What Is My Decorating Style? 7 Questions to Help You Define Your Aesthetic
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Personal style isn’t about labels, or trying to fit into some box that other people will approve of. It’s what feels like you and finding it will help you create a home that reflects your lifestyle, your tastes, and the atmosphere you want to live in every day.
Over the years, I’ve discovered few key questions that help bring clarity in determining personal style. Today I’m sharing those same questions with you, so you can define your aesthetic with confidence and start designing a home that feels both stylish and personal.
1. How do I want my home to feel?
Before you think about colors, furniture, or Pinterest inspiration, focus on emotion. Do you want your home to feel calm and restful? Warm and welcoming? Energizing and bold? The feeling you want to create becomes the anchor for all your design decisions.
2. What colors am I naturally drawn to?
Your closet is a great place to start when answering this question. If you wear mostly neutrals, chances are you’ll feel most at home in a soft, neutral palette. If you gravitate toward bold colors or moody shades, your home may benefit from deeper paint colors and statement pieces. Notice which hues you consistently love rather than what’s trending. Let’s use my own personal Pinterest board as an example:
My Personal Style
As you can see, I love moody neutrals! Looking at this board, my colors are black, brown, gray, taupe, olive green, blue, and white.
3. Which textures and materials speak to me?
Texture is what makes a room come alive. Think about whether you’re drawn to sleek finishes like polished marble and glass, or cozy, natural textures like linen, wool, and reclaimed wood. The materials you choose will shape the personality of your rooms as much as the color palette.
There are no wrong answers here. Metal trends come and go, so don’t sweat it if you love antique brass when trends move towards polished nickel and silver. Or light wood tones lift your spirit while Instagram is telling you to go dark. Just go with your gut! You’ll be “trending” again soon enough anyway.
4. What are my lifestyle needs?
A decorating style isn’t just about looks, it has to work for your life. Do you have kids or pets? You might want durable fabrics, slipcovered furniture, and practical layouts. Do you love to entertain? That might mean creating a welcoming dining area or a comfortable living room with flexible seating.
And yup, that means it’s okay to make your TV the focal point of your room. You aren’t designing your home for me, or anyone else giving advice on the internet. You’re designing it for you, your family, your friends, and when discussing personal style, that’s what matters.
5. Which inspiration photos do I keep saving?
Scroll through your Pinterest boards or screenshots. What patterns do you notice? Maybe most of the photos have clean lines and minimal clutter, or maybe they’re full of layered patterns and cozy details. These repeating elements are clues to your true style.
Going back to my fashion Pinterest board, you’ll notice that all of these outfits are a mix of casual and formal, with the only real pattern coming from the Adidas stripes on the shoes (which apparently I’m obsessed with). Sneakers with trousers, tailored coat with jeans, I clearly love this style contrast.
Now let’s take a look at my personal style interior board.
My Personal Style
Can you see the pattern? Just like my fashion board, I love moody neutrals contrasted against lighter colors. I see warm mid-dark toned wood, white walls in main living spaces, a few blue moments, darker bedroom and office, and casual spaces with hints of formality. Look at the house exterior I saved. Weathered shingles, black painted door, white picket fence, and brick walkway. It’s me, in a nutshell. I’m pretty sure we’re both New Englanders, too.
Side note: If you’re interested in seeing my personal style board, it’s HERE. Follow me on Pinterest while you’re at it. I’m sharing and saving over there daily.
6. What are my must-haves?
Every style has room for flexibility, but defining a few non-negotiables helps. Maybe you know you need antique wood pieces for warmth, a slipcovered sofa for comfort, or brass accents for a touch of elegance. These must-haves become your style signatures.
For me, it’s darker wood furniture. Light wood will trend again, but a walnut dining table will never not have my heart. Oh, and I also need at least one antique in every room. Big or small, it just does something for me.
7. How do I want my home to evolve?
Your style isn’t set in stone. It will grow with you, your family, and your experiences. Think about what’s timeless for you versus what you enjoy experimenting with. This helps you invest wisely in long lasting pieces and use accents to play with trends.
It’s okay to fall in love with a trend. The whole point of this article is to give you tips for creating a home that makes your heart sing. If something happens to be trending right now, and it does that for you, go for it! Just try to keep the big budget stuff to your version of timeless.
To Name, or Not To Name
The beauty of defining your decorating style is that it’s not about following rules. It’s about curating a home that feels like your own personal retreat. When you know your style, every decorating decision, from choosing a paint color to picking the right coffee table, becomes so much easier.
Now, some people (including me) find naming one’s decorating style, in addition to defining it, even more helpful. Other’s feel like it keeps them too boxed in. This is up to you. You’ll be able to see your style as rustic, contemporary, or traditional (all 3?) without any labels, but having a name can help keep you focused. Contemporary Rustic Traditional has a nice ring to it!
Looking at my personal style Pinterest board, I’ll name my aesthetic Casual Modern Traditional. It’s a contemporary take on traditional, with casual vibes. It’s a wingback velvet bed against traditional wood paneled walls, and layered casual linen and cotton bedding. It’s a clean lined upholstered sofa paired with a turned leg walnut coffee table. White bead board walls behind an antique framed painting. Naming it, helps me see it.
Now, go save those inspiration photos and ask yourself these questions. Don’t forget, there are no wrong answers!
