Finding your personal decorating style can be a bit of a struggle. I myself, have experimented with many different styles over the years, including a mix of girly, bright and colorful, then mid-century modern, and a mishmash of all the above. It wasn’t always pretty (I’ll spare you the photos) and none of them really reflected my true style.

I’d like how my space looked for a few months, and then get the itch to redecorate and go in a completely different direction. I was constantly yo-yoing from different styes thinking the “next” one would stick for good. Definitely not the most efficient way to go about decorating. 

Now, I have a good understanding of my style and what it looks like and consists of, which has made the whole decorating process much easier – and I no longer get the urge to redecorate constantly!

The most common reader question I receive is about how to find your style – and it’s no wonder it’s the most asked! We all want to know how we should decorate our home. Without truly knowing your personal decorating style, it’s nearly impossible to know how to decorate your home. It’s a guessing game! Which is why most of us have such a hard time deciding on furniture and accessories because we don’t have anything to guide our decisions. 

It took me a while to figure out what it meant to have a personal decorating style, but now I’ve created a little system and it’s made such a difference just knowing what styles you are drawn to and defining a style that completely reflects you.

So, why is it so important to have a decorating style, anyway? Aside from having a beautifully decorated home, your style is about creating a home that reflects YOU – allowing you to feel truly happy and content with how your home looks and feels, and enjoying it with friends and family. Believe it or not, your decorating style will help you with all of that. Just as a personal wardrobe style gives you confidence and helps you look and feel your best, your decorating style helps you do the same thing with your home.

The goal is for you to be able to recognize what you really like and why, understand what furniture and decor looks good together, and how to shop for it. So when you find the perfect throw pillows for your living room you can say, “This is SO me!”

6 Tips to Help You Find Your Personal Decorating Style

1. Seek Inspiration

Who are some of your favorite interior designers or home decor bloggers? Head to Pinterest, Google, or Instagram and do a bit of research to gather inspiration from their work. Maybe you love Studio McGee’s (seriously, allll the heart eyes) clean and bright designs, with a mix of Emily Henderson’s quirky vintage pieces, and a side of Kelly Wearstler glam. Gathering inspiration from a few different sources like these are a great way to start to find what it is you like and dislike.

Your Homework:

Create a new board on Pinterest and title it “Dream Home.” Then, search for your 5 favorite interior designers or bloggers and pin home decor images that resonate with you most and reflect how you want your home to look and feel. Once you have at least 20 pins on your board, find the common elements. Write down the colors, patterns, textures, fabrics, kinds of furniture, etc. that appear in your pins most frequently. Chances are, these are the elements you are most drawn to and should incorporate in your own home!

2. Get Rid of What You Don’t Like

Walk around your home and take a look at what furniture and decor you might have sitting around that no longer resonates with you. Maybe it just doesn’t function properly in the space, maybe you don’t like the color, or maybe you just plain don’t need/use it. Whatever it may be, toss it so you can clear out space and start fresh. Then, you can refine your home with a style that reflects you that you truly love and not be weighed down by the things that don’t bring you joy.

Your Homework:

Grab some trash bags or boxes (and some wine too!) and start cleaning up your home of the things you haven’t used in the last year and that don’t make you happy. Donate what you can, you can even sell some of the bigger pieces of furniture or decor. After doing this, you’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel in your home after a little decluttering, and, you’ll start to get a better visual of your style because you don’t have the other pieces weighing you down that don’t align with what you like. Plus, you’ll make room for some fresh new pieces that will tie your entire space together.

3. Consider Your Lifestyle

Obviously, as you’re decorating your home, you want to take into account your lifestyle and who lives in your home. A messy husband? Do you have kids? A shedding dog? Maybe slipcovers are the best option for you so you don’t have to worry about any potential red wine stains on the couch. You can just simply throw the slipcover in the wash. Fabrics and materials are a big factor in the durability of a piece of furniture, so make sure to research and see if it works for your lifestyle and will hold up to your family’s needs.

Related Post: How to Choose a Quality Couch That Lasts

Your Homework:

Write down the rooms in your home and how you use each one. Is your living room where you wind up eating dinner most of the time? Is your office really just a catchall for storage? Whatever the case may be, remind yourself when you’re shopping or decluttering, how each piece fits within your space and lifestyle. If a piece isn’t practical with your everyday life, then it’s probably not the right fit for you.

4. Shop Smarter

A couple years ago when I decorating our first home and shopping for furniture and decor, I tended to buy whatever I saw on sale at Target. Some cute pillows? Great! Random accessories to put on a shelf somewhere? Perfect! But as I brought each item home, it didn’t really work with the rest of the stuff I already had, and I ended up returning it or regretting my purchase anyway. Rather than shopping randomly for things as you stumble upon them, create a plan ahead of time. That way, you know what you need and won’t pick up random things just because they’re on sale or a great deal. 

Your Homework:

Before you go shopping, always always ALWAYS make a list of what you need and research ahead of time what it is you want exactly so you have an idea before you’re in the store, lost and confused. It helps to keep you on track and stop you from wandering and picking up random things you don’t need. I never go shopping unless I know exactly what it is I’m looking for – down to the color, size, style, etc. Only shop for what you need, what works with your lifestyle, and what you really love. If you feel ho-hum about the lamp, don’t buy it! Your home should be a collection of things that make you happy and tell your story.

5. Trust Yourself & Be Authentic

The single most important thing when defining your style is to stay true to yourself. Don’t focus on what you think you “should” have in your home based on trends or others’ expectations. It all comes down to what makes you most happy and how you can create a home that you truly love. Your style should reflect your life and your personality – own it and be proud of it, and express who you are. No one has to understand or like your crazy ideas except you!

6. Ask for Help

On your wedding day, you hired a professional photographer so you could have beautiful photos and memories of your special day. When you want glowing skin, you see a dermatologist. Don’t be afraid to do the same thing when it comes to decorating your home! Ask for advice or feedback from professionals when you’re choosing big ticket items to get a second opinion. Sometimes others bring up points you might not have thought of before, and they can help you feel more confident in the decisions you choose.