House & Garden: Discovering your interior design style is something that takes time, it develops as you discover what you love. It's not as simple or as straightforward as it sounds, but it is such a joy to experiment.
1. FIND CORRELATIONS IN SPACES YOU LIKE
The best way to discover your own personal interior design style is to document and journal as much as possible. Words and images, sometimes in pairings, can be useful tools for your self-analysis,' says David Mann, founding partner, MR Architects & Decor.
'I personally am a magazine junkie and put together mood boards for most of our projects and feel that it is the best way to start the process of critically assessing who you are, what is important to you and how to translate that into the built environment.'
Charlotte Saunders, in-house interior designer at OKA adds, ''One of the best ways to find your own style is to start saving a few interior pictures you like on social media. You can then let the algorithm work its magic; you will start to see more interiors appear on your feed. You will find designers and furniture companies that you have never even heard of, yet perfectly align with your aesthetic.'
However you like to collate the ideas you love, whether it be online or going old school with a moldboard, this is a super simple starting point that will help you visualize what you like and see correlations with interior design trends and styles you are drawn to.
2. FOCUS ON THE COLORS YOU LOVE
Colors are meaningful and can make us feel happy, or sad and can transform a space to light and airy or dark and dramatic. Dopamine decorhas been at the forefront of so many recent interior design trends it's clearly becoming even more important to just follow your instincts with interiors and go with what's going to boost your mood.
'When choosing a color for your space it’s important to find out how it makes you feel and the purpose of the room that you would like to use the color in,' explains Helen Shaw, international marketing director at Benjamin Moore. 'Whether you are looking to create an air of calmness, optimism or creativity the key is to unpick the psychology of color and choose shades and combinations which work together in harmony.
If you’re looking to experiment with color pairings start by choosing a shade that anchors the space – ‘new neutrals’ such as plaster pinks will bring warmth to your room while also acting as a brilliant blank canvas. For an on-trend look, combine a softer shade of pink with green, these two complimentary colors sit opposite each other on the color wheel and therefore work beautifully with one another.'
3. CREATE A VISION BOARD
Once you have an inkling of colors that you love you can start putting together a vision board. This could be on Pinterest or you could do it the old-fashioned way – tear out images you like and stick them in a notebook or on a wall with washi tape.
'When designing a home for myself, I usually start by developing a project narrative.' says David Mann. 'To do this, I first make a list of words that are important to me, for example: honest, truthful, practical, simple, respectful, and playful. Then I collect images that I instinctually respond well to as inspiration.
From these two pools, I am able to narrow down my overall objectives. What happens next is an intuitive process of layering in all the elements of a project, for example: textiles, wallcoverings, carpets, and furniture. After a critical editing of the collected elements, I am left with an end result that is a thoughtful and beautiful reflection of my personality that will hopefully continue to delight and enrich me.
I take my clients through a similar process and even advise people looking to design a home to do this on their own, or in preparation for working with a designer.'
4. GATHER PRINTS AND PATTERNS YOU ARE DRAWN TO
The only way to know if you like decorating with patterns is to collate a few together and see how you feel about them, choose designs in the colors you like as a starting point.
Charlotte Saunders, in-house interior designer, OKA agrees, 'Looking at different patterns is a great way to find your interior design style. I would start gathering samples you really love and let your collection evolve and come to life.
I usually take fabric samples with me on a consultation to see what the client naturally gravitates towards. Patterned fabrics can make a great base when starting out a new design or even just updating soft furnishings and accessories, so it’s the perfect place to start.'
5. CHOOSE FURNITURE THAT RESONATES
'I encourage people to invest in pieces they truly love and that evoke emotion,' says Sarah Solis, founder and principal of Sarah Solis Design Studio.
A good way to source meaningful pieces is to thrift furniture and decor. 'Look for vintage items that hold personal significance and therefore honoring the history and stories behind the objects instead of just owning them,' adds Sarah.
Heirlooms are another way to collect furniture, and it can be a lovely way to keep things within the family that bring back childhood memories.
6. BE GUIDED BY THE ERAS YOU LOVE
If you are stuck with what interior design style you think suits you, have a look around at what your home says especially when choosing your kitchen.
'Think about the style of your property and try to incorporate this into your choice of kitchen supplier and the design,' says Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL Kitchens.
'This doesn’t mean if it’s a modern house have a modern kitchen because mixing old and new works. What it means is be sympathetic to your house and its style. I love old houses with incredibly simple modern kitchens. I also love stark simple buildings with a few select even ornate vintage pieces.'
For example, if you have an older property you might be lucky enough to have high ceilings and large windows, this can dictate the style you opt for. But if it's more farmhouse style and less well lit then it will need to be configured to enhance the space.
'Think about the age of your property and the proportions of the room. Some styles look great in a magazine but just don’t translate well into a small family kitchen which needs to work hard and look good for years to come. So be prepared to sacrifice a little along the way, whether it be storage or an additional appliance to get a cohesive kitchen space that is a pleasure to be in,' Helen adds.
7. LET YOUR TRAVELS INSPIRE YOU
If you love a vacation or two then consider collating pieces you pick up whilst away that might inspire you. Katharine Kelly Rhudy, founder of Reed & Acanthus adds:
'A home should be a true reflection of your personal story and designing a space "that feels like you" is all about showcasing your unique personality through color, furniture, art and collections that infuse your home with a sense of personal history like a family heirloom or piece collected while traveling.'
It could be as simple as a scarf that you buy in a color that your adore, or it has a pattern similar to a wallpaper design.
Katharine Kelly Rhudy
Owner and principal designer, Reed & Acanthus Interior Design
Katharine Kelly Rhudy, owner + principal designer of Reed & Acanthus Interior Design based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Reed & Acanthus is a design/build firm that believes in unleashing the interior designer within each client. Their goal is to curate spaces that authentically reflect their client's personal relationships and create a sense of a life well-lived. Leading the way at Reed & Acanthus is Katharine Kelly Rhudy, a passionate designer known for her commitment to personal integrity. Whether reviving existing decor or starting fresh, Katharine skillfully combines textures, fabrics, and furnishings to create enduring and sophisticated interiors in a variety of styles.