I taught a design workshop right before Christmas that focused on seasonal décor and fashion.  During the workshop I presented decorating tips and design ideas to inspire those in attendance with their design and personal style.  As I look back on the workshop I recognize that the ideas presented ran the gamment from casual and country to chic and traditional.  It’s always my goal to present a range of ideas that anyone can identify with, since everyone’s style is different.

The workshop also got me thinking about people who don’t have a clear vision of what their style is and in-turn find it challenging to decorate their homes.  If you fall into that category, this blog post is for you.  I’m outlining the steps you can take to analyze and define your design style so decorating becomes a joy and not a job.

First let me explain what PERSONAL STYLE is. Your personal design style is a combination of colors, patterns, materials, details and styles that you connect and respond to in a positive way.  In simple terms, your design style is defined by the items you love, the things that make you feel good and the pieces that work for the way you and your family live and function in your home.

 Here are the steps you can take to define (or refine) your design style:

•  Define your family’s needs.  Understand exactly how your home needs to be laid out to function best for everyone that lives there.  Do you work from home and need office space?  Are the kids home schooled which requires a dedicated study space?  Is movie watching your families favorite leisure activity which means you need a large tv room or media room?  Once you outline the needs your home has to provide, you ‘ll be more equipped to decorate it with confidence.

• Evaluate your existing furniture.   As you begin to define your design style make a list of the furniture you own and which pieces work for you and those that don’t. Look through your ‘hit’ list to see if there are common threads amongst the pieces–design, colors, shapes, materials and style.  Those common threads will tell you a lot about your style.  And for the items that made the ‘miss’ list, let them go so you can replace them with pieces you love.

• Identify the colors you love. Pull out an old fashion color chart and identify the colors that appeal most to you.  If you’re attracted to deep, rich colors it could signal that your style leans more formal.  Cooler colors could indicate a more modern, streamline style appeal.   And looking through your closet to see what colors you wear most often can tell you a lot about the colors you’re most fond of too.

• Gather items you cherish.  Pull together 5 or 10 of your favorite decorative objects and see if there are styles you gravitate to.  Do you love gold accessories or floral motifs?  Maybe you like colorful items or geometric shapes?  The things you love will point you to your design style and help you translate your taste into smart decorating choices.

• Determine how you want your home to feel.  One of the most important aspects of your décor is how you feel when you’re in your home.  Whatever your defined design style, you want to surround yourself with things that promote a feeling of comfort, well-being and happiness.

• Defining your style may not happen over night but once you hone in on it, the foundation will be set and decorating will be easy.  As time goes by, your style might change evolve and change some but the core of what you like and how you want your home to function and feel will remain the same.

♥♥♥

If you need visual help to define your style, read my tips on how Pinterest can help and take this fun quiz over at Decorist.  I took the quiz and they nailed my style perfectly…

YOU LIKE ECLECTIC STYLES
You prefer to mix and match different styles rather than be totally traditional or modern.
You love figuring out how to combine different designs into one cohesive whole.
You…

want your home to be stylish and that is a reflection of you and your overall tastes
want your home to be comfortable and inviting and that is a reflection of you and your lifestyle
like a rustic or natural but refined look to your home
like ethnic accents and a “worldly” look
like warm colors
like bright pops of color or colorful accents
like to use texture for visual interest
like to use some traditional gilded or wood accents in your home to give it a sense of timelessness
like the look of natural materials in your home.

all image via BHG