Have you ever walked into a room and felt an immediate sense of WOW? That magical feeling when the space is just vibin’? That’s the power of a well-defined decorating style—it’s the magic ticket to loving your home.

Without a clear vision of your style, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by endless choices and end up with a result that doesn’t quite fit together like you hoped. I’ve seen this time and again, and it’s one of the first steps we take when working together designing your home.

This journey of identifying your interior design style is not a static decision—it’s a dynamic, evolving process that blends various elements into your unique aesthetic over time. Let’s do a deep dive on how to find your own personal interior design style and what it looks like for you.

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The Importance of Knowing Your Interior Design Style

Why Does It Matter?

Having a decorating style is like having a destination for your journey. Without it, you wander aimlessly. Your style provides vision and direction, enabling you to create a home that looks exactly how you want. If your home doesn’t turn out as expected, it’s likely because you haven’t clarified your vision.

Imagine setting out on a cross country road trip without a map or GPS. You might eventually get somewhere, but it probably won’t be where you wanted to go. You’ll likely get lost a few times and it might take you MUCH longer to get there than if you knew the path. Similarly, without a clear interior design style, you might buy pieces you love individually, but they don’t come together to create the cohesive and beautiful home you envision. Understanding your style gives you a roadmap, helping you make decisions that lead to a well-designed space that flows together.

It Takes Time

Nailing down your style is a bit of a moving target. It can evolve and change over time as your needs and likes change. That’s totally normal and okay! Now, I’m not saying it’s going to change drastically every year and you’ll be in a perpetual state of decorating and redecoratng to keep up with your style. That is NOT what this means. Your style won’t be changing that much. But a few tweaks here and there is healthy. It’s about discovering what resonates with you, what feels like home. Then refining that process

For example, when I first started decorating, I was drawn to more modern furniture and elements. Over time, I’ve shifted a bit and prefer a bit more traditional with a more neutral color palette. This evolution didn’t happen overnight. It slowly shifted as I explore more inspiration and got better at realizing what it was I liked and why.

Now, having been locked in solid on my decorating style for nearly 5 years since living in our current home, I’m getting the itch to change out a few things in our home to keep it fresh. Nothing big or major – just changing wall art or decor. Your style will develop and change as you do, reflecting your growth and experiences.

How to Find Your Interior Design Style

Step 1: Take the Quiz

I actually created a handy little quiz that can help give you an idea of how well you know your interior design style. If you haven’t taken it yet, definitely go do that!

It’s a great jumping-off point to identify your preferences and what you’re drawn to. Maybe you’ve taken other quizzes before and you probably get different results each time you take a new quiz. My quiz is designed to ask questions that reveal your subconscious preferences, things you might not even realize you love. Then you can follow the direction that the quiz is pointing you and dig deeper.

For example, you might think you prefer minimalist designs, but the quiz could reveal a hidden affinity for vintage elements.

The quiz covers a range of styles, from modern and traditional to farmhouse and eclectic. It also delves into specifics like color palettes, furniture preferences, and decorative elements. By the end of it, you’ll have a clearer idea of your decorating style and a foundation to build upon. Taking the quiz is not the end all be all, but more of just the beginning 🙂

Step 2: Gather Inspiration

Create an inspiration board filled with images you love. Pinterest is a great tool for this, but you can also use PowerPoint, Canva, or even a physical board with magazine cutouts. Gather inspiration from home decor, interiors, fabrics, color palettes, patterns, and art—anything that speaks to you.

Pinterest, in particular, is a fantastic resource because it allows you to save and organize images easily. You can create different boards for different rooms or styles, making it easy to see what you’re drawn to. Start by searching for terms like “living room decor,” “kitchen design,” or “bedroom inspiration,” and pin the images that catch your eye.

Don’t limit yourself to just home decor. Fashion, travel, and nature can also provide valuable inspiration. Maybe you love the colors of a sunset or the textures of a cozy sweater. These elements can translate into your home decor, creating a space that truly reflects your personality. Feel free to add these to pictures to your inspiration board!

Questions to Ask Yourself as You’re Searching for Inspiration

As you gather images, ask yourself the following questions to help refine your choices:

• Does this spark joy?
• Does this image reflect how I want my space to feel?
• Can I imagine living in the pictured space?

These questions help you stay focused on your true preferences and ensure you are only including the things you absolutely LOVE on your inspiration board. There are many beautiful interiors that I admire, but I wouldn’t want to live in them because they don’t align with my personal taste or what I want for my home. For instance, I love the look of industrial lofts with exposed brick and metal beams, but I know that in practice, I prefer a cozier, more colorful space.

Even if it’s only a small element in the inspiration photo that you love and not the entire image itself, still include it on your inspiration board. We will comb through it in the next step.

Step 3: Analyze Your Inspiration

With at least 20 images on your board, start analyzing them. I find anything less than 20 makes it harder to find themes because there’s just not enough inspiration to pull from. Look for common themes or elements among the group.

For instance, I noticed that many of my pins feature shades of blue. This helps me identify a key color of my style and something I might want to include in my space.

As you analyze your board, look for recurring patterns and write them down.

Do you see a lot of neutral colors or bold hues? Are there specific furniture styles that keep appearing, like maybe a wingback chair? What about textures and materials—do you prefer sleek and modern or rustic and worn? These patterns will help you understand the core elements of your style.

The more zoned in you can get and pull out those small little details you notice in each image, but better and more defined you will feel about your interior design style.

Getting Specific

Get as specific as possible. If all the sofas you love have rolled arms, consider that style for your home. Note these elements and move on to the next pin, repeating the process until you’ve analyzed all your images. This detailed analysis will help you identify the building blocks of your style, making it easier to make cohesive design decisions.

For example, when I analyzed my own inspiration board years ago, I noticed a preference for cognac leather furniture. It kept popping up in many of the pins that I saved. This realization helped me focus my shopping and design choices, and I don’t think cognac would have been on my radar as part of my style had I not seen it show up in my pins numerous times.

Here is a link to my own Pinterest board I created several years when I first started this process and I still go back and refer to my board often to keep me on track when I’m starting a new project! I now have nearly 90 pins on my board since I continue to add to it as I stumble across pins that stop me in my tracks.

It may take some time to go through each image with an eagle eye, but I promise you, it will save you loads of time when it comes to actually decorating your home!

Creating Your Unique Interior Design Style

Now that you have a list of elements, these are the key ingredients of your style. The magic happens when you combine these different elements to create a cohesive look. Your style is unique to you, and the way you blend these elements will reflect your personality and tastes.

If you took the quiz and got Traditional as your result, Traditional style can be interpreted many different ways. It will look much different from one person to the next. That’s where your own unique elements come in to play from the list you created.

What If Things Don’t Go Together?

You might worry that your preferences are too random to form a cohesive style. The key is intentionality. By repeating certain elements or colors in a space, you can tie anything together. Avoid clutter by ensuring there’s a common thread that weaves your choices together.

For example, if you love both modern and rustic elements, you can create a cohesive look by choosing a consistent color palette and repeating elements throughout your space. Maybe you use modern furniture with rustic wood accents, or pair a neutral color palette with cozy, textured fabrics on the sofa. The key is to find a balance that feels intentional.

Naming Your Style

I like to name my style to make it memorable and to give it a clear identity. This helps me stay focused and ensures that my decor choices remain cohesive. Naming your interior design style can be as simple or creative as you like. Maybe you call it “Country Cottage” or “Cozy Moody Chic.” Whatever you choose, make sure it resonates with you and reflects the essence of your style.

Practical Tips for Implementing Your Interior Design Style

Once you’ve identified your style and the elements its comprised of, it’s time to bring it to life in your home. Here are some practical tips for implementing your unique style.

Start with A Single Room

Start with a single room or space so you are making small changes. There’s no need to overhaul your entire home at once. Observe the items in your current space that don’t align with your list of elements you created. Pair back those items that maybe don’t speak to you or that aren’t part of your unique style. Then slowly add in pieces that do fall under those style elements that you defined for yourself.

Swap Out Accessories and Art

Rather than going straight for new furniture that can be costly, start by introducing new smaller pieces like accessories and art. Adding new art to the wall in your color palette or swapping out pillows for more fun patterns can be simple and affordable ways to instantly update your room without completely starting from scratch.

Image Idea: A neutral living room with white walls and a beige sofa.

Incorporate Personal Touches

Your home should reflect your personality and interests. Incorporate personal touches like family photos, travel souvenirs, and handmade items to make your space truly unique. These personal elements add character and warmth, making your house feel like a home.

Edit and Curate

Be selective about what you bring into your home. If you don’t love a piece, don’t feel tied to keeping it! Edit and curate your decor to ensure that everything contributes to the overall look and feel of your space. I’d much rather have a piece of art I absolutely love rather than have any old piece of art hanging just to fill the space.

“Be faithful to your own taste, because nothing you really like is ever out of style.”

Billy Baldwin

You’re now closer to creating a home you love! Knowing your style makes shopping for your home much easier because you know exactly what to look for.

Looking for more support around decorating your home? Are you overwhelmed and feel like you are not making the right decisions for your home? Are you all over the place when it comes to decorating?

Let’s schedule a consultation call to discuss how to bring your unique style to life in your home so it’s finished once and for all! I offer a 2 week design experience where we can create a custom design for one room that is completely tailored to you and your style FAST.

If you are ready for a home that’s beautiful and livable and want to sit back and relax knowing an expert is handling all the details, let’s chat!