Image source: Clair Strong
‘How do I find my personal style?’ is a question I’m asked a lot. Finding and defining your own personal style can be a difficult process. Not least in 2015 where we are bombarded with new trends and ‘inspiration’ from every corner. Pinterest and Instagram are wonderful resources, but when it comes to making decisions about the ways you want to decorate your home, they can be quite distracting.
So how do you go about finding and defining your personal interior style and why is it important to do so anyway? Here are my tips:
Why You Should Define Your Personal Style
Whether you’re an ardent minimalist or all-out eclectic, it’s important to know either way. When you can define your style, you can achieve the look you really want. And knowing exactly (or having at least a very strong idea) of what you want will save you stress and money in the long-term.
Ultimately, you have to live with what you choose. Your home is a haven, a place of total comfort. But if you pick a wall colour you hate or buy furniture that doesn’t work for your family that comfort level diminishes. It’s all about ensuring your home is a perfect reflection of you.
- Consider Your Entire Personality
Your favourite books, the music you listen to, the clothes you wear, your hobbies and interests, the places you travel to – does anything here point to your decorating style? Can these things be incorporated into your home?
- Ask the Right Questions
Take a careful look around your home as it is and ask yourself lots of questions. What do you love, like and dislike? What stands out and catches your attention? Does it stand out for the right reasons?
Is there anything you would replace? Does the space reflect who you are? Has it been deliberately decorated and styled over the years, or is it just a collection of stuff?
The answers to these questions should start to give you a good idea of the style (or styles) you feel most drawn to.
- Break the ‘Rules’
Trends can be wonderful but you don’t have to follow them. Likewise, you should never feel compelled to follow design ‘rules’. Go with your gut. Combine trends that clash. Fill your home with items from your travels. Embrace a theme or disregard them altogether. Don’t be a slave to fashion. Just do what feels right for you.
