So much pressure befalls on folks to “have a style”. If you’re not sure what that answer may be there is no shortage of quizzes, online tools or design “experts” to choose an answer for you. If you’re tired of giving the same old response of “I dunno…Pottery Barn, I guess”, may I suggest three simple ways to identify what your styles may be. I use the plural form of the word because most Americans don’t have just one favorite these days- not like in the 90′s when French Country was French Country and not “Country Chic mixed with Bohemian Rustic”. Because our markets are expanding and our resources broadening (thank you world wide web) our own decorating senses are too so we’re drawn to multiple styles.
1. Walk through each space in your home and make a list of things you’re definitely keeping and 
things you would like to replace or get rid of. Decorating is emotional for a homeowner so if your home is filled with items you have certain feelings about its time to start paying attention to those.
2. Make note of possessions that bring you joy/peace/comfort/etc. These may be photos, a ceramic elephant your crazy sister made you in art class or books you collected during your summer travels after college. They can be anything that evoke happy emotions. Take special note of jewelry or even clothing items. You have a LBD (Little Black Dress for the male readership) that makes you look like a goddess? Make note of that. Are ALL of your clothes black? You’ll definitely want to keep that in mind later on. If you are a visual person, gather these items on the floor of one room so you can see them all together.
3. Think about places you have been and enjoyed. These don’t have to be exotic locales, they can be your own backyard. I once decorated a cabin’s interior to mimic the sprawling beauty of nature sitting just outside its own doors. You may have photos or artwork from these places. Add these to your pile from step #2.
Now that you’ve assessed your current belongings and gathered up what truly makes you smile, its
time to use these steps to your advantage. Look at your list of furniture that you’re keeping as well as your collection of items that make you happy. What do they all have in common?
Our attire tends to reflect our decorating personality so if the majority of your “feel good” clothes are crisp, tailored and solid colored your furniture may tend to be similar. Therefore your decorating style may be classic chic, a bit like Jackie O perhaps? If your collection is hodge-podge, ranging in dates from the early 40′s all the way to current day and your clothing favorites consist of hand-me-downs or vintage finds from your beloved thrift store, your style could very well be eclectic. This style can be a tough one to get right because it can go from “free spirit” to “cluttered up” in a hurry. If you find that your closet looks more like a Western wear photo shoot, you believe in comfort first (no stilettos here!) and every Christmas you get something made of iron, your style is likely Rustic.
The list goes on and on- as do our personalities- but I hope this helps to shed some light on that highly annoying question ‘What’s My Decorating Style?’ To gain more insight on the look that suits you best, schedule your initial consultation with Designing Diva Interiors LLC today.
