By Donna Daugherty
One of the first things that you need to determine when designing your home is your personal interior design style. You’ve heard of the catchy design genre styles like Coastal, Eclectic, Shabby Chic, Modern Farmhouse, Bohemian, Traditional, Art Deco, Rustic and Minimalist, just to name a few, but what does all of that mean and how do you identify your style preference? Each style consists of distinctive furniture, décor, lighting, and accessories that give it its signature look. Your home should offer you the most comfort so knowing your design style and matching it to your personality is key.
If you’re like most people, it may take some time to determine your personal design style and quite often, your style may reflect two or three different genres. If you’re struggling to determine your style, here are some things that you may want to think about.
Think about color. Consider what colors make you feel good and what color clothing you personally like to wear. Do you have more of one color in your closet than others? Are cool tones more soothing to you or do they put you to sleep. Do bright colors make you happy or keep you from relaxing? Are the trendy color schemes that are in style now colors that you can live with long term? Color is a key element in determining your style. Sometimes when you’re uncertain what colors to select, it might be best to go neutral and bring color into your space with art, pillow accents or accessories.
Do your homework. Browse through magazines, websites, and social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram to find images that inspire you. Also, browse in-person by visiting furniture stores, consignment shops, home décor stores and showrooms to see different styles of furniture and décor in person. Often, you’ll find a piece of furniture or art that will be the focal point for your entire room.
Consider how you live. Think about your lifestyle and how you use your space. Do you have kids or pets? Do you entertain? Contemplate or consider how comfortable you want your space to be and what your family’s needs are.
Don’t ever talk yourself into a style. If you don’t love something the second that you see it or bring it into your home, you never will. Don’t second guess your natural reactions to furnishings or décor.
If you still need help trying to pull everything together, it’s smart to call a professional. A designer will look at the items that you love and use them as inspiration to create your personal home style. And don’t forget that they can save you money, they have a wide availability of resources and they can help you avoid costly mistakes. If you’re in need of a professional interior designer, I would love to help you complete your perfect space!
Donna Daugherty is the owner of Design At Its Finest, located in Santa Rosa Beach Florida. If you’re tackling a design project, I’d love to help! Stay tuned for the next several publications where I will share some design tips that will help turn your home into your own beautiful landscape. Call 850-714-4869 or visit www.designatitsfinest.com for more information.
Author: SoWal Admin
Views: 0
