Ever so often, flipping through Pinterest or scrolling down Instagram, you may come across diverse home décor styles that take your breath away. And when you want to do up your own home, you may want to include all those ideas and inspirations. But the fact that they belong to diverse styles makes you feel a bit confused as to what style to follow. While you may totally adore them, they leave you with the question “what is my design style!?” This confusion can loom large especially when you want to do up your space on your own without the help of an interior designer or decorator, who can help you figure out what style is a true reflection of you.
As leading interior decorators in Gurgaon, our primary task is to study the aesthetic inclinations of our clients and help them arrive at a decision about the style that speaks to them, as well as for them. This will involve understanding and analyzing their personality, their needs and aspirations, and what kind of interior makes them feel at home.
Your spaces should be an extension of your individual style in order to make you feel an innate sense of belonging. So it is important to identify and define your style.
Today, there are numerous design styles that you can employ while doing up your home. And that can only add to the woes if you don’t know your own style. On one hand, it should complement your lifestyle and personality, and on the other, it should accommodate all the things / furniture from your collection that you want to have around you.
You may identify with contemporary style, which makes allowances for the old and new, across genres and continents. Or you may want to go the maximalist way, or the exact opposite – minimalism. Or you may love the Indian ethnic look, the allure of the classical, the clean aesthetics of Scandinavian style, the charming mid-century modern, so on and so forth. With influences coming from far and wide, you have the free-spirited bohemian style, industrial flair, French country, farmhouse chic, Hollywood glamour… and many more. Thanks to the Internet, today we are all exposed to a wide range of styles and aesthetics, and their effortless application.
The good news is that, you need not stick to any one style, but can go for a magical mix that appeals to all your senses.
Also, style is a mindset that is forever evolving. What you like today, you may not like a few years down the line. Yet, when it comes to doing up your home, you need to understand what is your style so that you can keep experimenting with it as you go along.
Here we bring a few tips that help you find your style:
1. Try to Name your Style
This doesn’t have to be complicated. Just ask yourself a few questions so that the answers will take you closer to your preferred style. Do I like the clean look of straight lines and soft curves, or am I drawn to classical environments replete with intricately carved elements? Do I enjoy the spontaneity and sustainable approach of boho interiors, or would I just love being immersed in the peaceful environment of the Scandinavian aesthetics? Or do I want to revel in the rich environs layered with lots of colours, textures, a mix of patterns, and much more? Just list out the design environments that make you absolutely happy and joyful. And also note down what makes you cringe. This list of dos and don’ts can reveal a lot about yourself and the design style that appeals to you.
2. Put Together Images
When you are looking for inspiration in magazines, or on IG / Pinterest, save images for reference. Often the common thread among those images may lead you to what sparks your interest, thus helping you figure out a style of your own. What catches your eye instantly? Is it interiors steeped in rich colours and bold design, or pastel backdrops of modern contemporary spaces, or the glamour of glossy surfaces and jazzy geometrics and prints? When you go through your collection of pictures, a pattern will emerge indicating your style.
3. Create a Mood Board
Once you have figured out the palettes, patterns and design features that appeal to you, create a mood board. It helps you to visualize the impact of combinations of colours, textures and patterns. Study what are the results when you juxtapose these elements. Gradually, it will become clear to you how to use those elements to achieve the style you have in mind. Mood boards specially help you to understand how diverse colours, textures and patterns play out in a space. You will then feel confident about the style you are trying to achieve.
4. Decide What you Want to Retain
When you are planning on applying your new style vision to tweak your interiors, take a fresh look around at what you already have vis-à-vis the furniture, wall décor, flooring, lights, etc., and decide what you want to retain and what you want to chuck out. If changing the flooring is not an option, go for rugs and carpets that will help you reinforce your aesthetics. If the walls look decent enough, then you can focus on movable elements like the furniture. From among the existing pieces, you may want to keep some of the luxury furniture and work around it. There may be some objects, artworks and heirloom pieces handed down in your family that you may want to treasure for the sake of nostalgia. So make sure the additions you want to make will leave space for these precious objects, and make them a seamless part of your vision.
5. Mix of Styles
Today, what we see in interiors is a blend of styles that result in visually rich and sensorial experiences. While we may be influenced by pan-international aesthetics and trends, we always want the core of our homes to be Indian. So, that’s another element that cannot be ignored. Often, within a family, different members want different things. So mixing styles with care really helps cater to various preferences. You just need to make sure that it all comes together harmoniously and becomes a reflection of what you have in mind.
Finally, ideas areplenty, and execution is everything. Make sure the ideas flooding your mind are applicable to your interiors. When in doubt, it is always a great idea to get in touch with an interior decorator. At MADS Creations, we also offer good design consultancy services which help you get started with expert assistance.