way to narrowing down your “look”.  Also, if you are working with an interior designer, this will be a great tool and will give your designer a good start toward understanding the direction you would like to head in.  Don’t over collect.  You will defeat the purpose!

Create a sample board.

Take a few of your favorite inspiration tear-sheets or photo’s from your inspiration folder, add paint chips, stain samples, flooring samples, fabric swatches, textile elements and create a board for yourself.  This will set the stage for your design story and will help to keep you on track and focused on your vision.  This is something that is always part of my routine when I take on a new client project.

Be open to changing things up.

“Mix and Match” should not be scary!  Have fun with it.  What brings character to a room are the things that mean something to you whether or not they match the style.  Eclectic can be fun and creative.  One of the things I always tell my clients is, “you will be living in this space, not me…make it personal and confortable for you”.  Consider adding an antique item into your modern decor, or a retro/vintage piece of art into your country-cottage style.  Try a large modern drum style chandelier over your mediterranean style dining table.  Implement industrial elements such as industrial knobs, stools, metal back-splashes, commercial flooring into your traditional design style.  The list can go on and on.