Whether you’re building a new house or just redecorating your living room, it can be hard to pick out elements that feel cohesive. Knowing your design style will really help you make these decisions. But how do you figure out what your design style is? Decorating your home can feel overwhelming, but we want to help you determine your design style by giving you some tips on how to figure it out. Get ready to start picking out swatches and materials because you’re about to start your designing journey.
Do Your Research
If you have no idea where to start, do some research. Grab some magazines and look at different designs. Don’t just look at homes. Draw inspiration from companies, stores, and even restaurants. You can also look online. Applications like Pinterest are great because you can make a board and pin multiple things to it. If you like a living room, add it to the board. Even if you just like a color or pattern, pin it. This Pinterest board will become a collection of everything you like.
Another thing you can do to research is tour model homes. Model homes are properties that a homebuilder uses as a display to show potential buyers. These homes are fully decorated and are great for seeing an entire house in one style. At these model home showings, you can see all the elements of a specific style and how they’d look in any room of the house. Tour multiple different model homes and see how each is decorated. Focus on how you feel when you enter these homes. Do you feel like you could live in it as is? If so, ask the person showing the house what design style the model home is decorated in.
Don’t forget to also draw inspiration from the places around you. Do you have a friend or family member’s house that you love? What kind of style do they have? Your favorite restaurant or clothing store may have an aesthetic that you love. You can even draw inspiration from yourself. Is there a decor or furniture piece in your house that you love? Every element can be categorized into a style. If you love your vintage coffee table, maybe your design style involves vintage accents. Some popular styles right now are Scandinavian, modern, minimalist, maximalist, mid-century modern, grand millennial, industrial, modern farmhouse, and traditional.
Look at Your Preferences
Once you’ve done some research if you still don’t know what your exact style is, take a look at your preferences. Look at your Pinterest board and keep an eye out for similar pieces or decorations that could go together. What colors and patterns did you gravitate toward? Also, remember to think about your needs. Yes, determining your design style is about aesthetics. However, you can’t just overlook what you or your family needs. You may determine that you love glass table lamps. However, if you have young children, this may not be a design choice you want to take in the living room. If you’ve dubbed yourself as a lover of modern farmhouses, a white couch could be in your future. However, if you have a dark lab that’s used to laying on the couch, maybe you should opt for gray. These are things you need to consider too.
Don’t forget that you don’t have to pick one style. If you have different elements from multiple styles. Don’t be afraid to make your own personal style. Your preferences from multiple styles might even have a name, and you just don’t know it. Look at your preferences and figure out what you like. You aren’t confined to one style. Your home can be designed any way you like.
Ask an expert
Asking for an expert’s opinion can also help you determine your design style. Design consultants are trained in interior design and know all of the design styles. They also know what elements from multiple different styles will look good together. Even if you do know your design style, it can be hard making all of the tiny decisions. A design consultant can help you pick everything from wall color and furniture to cabinet knobs and lighting fixtures. A design consultant may even have a design guide that you can look at. This guide will give you everything you need to know in one place. Design guides can vary between consultants, but typically, they include things like catalogs, materials, and picture examples.
How We Can Help
At Holland Homes, our design consultants work with you through every detail. Show us what designs and trends you love and we can help create your dream home even if you don’t know the name of your design style. Our experts want to turn your ideas into a reality and exceed your expectations. Contact us today to get started on designing your new home!
