The Importance of Knowing Your Design Style

Do you know your design style? What characteristics in a room make you smile? More importantly, does your home make you smile?

If these questions are difficult to answer, you're not alone. For years I disliked our homes' (there have been many) "look", but also felt guilty for being ungrateful. I couldn't pinpoint what was wrong or blame anyone else because my husband always let me choose furniture, paint colors, and décor (Hubby's just kind that way.) When I realized that my design problems were ignorance, inconsistency, and incompleteness, I could finally come up with a plan to make our home a cozy and beautiful place we enjoy.

Ignorance. Because I wasn't an interior designer (or had the money to hire one), I didn't know much about design styles. I knew I didn't like my mom's style (sorry mom :() which was traditional with rich colors, heavy patterns, and furniture with turned legs and embellishments I had to help polish. So I thought my taste was the opposite - modern, simplistic, and sleek. But there are more than two design styles. Some would argue there are more than forty! Determining your style is the first step in creating a space you'll be happy with.

Inconsistency. Without a style "lane" to stay in, I had elements from different styles that conflicted with each other. While most people like more than one design style, it's important to incorporate elements that complement each other. Being consistent with your style throughout your space will bring cohesiveness and a sense of stability. Keep in mind that you can appreciate aspects of different styles without using them in your home. (As in skinny jeans look great on my daughter, but not on me. Sigh.)

Incompleteness. Before I identified my style, my spaces were missing key elements. Design is more than how a space looks; it's also how a space feels. To feel complete spaces need more than structural and functional elements. Choices in colors, textures, patterns, and levels of simplicity or embellishments all contribute to a space's design. For example, a traditional-style living room with paintings in gilded frames, jeweled-toned colors, heavy curtains, and ornamental millwork evokes a very different feeling from an industrial-style living room with concrete floors, neutral colors, simple lines, and bare windows. Each space needs more than the functional elements of a couch and two chairs to feel complete and livable.

Don't think it's necessary to spend many hours or days researching every style to find yours. Most styles of today have evolved from several core styles. Vivien, on the website Posh Pennies, wrote a brief and extremely useful article explaining nine popular design styles. Also check out my post on what I consider the top seven. In addition, I often recommend that people view photos on Pinterest of different styles and save the appealing ones. Write down the characteristics you are consistently drawn to as well as the characteristics you dislike. Include the feelings the styles evoke - cozy, inviting, comfortable, formal, sparse, cold, shabby, chaotic, etc.

Once you've discovered your design style, plan to start incorporating elements of the style into your home. Don't think that you have to completely change everything in your home. Paint and textiles make a huge difference in spaces. (Think walls, trim, furniture, rugs, curtains, etc.). You also don't need to buy all new furniture and décor. Try thrift stores for quality pieces before paying retail. Be intentional rather than impulsive with your design plan to avoid regret.

So now I hope you feel encouraged that determining your design style can help you create a space you're proud to call home. Of course, if incorporating your style includes remodeling your kitchen, bathroom(s), flooring, or even giving you an open floor plan, or adding a front porch, please contact us. We're happy to meet with you and listen to what you want to accomplish before giving you an estimate. Here at Heart in Home Construction, we want you to love your home again!