Interior Design
Having a Decorating Identity Crisis? Follow These 10 Steps!
It's time to put an end to decorating mismatches and narrow down your own unique design style
Identifying your style is one of the most important things you can do to prepare for a decorating project, but it can be a minefield of indecision and procrastination. So how do you go about finding your design style?
Pay attention to the details
In this cosy, colourful bedroom, the studded headboard, the colour combination, the metallic inlay on the bedside table, and the floral bedspread are all design elements you could borrow without copying the entire look.
What inspires you and makes your heart sing? The answers to these questions will probably tell you a lot about what you want in your home.
In this cosy, colourful bedroom, the studded headboard, the colour combination, the metallic inlay on the bedside table, and the floral bedspread are all design elements you could borrow without copying the entire look.
What inspires you and makes your heart sing? The answers to these questions will probably tell you a lot about what you want in your home.
Consider feel as well as looks
In this gorgeous sitting room, the light coming through those huge Queen Anne windows, the generous vase of flowers, the well-stocked log basket and the table full of framed family photos all evoke cosiness and comfort.
Most of the time, what draws us to a particular image is the way it makes us feel – it’s at least as important as how something looks. Remember, you’re not looking to mimic what you’ve seen in a photograph, but to interpret some of the details and translate that into something that will work in your home.
In this gorgeous sitting room, the light coming through those huge Queen Anne windows, the generous vase of flowers, the well-stocked log basket and the table full of framed family photos all evoke cosiness and comfort.
Most of the time, what draws us to a particular image is the way it makes us feel – it’s at least as important as how something looks. Remember, you’re not looking to mimic what you’ve seen in a photograph, but to interpret some of the details and translate that into something that will work in your home.
Listen to your home
OK, so this sounds a bit corny, but on a serious note, the layout of your home can help you to identify the decorating style that will work best for you.
If your home has a very relaxed, open-plan feel, like this light-filled kitchen-dining room, go with it. You’ll get far better results than if you try to impose a completely contrasting style. Try to imagine this space with a very formal style of decoration and furnishings and you’ll begin to see what I mean.
OK, so this sounds a bit corny, but on a serious note, the layout of your home can help you to identify the decorating style that will work best for you.
If your home has a very relaxed, open-plan feel, like this light-filled kitchen-dining room, go with it. You’ll get far better results than if you try to impose a completely contrasting style. Try to imagine this space with a very formal style of decoration and furnishings and you’ll begin to see what I mean.
Ignore labels
Finding your design style isn’t just about pigeonholing yourself as ‘country’, ‘modern’, ‘Scandinavian’ and so on. The terracotta tiles and wall of panelled cupboards in this airy lobby shout ‘country’ when displayed together, but these are details that would look equally at home in other schemes.
The tiled floor could bring an earthy element to a contemporary kitchen, for example, while the panelling could be introduced to a smarter, more formal scheme by painting it a deep, rich shade of grey and using more luxurious door hardware.
Finding your design style isn’t just about pigeonholing yourself as ‘country’, ‘modern’, ‘Scandinavian’ and so on. The terracotta tiles and wall of panelled cupboards in this airy lobby shout ‘country’ when displayed together, but these are details that would look equally at home in other schemes.
The tiled floor could bring an earthy element to a contemporary kitchen, for example, while the panelling could be introduced to a smarter, more formal scheme by painting it a deep, rich shade of grey and using more luxurious door hardware.
Always take photographs
Can’t stop thinking about the beautiful mosaic flooring or joinery details in your favourite café? Seen a front door in a colour you love? Snap them. Inspiration is literally everywhere – you just have to tap into it.
Can’t stop thinking about the beautiful mosaic flooring or joinery details in your favourite café? Seen a front door in a colour you love? Snap them. Inspiration is literally everywhere – you just have to tap into it.
Think about what you have
It’s a rare thing to be able to start truly from scratch. Most people have existing large pieces of furniture that have to stay, and that’s OK. It’s this kind of stuff that adds depth to a room.
Sofas and armchairs, like the ones in this colourful living room, can usually be reupholstered for a completely new look, and furniture can be repurposed or renovated. With some thought, you can pull together pieces from various eras or with different styles in a way that is eclectic and interesting.
Check out this guide to managing an upholstery project
It’s a rare thing to be able to start truly from scratch. Most people have existing large pieces of furniture that have to stay, and that’s OK. It’s this kind of stuff that adds depth to a room.
Sofas and armchairs, like the ones in this colourful living room, can usually be reupholstered for a completely new look, and furniture can be repurposed or renovated. With some thought, you can pull together pieces from various eras or with different styles in a way that is eclectic and interesting.
Check out this guide to managing an upholstery project
Take inspiration from your friends
Look at friends’ houses that you love – any common themes? If someone you know has a beautiful, well-curated home, like this one, find out where their go-to places are for furniture, fabrics or accessories. Even if their style doesn’t entirely match your own, their recommendations could prove fruitful.
Look at friends’ houses that you love – any common themes? If someone you know has a beautiful, well-curated home, like this one, find out where their go-to places are for furniture, fabrics or accessories. Even if their style doesn’t entirely match your own, their recommendations could prove fruitful.
Be brave
Bold use of colour – like the rich, deep blue of these kitchen cabinets – brings warmth and personality to a room. The key is to give your eye somewhere to rest – here, the white walls, simple tiles and row of copper pots give the room a sense of rhythm that’s subliminally pleasing and restful.
Some people argue you’ll tire more quickly of a strong colour, but if you truly love it, that isn’t necessarily true. Being brave usually pays off – and if it doesn’t, it’s just paint – you can always change it.
Bold use of colour – like the rich, deep blue of these kitchen cabinets – brings warmth and personality to a room. The key is to give your eye somewhere to rest – here, the white walls, simple tiles and row of copper pots give the room a sense of rhythm that’s subliminally pleasing and restful.
Some people argue you’ll tire more quickly of a strong colour, but if you truly love it, that isn’t necessarily true. Being brave usually pays off – and if it doesn’t, it’s just paint – you can always change it.
Get creative with neutrals
There are so many beautiful neutrals out there, both warm and cool, but the key is to choose one with a hint of something else.
Stone or grey are perfect for a cooler feel. The soft greenish grey of the joinery in this beautiful dining area lifts the creamy whites, rich chocolates and taupes of the other elements. The look is contemporary and comfortable, but so much more interesting than plain old cream.
TELL US
Where have you found inspiration when designing your home? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
MORE
When Decorating Styles Collide: Practical Ways to Merge Tastes
There are so many beautiful neutrals out there, both warm and cool, but the key is to choose one with a hint of something else.
Stone or grey are perfect for a cooler feel. The soft greenish grey of the joinery in this beautiful dining area lifts the creamy whites, rich chocolates and taupes of the other elements. The look is contemporary and comfortable, but so much more interesting than plain old cream.
TELL US
Where have you found inspiration when designing your home? Share your ideas in the Comments below.
MORE
When Decorating Styles Collide: Practical Ways to Merge Tastes
It’s a fair bet that if you’re on Houzz, you know the inspirational power of a good image. Why not gather ideas and schemes that catch your eye in an Ideabook?
The photos don’t need to be of whole rooms: save detail shots of colour combinations you love or textures that draw you in. Even the light fitting or the deep-buttoned upholstery on the footstool in this living room could provide a jumping-off point for a decorative scheme.
Whether you plan to seek the help of an interior designer or want to go it alone, strong visuals are your friend.