Photo: istockphoto. com
Whether you’re shopping for a house or preparing to decorate one, getting to know your design style can help you find or create a space you love. Your home doesn’t just have in order to be a place to live; it can also be an extension of your personality, according to designer Kate Dawson. She says, “Our homes tell a story about us. You can, and should, express more of who you are through your home décor. ”
Perhaps you aren’t sure what your own design is, or you’ve already purchased a home and feel pigeonholed into a specific decorating approach. Not to worry, we’ve got some designer tips that may help.
Identifying Your Design Style
Photo: istockphoto. com
If your mind goes blank when your real estate agent asks what style associated with house you’d like or even you really feel clueless regarding your designing preferences, it may be time in order to do a little homework. Designer Sarah Storms of interior design firm Styled by Storms says, “When someone enters your own ‘world, ’ they should know who you are simply by the way you have decorated your home. ”
Storms recommends starting in your closet. “People tend to take more risks with their outfits rather than their homes because it feels like less of a commitment, ” she says, “but you should still want to feel all the happiness, confidence, or safety that you do in a favorite outfit every day while living within your house. ” Storms suggests noticing patterns in your wardrobe. For instance, maybe specific colors or prints pop up often. Consider whether most items are modern, edgy, classic, or vintage. “The essence of exactly what you gravitate to is the same regardless of whether it is for your closet or your home, ” she states.
Advertisement
Sticking With What You Love
Photo: decorwhore. com
Instead of simply going with current trends , Dawson suggests tuning into your gut. Look at design photos and ask yourself, “Which 1 thrills me? ”
“Your space should be reflective of the people, places, and things you love, ” Dawson says. For example, she recently worked along with clients who had relocated from California to New Jersey and were redecorating their new space. They wanted to incorporate the particular feeling associated with sunshine and beachiness they loved in their previous house. That goal, and their personal art collection, inspired the final design that will included colorful rugs plus a fun blue ceiling.
Dawson says a great way in order to create a vision is by pulling together a Pinterest board that you can then review on your own or even alongside a designer. “You’ll suddenly start seeing what’s thematic or related in all of them, ” the girl says, and that can be very telling.
RELATED: 10 Ways to Ace “Coastal Grandmother” Design
Translating Your Preferences in to Design Types
Photo: istockphoto. com
If you prefer dark colours and metal accents, your own decor style might fall under contemporary and industrial. If this resembles the glamorized version of your grandmother’s closet, grandmillennial styling may appeal to you. Check out mid-century modern furnishing if you love a structured look with a retro vibe, and with regard to style icons who opt for a little bit of everything, an eclectic decorating scheme style might just be what thrills you.
RELATED: T he 10 Best Celebrity Home Decor Lines You Can Shop Online
Matching Your Exterior Décor With Your Interior Décor
Photo: styledbystorms. com
While a person might choose to incorporate your interior design style no matter what style of house you buy, you could also opt to match the styles and create a consistent really feel throughout the property. “I am the big proponent that if something excitement you, a person should use it, ” Dawson states. “However, in case you want to bring in elements of your home’s exterior design, make sure to add in several of those pieces to create balance throughout. ”
Advertisement
Though the lady agrees matching your exterior and interior styles isn’t always necessary, Storms says, “It’s important to honor ‘the soul’ of your own home through thoughtful decorating choices. ” In her work, she does this by incorporating the home’s original details and coordinating them with the particular client’s style preferences. In a recent project, the girl accomplished this particular by preserving the home’s original moldings, while highlighting them with deep green paint that will feels brand new and contemporary. She furthermore believes that some designs work well with each other while other combinations are less preferable, so become cautious when choosing to mix and match up.
RELATED: Know Your own House Styles: America’s Signature Types associated with Residential Architecture
Cottage Style
Photo: istockphoto. com
Storms recommends staying cohesive from exterior in order to interior along with a farmhouse – or cottage-style home. “What made the modern farmhouse movement take off was the fact that the originators lived on a farm plus the décor was relevant to the area, ” the lady says. While farmhouse will be making method for cottage style, if your heart is set on shiplap, do what makes you happy. You don’t have to live in the farmhouse or even beach home for cottagecore to work well. This muted color, simplified style also works well with A-frames, homes with wraparound porches, and Cape Cod style homes .
Grandmillennial
Photo: istockphoto. com
The original information in traditional style houses often lend themselves to the older era styling referred in order to as grandmillennial. Think velvet and chandeliers, wallpaper, and gilded antiques to achieve a look that is both old-fashioned plus comfortable. Grandmillennial ranges from a pastel coastal look to a chinoiserie maximalist look, depending on the setting. Chintz chairs and delicate florals will complement a Queen Anne style home. Spindle-back or ladder-back seats will seem right at house in a Colonial or Dutch Colonial home, and you can show your vibrant Art Deco flair in a Georgian home.
Advertisement
Midcentury Modern
Picture: istockphoto. possuindo
Ideal for those home owners who do not want the super-modern house, midcentury modern style puts an emphasis on functionality without compromising artful design. Architecture of this period incorporates natural finishes, large windows, open floor plans. “These style homes tend in order to have simpler, cleaner lines in layout and coatings, ” Thunder storms says. To honor that will intent and preserve the particular natural flow, stick along with mid-century furnishings. Midcentury contemporary decor may also pair well with Craftsman plus ranch-style houses.
ASSOCIATED: The 13 Telltale Signs of a Well-Preserved Old House
Modern or Industrial
Photo: istockphoto. com
If minimal and streamlined describes your perfect house, you might prefer either modern or even industrial styles. Both are usually based on simple forms, open air spaces, and neutral shades. They’re based on the idea that form follows function, so everything should be simple and have a practical purpose. Modern homes have uncluttered exteriors along with mixed materials, and interiors with the particular occasional pop of bold color. Commercial style is usually similar, but it incorporates building materials inside a visible way, such as exposed ductwork and concrete flooring. Contemporary and commercial decor designs work nicely with modern plus industrial style homes, but you can also set these A-frames and midcentury modern houses.
Eclectic Design Style
Photo: istockphoto. com
If you don’t would like to stick to one specific style, eclectic design can be paired along with most home types. “I love a contemporary, varied style, ” Storms states. “The blending of different eras of furniture, playing with color, pattern mixing, and integrating my favorite pieces possibly handed down through my gram or purchased from classic dealers. ” Since it blends old and new, eclectic design doesn’t fight against the home’s outside. That said, there is a method to the madness if you want the cohesive circulation to the house, so study up on points like pattern mixing plus color theory for the particular best result.
Advertising
RELATED: 8 Decorating Rules Meant to Be Broken—and 1 to Live By