Your Design Style

Great room (Photo credit: Dawn Gagnon)

"I don't have a design style..."  If you're like a lot of people you may think you either don't have a style or your style doesn't fit into any pre-determined categories. That is actually far more common than you realize and the good news is, there is a way to identify your style. By using your own home as your model, you can go room by room and notice what repeating patterns, shapes, colors etc exist.  I promise you if you do this, you'll soon discover you're a lot more predictable in your tastes than you think you are. I have heard many say they are "eclectic" when in actuality, they are just caught in a state of confusion on how to display what they love in the best way for the space they are in.
For instance you'll notice a lot of people with extreme clutter tend to define their design style as "eclectic" when in fact we all know they are hoarders. Now that doesn't mean to suggest all those with problems identifying their style are all hoarders, but I do mean to suggest the word "eclectic" may be the victim of over use. Most of us do tend to like the same styles, shapes, and patterns, and we will see common aspects of this over and over again through out the home. Even if it is wild and colorful, from different parts of the world, with different materials, chances are, they will share some common traits overall. Bottom line, you do have a design style unique to you. It doesn't have to follow the rules of any recognized design scheme, but if you find that your style lacks cohesiveness there are reasons for it and ways to correct it. Please take a look at this link to find out the best way to pull your style together, here: Tips on finding your design style and making it work

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Trends:The Good, the Bad and the Down Right Ugly

I shun trends!! Well, I will correct myself, trends are a good and fun thing in small easy to take doses. Trends can be costly if you are one of the many that run out as soon as a television show tells you this is 'all the rage' and buy something they are using in a design. There are just a few simple things you need to remember when it comes to following trends, and they are the following;

Keep it simple- Trends in color should be done is small increments that you test before you commit. In other words if you're thinking of painting a wall in some wild blue turquoise color, try painting only one wall in the color first and living with it before you commit the whole room to the color. If you really want to play it safe, paint a piece of paint-able wall paper in the color and hang it to your wall for a week or so and see if it works with you. This is especially handy in a room with changing light from many windows..colors change color in different lighting situations.

Make sure it's changeable- If you must go with a trend it should be one that can change easily. Throw pillows, area rugs, slipcovers, all are things that can be brought in and taken out. Never invest in a trend that is extremely costly and/or hard to remove. Anything that has to be permanently affixed should be given careful thought. We are already seeing now where small glass tile backsplashes are on their way out. This was one of those trends that may come back and bite you later on. Research classic designs to find a better timeless fit for your decorating needs.

Here's some fine examples of using a bold color choice in your home in a safe way, this trend is becoming popular as we speak, Turquoise is a hot color right now:
If it costs a lot, wait, hesitate and wait some more- Big items cost big money, big installations, etc are all red flags in design. Refrain from jumping on bandwagons that promote colors and finishes that have not been deemed classic. The eighties had their brass age, we don't want to go back to that, especially the 'imitation' brass age. 

Good trends-movable, changeable, removable, Bad Trends- fake anything, imitation anything, if everyone is putting it in, wait..wait...wait....Ugly trends- google decorating trends from the decades, 'nuf said.

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