3 Personal Style Tips for Making a Home You Love

It may sound obvious, but your personal style should look and feel like you. While you may appreciate how others decorate their homes and marvel at how all their elements have come together, remember that your style will have its own essence. And your goal is to create a space that not only makes you feel comfortable but also truly reflects who you are and what you love.

It’s easy to be influenced by design trends, but the more you know about your own personal design style, the easier it will be to determine which trends you’ll want to incorporate into your home and which trends are better left to admire in someone else’s home. The truth is, you’re probably tapping into your own design style more than you think!

1. Check Your Closet. The clothes you buy and the outfits you put together daily can reveal a lot about your personal style. Take note of your favorite clothing items and combinations. Pretend you’re describing them to me, and don’t leave out any details. Are there certain colors you’re drawn to? How would you describe your favorite look? Is it dressy or casual? What patterns and trends do you embrace?

Now, look around your home. Do you see any of the same colors, patterns, and styles showing up there? If not, write down what appears most in your wardrobe, because these are things that you will want to consider incorporating into your decor.

2. Draw Inspiration from Your Favorite Places. Do you have a love for the beach? Do the mountains call to you? Where is your family from? Your personal style can showcase the places that have meaning—and memories—for you. As a child growing up in New England, I frequented the beach in the summers; now, I decorate my home with the shells and stones I’ve collected at the shore with my kids. These treasures bring both beauty and nostalgia to our home.

Do you have a place you love to visit? Do you have mementos or souvenirs you brought back with you? Put them out on display. Also consider including places you’re inspired by and one day hope to visit. Maybe a tour of Italy is on your wish list and the colors of Tuscany become a part of your backdrop. We will talk more about this later, but remember that decorating with items from your favorite places is a great way to reflect your personal style.

3. Reflect Your Story. Your personal style comes through when you express your story and yourself in your surroundings. What do you have in your home that reflects the things you love, your hobbies and interests—both ones you had as a child or have now as an adult—your family’s stories and passions? As you take a new look at your spaces, imagine how you might add decor that reflects your story.

There are no home decor police who will come knocking on your door to tell you that you’ve done it all wrong. So, let’s shake off any fears that you’re going to mess things up and give yourself permission to try unconventional things, follow your preferences rather than trends, and look to your own life for inspiration.

Have you thought about your story in relation to your personal style?