One of the most common questions that we hear nearly every day is “how do I know what style really appeals to me? I seem to like a few conflicting things and I just can’t seem to make a decision with any confidence.” Well, here are three ways to get over decorator’s block quickly and relatively painlessly.
Tip #1. Gather inspiration images and see what they all have in common. We’ve mentioned that we keep our favorite rooms organized in a nice thick plastic-sleeve-riddled binder (read more about that here). And this anthology of sorts was really paramount when it came to pinning down our style and learning what we love. It’s amazing how an arsenal of love-it-so-much images can help you identify commonalities in rooms that really grab your attention. Sure you might find that you have a million “favorite” rooms sitting in a pile (or in a binder if you’re Captain Organized like me) but it won’t be until you go through them and make a separate pile of about 15 rooms that REALLY stand out to you (read: the best of the best) that you’ll begin to notice some common color schemes, furniture finishes, and overarching style cues that many of these rooms have in common.
Take note of the wood finishes that you’re drawn to. The wall colors. The furniture shapes. The textiles and accessories. The art. The overall effect (high contrast? dreamy? tone-on-tone? pops of color?). Of course your favorite rooms might not all be super obvious and similar when you study them as a group, but just try to see what patterns you can pick up. Maybe they all have dramatic floor to ceiling curtains or dark velvet sofas? Or perhaps it’s more about patterned rugs or bright modern art on the walls? You might notice they all have neutral backdrops with pops of color in the pillows or accessories. Or a high contrast vibe (like dark wood floors paired with white walls). If you look long enough, we’re sure you’ll see some definite commonalities- and that’s how you can start to develop your confidence and create a real overarching “look” for your home.
This exercise is the single most important thing you can do to help define your style and hone in on your aesthetic, so don’t rush through it or halfheartedly select your favorite rooms without some serious thought. Heck even if you only have five cream-of-the-crop-holy-cow-I-love-this-room images, it’s still more effective than tossing ten more eh-this-room-is-ok images into the mix. So really do some serious soul searching (and magazine and online searching) to see what tickles your fancy. Then lay them all out to study what they have in common- and what you can adapt and introduce into your very own home. Oh and check out these great online sites (here, here, and here) for galleries full of gorgeous rooms in a variety of styles.
Tip #2. Take a few find-your-style quizzes to see what they say that you like. Sure they could all be complete hooey, but it’s not like they can really hurt. And they’re all pretty quick to complete. Sometimes one or two of them will hit on something so eye-opening and illuminating that you’ll literally feel like you finally know exactly what you like. Or at least like you’re a lot closer to cracking the code.
Tip #3. Don’t get caught up with a label like “Elegant Classic” or “Cottage Meets Vintage.” Sure sometimes they can help (and if a label or a specific descriptor keeps you on track then by all means embrace it). But we don’t really go out of our way to describe our exact style in any words at all. We just know what we like (capiz, jute, neutrals mixed with sea glass-esque greens and blues, dark wood, bamboo blinds, natural materials, glass based lamps, and white white white). Here’s a post all about that. It’s safe to say that we finally know what we love and can easily identify what will fit seamlessly into our house (and what won’t – which is just as important).
But even though we have a handle on what fries our bacon when it comes to furnishings, accessories and so on, if you were to ask us to label our style we’d probably hem and haw while tossing out a slew of general terms like: clean-lined, airy, light, breezy, beachy, modern, classic, transitional… the list goes on and on! So don’t worry if you don’t end up with a specific decorating style name at the end of your figure-out-what-I-like pilgrimage. Just be open to embracing the colors, shapes, materials, and elements that you’ve identified time and time again as your cup of tea. Because a label doesn’t make the room, and sometimes trying to encapsulate your style with some two or three word description is nearly impossible anyway.
Oh and remember that our we-know-what-we-like confidence didn’t happen overnight. It was all thanks to decorating in stages and taking the time to figure out what worked and what didn’t (the wrong paint color can be painted over & the wrong pillows, rugs and blinds can always be returned or upgraded down the line). Sometimes it’s the mistakes that tell you the most about what you like and get you a lot closer to pinning down your true style. So don’t be paralyzed with indecision- it won’t get you anywhere! You have to start somewhere, and after you try out these three style sleuthing tips you’ll hopefully have a nice little map that will get you closer to your own personal decorating holy grail.
But enough about what we think. We’d love to hear any and all tips that you guys have on the subject of pinning down your style and making your house feel welcoming, chic, and oh-so-you.
Psst- Looking for more decorating advice when it comes to pinning down your style and figuring out what will work. Here’s a post all about avoiding decorating indecision and here’s one about keeping things looking layered and lovely as opposed to hodge podge or matchy-matchy.
Jen says
The thing i’ve learned over the years about decorating is if you like it, it’s your style. and even if everything doesn’t seem like it “goes” it does. it’s called being unique. and I love when i get compliments on our home and i love discovering new things that I’m inspired by each day, especially when they surprise me!!
Jessica says
I found your blog while Googling for images of bamboo blinds with gauzy white curtains and I love it. I’ve been clicking around for a few days and I have a couple of questions. They’re somewhat off topic for this post but an email felt too formal…and maybe some of the other readers can help me too.
– Where did you get the frames for the Botanical Prints in your shop? I couldn’t find any square white frames at Target. I found some 12×12 frames at Michael’s but with the mat they were only 8×8… I’d like to buy the prints but not until I can factor in the cost of the frames.
– Does anyone know where to get white decorative coral pieces for less than $35-$40? Or a good substitute design-wise or DIY solution?
YoungHouseLove says
Those frames are from Ikea- they even come with perfectly sized mats! As for your second question, try Kohls, TJ Maxx, or HomeGoods. Happy hunting!
xo,
s
Jessica says
Thanks!! :)
Cheryl says
doing a little jig here — I followed your “painting wood furniture” tutorial to a T — changed 5 honey oak counter stools to a flat black. They look awesome! happy, happy. And your process works so well.
Next, I need to change out the leather fabric seat. What kind of fabric wears well — do love the linen look (like your picture above with the dark-legged counter stools; I have linen parsons chairs in the dining room–that’s a tough fabric, can sponge off) but not sure it will stand up to regular wear on a counter stool? your take?
this re-painting changed what seemed like a dated style (honey oak though I used to like it) to a more modern, clean-lined style. These are solid oak chairs so I just couldn’t get rid of them. Course, my husband is dancing because buying paint compared to new counter stools is so doable and he loves the results too.
happy, happy, did I say that already?
YoungHouseLove says
Congrats on your furniture makeover! And as for your fabric conundrum, we would just recommend checking out a local fabric store to see what they have that catches your eyes. Then ask the experts there about durability and how well it’ll work for upholstery (some fabrics just won’t hold up or are too thin to look seamless). We’re hardly well versed in fabrics but we ask around and somehow it all works out! Good luck with everything!
xo,
s
Cheryl says
thanks, will do. Word to the wise: when the tutorial says “thin coats,” that’s what you need to do. The finish acrylic is kinda tricky unless you go very thin. Drips are not good . . . especially when they dry as drips.
YoungHouseLove says
Amen. “Thin and even coats” is our mantra!
xo,
s
Laralee says
I have to ask, what do you do when someone gives you an item for your house that totally clashes with your design? My style is comfortable and simple–my inlaws love loud and gaudy and I guess they think I am just not buying a giant rhinestone cross for myself because I can’t afford it, so they bought me several.
I love them (the inlaws, not the crosses), they come over often, and I don’t want to hurt them but my house is quickly turning from A Cozy Potterybarn-Inspired Family Home to Liberace’s Cottage Hideaway! Any suggestions??
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Laralee,
We actually don’t get many home related gifts (I think our fam and friends figure we have it covered) but when we do we sincerely thank the person for the thought, put it out a time or two when they next visit, and then donate or garage sale it. We figure life is too short to hold onto items that you don’t love out of obligation.
xo,
s
Jasiri Driver says
Thank you, thank you, thank you both for being so savvy and creative and for choosing to share that creativity with the world! You guys are awesome and share really great ideas! This post is such a help to me because I know what I like when I see it but I lack being able to vision a room all decorated from top to bottom. The sites and quizzes that you provided links to have been a HUGE help in me finding my style! THANK YOU :-)
The house is not yet decorated but with these options I’m going to begin working on that now!
Tracy says
Hi Sherry,
I am trying to create a mood board for myself. I am great at getting a piece here and there but then am left with a bunch of cute things that don’t go together! I feel like if I had a mood board, I could put together colors, patterns, textures, pieces FIRST, and see if it works before committing. This would be much more practical and I’d know ahead of time. Do you know of an easy way I could make my own mood board? Right now I am just thinking of printing (in color of course) and then tape it all on a separate page together. I’m thinking there has to be an easier way because the sizes will be off, etc! Any suggestions for me? I’m desperately trying to put together a modd board for my living room! I wish you guys were still doing them! Thanks so much for your AWESOME website….you have AMAZNG ideas!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! Try mydeco.com or polyvore.com to make easy and free mood boards! Good luck!
xo,
s
Aussiebushgirl says
Love your blog and loving every minute of the journey! I like the idea of your “inspiration” binder which you have on ‘opened’ display above. You mentioned it was 3″ deep and housed lots of plastic sleeves. I’m having a hard time trying to decide if the binder is actually a lever-arch file, or something along those lines. Judging from the picture above, I’d say it isn’t. Would it be possible for you to take a photo of the binder in a closed position to make for easier identification? It could prove tricky to source something similar here in Australia, which is why another photo or two could help in my case.
On a slightly different note, someone posted a link to a website on which you can store any picture taken from another website, or a magazine, and make into a “binder” of special personal collections. I think it was Loveheartit. Sorry, that’s all I have, I can’t remember where I saw the post but it definitely followed on the heels of your inspirational binder. Would really appreciate the link. Thanks heaps!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah there’s also a site called pinterest.com that does that. Very cool! As for the 3″ three-ring binder, here’s one just like mine (if you click the picture and zoom you’ll see a photo of the inside ring on the cover). I just added the plastic sleeves meant for a three ring binder inside (they come with three holes punched into them so the rings of the binder can be opened and they can be slid right in). Hope it helps!
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Anna says
I am just in the beginning stages of finding my style and just took the sproost quiz 11(!) times before I even got a result. Then it told me I am a 100% cottage chic person. Now on to the next quiz…
Mel says
I’m moving into my own apartment and living alone for the first time (eek!) and SO EXCITED to decorate but didn’t know where the best place would be to find galleries of rooms to inspire me. Thanks for posting the links to the sites! You guys are the best!