Finding Your Design Style

This is not my typical post – I’m not revealing a room makeover or sharing a DIY project. Instead, I’d like to tell the story of how I “discovered” my personal design style and how it helped me to decorate our home in a way that finally feels “right.”

But, this also is not a typical blog post explaining all the different design styles and giving a quiz so you can find yours. I’ve considered drafting a post like that (I think I even have a half-written one in my drafts folder), but something always stopped me from finishing. One reason is that there are a TON of posts like that out there. And some of them are very helpful, so why should I reinvent the wheel? The other reason, though, is that I don’t think we should pigeonhole ourselves into just one style.

That said, what I’ve learned is that it is helpful to get a sense of the styles you do like and what you like about them. Once you figure that out, it will make it much easier to shop for your home and decorate in a way that feels cohesive and intentional.

So, here’s my story.

When we first began the huge undertaking of renovating our home, I had to make about a million decisions in a short period of time. I immediately fell in love with our house’s traditional elements – wood floors, crown molding, high ceilings – but it needed an update. I was (and still am) a big fan of Fixer Upper (especially the later seasons), and I took a number of cues from Joanna Gaines’s designs. But not in a shiplappy sort of way – more of in a “modern farmhouse” sort of way. We lightened up our white oak floors and painted the walls the perfect light gray (Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray). We installed the ubiquitous white kitchen with subway tile and farm sink. We swapped out yellowy brass hardware for oil rubbed bronze. For a number of our light fixtures, I found inspiration by searching on Pinterest for “fixer upper light fixtures.”

When the renovations were done, the house looked, for the most part, exactly how I had imagined. The renovation was actually the easier part, where I had a clear vision. Then came the hard part – actually decorating the renovated home. Where to start?

We had to get a lot of new furniture because our previous home was less than half the size of our new home. And we came in with boxes and boxes of artwork and accessories from all of our previous houses and hand-me-downs from family and friends.

One of the first things that I did was decide that we did not have to use all of our old stuff in our new house, even if it had sentimental value, had been in the family for a long time, or had been recently purchased. If I genuinely liked something and still felt drawn to it, I tried to find a place for it. Otherwise, it was packed away or donated.

However, in terms of actually decorating, I really didn’t have a clue what to do next. Honestly, my initial “theme” for the house was just “blue and white.” I literally went to Home Goods one day and just bought up anything that was blue and white. I put all that blue and white stuff up on the shelves and walls and tossed the pillows on the couch. But it just didn’t feel “right.”

Then one day, I found my muse. It was a Fixer Upper episode – Season 5, Episode 7 – “The Baker House.” I LOVED how this house turned out! I wanted to live there. I watched the episode twice in a row, and even made my husband watch the reveal. For some reason, this house just spoke to me, so I decided to figure out why.

This was the palette for the house:

Some of the terms that Joanna Gaines used to describe the design were “classic and timeless with unique patterns,” “familiar patterns with neutral hues,” “soft color balanced with consistent wooden tones,” and “genuine antiques to bring in that primitive look.”

I looked around our own home and realized that many of the pieces that I really did love and that did feel “right” fit within that description. I also recognized that many of the pieces that I bought on my random quests for “blue and white” simply did not fit.

I also tried to get a sense for which of the well-known design styles the muse home fit into. Itwasn’t quite farmhouse or traditional or modern or rustic. Of the different design styles, it seemed to adhere most closely to the “cottage” style, which according to HGTV is a “colorful, comfortable look characterized by painted or decorated furniture with graceful lines, weathered finishes, textural elements such as baskets, beadboard walls and natural-fiber rugs, and colors taken straight from a lush flower garden.” When I thought about the pieces in our home that I loved, many of them fit within this profile as well.

And just like that, a lightbulb turned on. I realized that I had been fumbling towards a design style but wasn’t quite there, so the way that I was decorating my house did not feel cohesive. It was close – because I had found a number of pieces I truly did love – but it wasn’t quite “me.”

Ultimately, I decided that my personal design style is actually a combination of three different styles: Traditional, Modern Farmhouse, and Cottage. I’ve learned what the elements of those styles are and now, when I’m shopping, I try to stick to those design styles, with particular attention to the elements they have in common. I also came up with a list of design elements that I love and speak to me, which includes:

• Natural woods
• Distressed finishes
• Vintage textiles 
• Nubby textured pillows
• White pottery
• Plants in aged terra cotta pots
• Vintage and handmade goods
• Rattan, linen, jute, and burlap
• Painted furniture
• Muted colors with pops of blue and green
• Mixed metals

This has helped me to create a more cohesive look in our home. So, now if I see a pretty blue and white vase at HomeGoods but it’s more of a contemporary look, I just pass it by.

Over the past few months, I’ve been removing items that weren’t quite right and adding items that actually fit within my personal design style. For example, in my kitchen, I’ve added more natural wood tones, white pottery, and plants, and installed mixed-metal sconces:

I hung a painting with a more organic feel that brings in pops of greens and blues, as well as natural wood tones. I styled the area with a textured pillow, a jute trimmed pillow, and a linen bench.

In our built-in shelves, I swapped out some geometric knick-knacks with pottery and bowls that have an organic, handmade feel:

And, most recently, I got a new chandelier for the breakfast nook. I liked our previous light fixture. It was very unique and I always got compliments on it. But, once I started adding more “cottage” style elements to the house, it started to feel too contemporary. Plus, I have been coveting a wood bead chandelier since we started renovations, and the one I ended up buying was an incredible open box deal (i.e., discounted).

So, here’s the takeaway from my experience. If you feel like your home is not cohesive and does not reflect what you truly love, find a muse (or two). Watch HGTV, flip through magazines, scroll Pinterest and Instagram. Take note of those spaces that speak to you. Identify what you like about those spaces and see what they have in common. Make a list of those elements and use that as a guide to develop your personal design style. Then, you can reevaluate your existing home decor and see what does not fit in that profile. And the next time you’re out shopping, it will be easier to select the pieces that will.

If you need some help getting started – and inspired – I’ve put together Pinterest boards with different design styles:

Traditional

Farmhouse

Coastal

Boho & Eclectic

Cottage

Transitional

Modern

While you’re on Pinterest, be sure to give me a follow, as I’m always adding new inspiration to these boards!

I hope this post has been helpful and that finding your design style leads you on the path to creating a home that truly reflects YOU.