Moving into a new space or trying to fall in love with your current home? That massive plethora of ideas in your mind sure isn’t helping — with so many designs and trends, choosing the one YOU love the most can get intimidating. And without having clear aims and directions, your investment won’t yield the results you’ve envisioned. In that regard, we’ve put together the key tips and tricks on how to find your interior design style, so you can start your next design project knowing you’re headed in just the right
direction!
Create A Mood board
Have hundreds and hundreds of pins saved to your Pinterest? Been there, done that!
We understand going through them confuses you even more — so many options, and a limited number of choices to make. But if you put in some work (more than just skimming through them), you can actually bring those pins to good use.
Pay close attention to the images you’ve saved, and look for common design elements that have been repeated. For example, there may be a particular colour that shows up over and over again. Some furnishings and patterns will be abundant throughout, and you’ll notice the repetition of particular textures.
Pick out the themes you see abundantly, and join them together to form a mood board. This will help put all your ideas in one place and greatly narrow down the styles you love.
Pro tip: if you don’t have an interest in Pinterest (cool rhyme, right?), you can opt for tools such as Canva and Adobe Illustrator. They have the added benefit of allowing you to manipulate imagery!
Look For Inspiration
Sometimes, all you need is someone else’s design style to figure out your own. Pay a visit to your home décor-loving friends and walk through interior design stores, noting down everything you gravitate towards. You can also take a stroll through nature to find colours and textures that make you happy and incorporate these natural elements into your home. Even better would be finding influencers on Instagram that share styles that you resonate with. Begin by following multiple influencers on Instagram every day. As soon as you find yourself getting addicted to scrolling through the design taste(s) of particular influencers, you’ll know that particular style is what you love.
Analyse Your Aims With Interior Design
Are you looking for long-term design solutions, or would you be willing to switch up your décor every now and then to stay updated with the latest trends?
The answer to this question has a great say in the design style perfect for you. If you’re looking for something timeless —something you wouldn’t need to switch up for years down the line, or perhaps would do with just a little bit of tweaking, you should opt for minimalist or Scandinavian design styles. These are understated, simple, and sophisticated, featuring soft tones and sleek designs. Best part, they’re likely to last plenty of years without going out of trend. On the other hand, if you’re willing to switch things up frequently and would like to make a statement with a loud, bold interior, eclectic and bohemian styles are for you. These have pops of colour and bold elements — something you love now but may want to change later.
Learn About The Various Design Styles
This tip comes without saying, but it’s easy to overlook the obvious, so we’d like to put it out there. Learn about the various design styles so you can tell the style(s) your preferences are (or are not) categorised under.
There are more design styles than you’d know what to do with, but knowing the trendiest ones will suffice. In that regard, here are famous favourites you should definitely know about:
Traditional — rooted in heritage and based on the 18th and 19th-century European styles. It features ornate rugs, fancy chandeliers, floral arrangements, and framed art.
Bohemian — layers natural and organic elements. It is featured by a lack of structure, plenty of bamboo and rattan, plus saturated colours.
Eclectic — mixes elements from several design styles. It is known for iconic décor pieces, a vast mixture of visual elements, and curated aesthetics.
Modern — rooted in square shapes. It consists of monochromatic colour palettes (mostly neutrals) and uncluttered styles.
Scandinavian — blends together soft hues and textures. Rightfully a cousin of modern style, Scandi style features clean lines, simple furnishings, and a focus on functionality.
Industrial — more masculine than other design styles. It uses a lot of rustic wood, leather, and metal while keeping the colour palette neutral.
Coastal — for all the beachy vibes right in your home. From the colours to the décor items, every aspect of this style is inspired by the natural elements of the coast.
… And Use The Elimination Process
Choosing one (best) out of a range of different design styles can be overwhelming, so why not work the reverse way. Carefully go through the design styles, ruling out the ones you don’t like. The choice(s) will be easier to make and will eventually help cut down the options. The final list you have after eliminating the styles that aren’t in line with your vision will be much shorter — and easier to choose from. Speaking of choosing, we’d also like to mention — interior design boils down to personal preference, and if you’re someone who likes more than one style, who are we to judge? To each their own! In fact, using mixed styles is a fantastic choice. For example, you can put together farmhouse and modern to create a contemporary farmhouse vibe in your home for a unique interior.
Go The Extra Mile To Find Your Interior Design Style!
For folks wishing to spruce up their interior, going the extra mile to find your interior design style is worth the effort! After all, the best interiors are those that speak to your personality and reflect who you are, and the first step in doing so is by choosing your favourite style.
If you’d like professional help and expert advice for a smooth and seamless design process, get in touch with us today!