Identifying Your Design Style

Remodeling and redecorating your home can be a big task. Even before all the hard work and heavy lifting, you need to figure out a proper plan. What is the goal? How do you want your home to feel? What is your design style? Are we going for a more Boho Chic look or perhaps a Rustic Modern look? Are we going Vintage or Contemporary? Is the goal a bold Industrial or Mid Century? Deciding on a particular style can feel daunting to someone that hasn’t taken the time to figure it out. I thought it might be helpful to provide some tips to help you narrow down your own design style, in case you have no clue where to start. Buckle up: we’re embarking on a creative journey of design self-discovery.

Shop your home

As appealing and intriguing as a full home makeover can be, our first instinct should be to repurpose or refurbish what we already have. I know, it may seem counterintuitive for me to suggest that you not shop on a furniture website, but we are also big on sustainability and eco-friendly living. What is more eco-friendly than not further contributing to landfills by making due with salvageable pieces already in your home? Finding your style doesn’t mean throwing out everything you own and starting anew. Sure, you’ll need to make your way through the other steps before you decide on a personal style, but don’t give up on all your furnishings before you do so. Some may come in handy, thus saving you quite a bit of money. Heirloom traditional table? There are ways to dress up the space in order to make it transitionally chic. Old family couch? How about getting it reupholstered rather than tossing it out or selling it. The point is, do not disregard everything existing in a room you wish to make over.

Go crazy on Pinterest

Pinterest is a magical land of endless beautiful images of design, art, fashion, food, everything. If you are unaware of this magnificent platform, I suggest you download it asap. I for one have a multitude of boards for everything from makeup looks to DIY projects and workout routines. Bursting with chic, aesthetically pleasing interior design images, Pinterest has every style, every design motif for you to browse through and become inspired. Develop your dream bedroom, stretch your imagination by lovingly borrowing from the design pioneers before us. Go wild with your pinning. Explore styles you like and challenge your established ideas with the endless stunning photographed homes.

Consider your personality

What are you drawn to? How should your personality affect your style decisions? Are you a visually expressive person? Are you an extrovert looking to make a statement with your decor? Are you more drawn towards neutral tones and muted palettes? Take some clues from your wardrobe. Is your fashion sense more on the sophisticatedly conservative side or colorfully eclectic. If you’re uncertain about the style choice of your home, a good starting point is to start in your closet. Are you drawn to established staples that are timeless and pair well with a multitude of garments and accessories? Perhaps a Minimalist Scandinavian motif would be best suited for you. Is your clothing colorful, bold, and unpredictable on a daily basis? A Transitional home would allow for the broadest creativity. Is a leather jacket your daily go to? How about an Industrial Modern home with some stunning vintage pieces?

Avoid trends

It may be tempting to gravitate toward the shiny new trends circulating social media, but it is important to not make interior design ideas based PURELY on current hot trends. Trends are fleeting. Trying to keep up with them will mean an ever changing space, not to mention incredibly expensive and environmentally wasteful. For a lasting, beautiful home, restrict trends to wall color, throw pillows, and overall decor. Choose furnishings that can easily transform and adapt with changing decor. Use trends to inspire. Flip through all the design magazines, but always remember to reconcile newfound inspiration with established personal style so that your newly done space doesn’t come with a fleeting appreciation.

Visit popular stores

Another amazing tip is to visit the big stores! Crate and Barrel, West Elm, Pottery Barn all do an amazing job of displaying specific styles together so that you can easily envision which pieces go with what. Looking for some Mid Century and Modern inspiration? Stop by a West Elm. Want a more bohemian space? Visit a World Market store. Like with everything mentioned above, allow yourself an exploration period. Creating a picture-perfect space can take some soul searching, and genuine research. Before anyone comes for me for mentioning other furniture stores, I am merely suggesting you VISIT these stores for inspiration. And also, my genuine goal and hope is that you are able to create your dream home whether that includes Haiku Designs or not (but hopefully it does. We’re pals right?). For some people, imagining the perfect home is easy. Others may require a little more help, some visual aids. All is valid. Do what you gotta do. 

Of course there are plenty of other things to consider: the layout of your space, the square footage available, the architecture, your *ahem* wallet. But all that can be tackled later. Identifying your design style is arguably the most fun step, so enjoy it! Be creative! Explore new ideas! Pin away! Window Shop! Look through magazines! Envision yourself in a beautifully curated space made for you, by you. And if all else fails, you can always hire a decorator.