Episode 09: How to Find Your Home Decor Style

In this episode, we’re giving an overview of some common design styles as well as some tips for making them your own. We’re answering a listener’s question about choosing flooring, and of course, we’ll end with some things we’re loving in our Pillow Talk.

Highs and Lows:

Kimmy’s new lighting in her living room

Bre’s new Mailbox Numbers and Roof Situation

Emily’s Thrifting Finds

How to Find Your Home Decor Style:

We’ve talked at length before about how to find inspiration for your home, like Episode 03: How to Design Your Room Like a Pro, and Episode 06: How to Choose Living Room Furniture.

The benefit to putting a name (or names!) to your style is that it makes it easier to shop, makes your space feel pulled together, and helps you know what will look good together.

This is based on “Styled,” by Emily Henderson. Visit her blog for posts about each style with lots of pictures, and our Pinterest board for more examples!

Scandinavian

Light woods
Plastic modern chairs
Clean lines
Natural or whitewashed floors
Bright, warm color accents
Wintery comforts: candles and faux fur

Modern Minimalist

White surfaces, neutral, masculine color palettes

Color blocking
Chrome and glass accessories and furniture
Modern paneled storage and hidden storage
Spare floating shelves
Minimal sculptures
Sleek furniture with simple legs
Oversized artwork

Zen/Japandi

Modern minimalist meets the East
Tonal or monochromatic color palettes
Diffused light, like paper lanterns
Essential oil burners
Solid bedding, rugs, and curtains
Natural materials (wood, linen)
Contrasting texture
Simple furniture
Indoor plants

Industrial

DIY pipe shelving

Chalkboard paint
Steel kitchen island
Subway tile
Simple pendants with exposed bulbs
Exposed beams, Cement floors
Metal chairs

Mid-Century Modern

Tulip or Eames style chairs

Warm wood finishes, like rosewood or teak
Geometric patterns
Long, streamlined furniture
Furniture with tapered legs
Brass accents

Bohemian 70’s

Wave or floral prints

Rugs in intricate global patterns with earth tones with a dash of red, turquoise, or gold
Lots of texture, shag, fur, felt, macrame
Warm woods, curvy furniture with a worn feel
Hanging plants
Handmade tribal accents and fabrics
Brass accents

Modern Glam

Clear acrylic furniture

White, jewel tones, and brass
Statement mirrors
Luxe fabrics like satin, velvet, fur
Bright colors and patterns
Asian details like chinoiserie and bamboo
Crystal Chandeliers

Totally 80’s

Glass and brass tables

Curved furniture with round arms
Colorful pop art
Mirrored furniture
Geometric patterns with an art deco bent - scallops, triangles
Pastels and neon colors

Rustic

Furniture with an aged patina
Ticking stripe, plain, or floral fabrics, cotton or linen
Sofas with deep seats
Wildflowers in an ironstone pitcher
Cast iron or copper accents
Old hardbound books
Rustic wood floors

Traditional

Persian rugs

Wingback chairs, tufted headboards
Crystal chandeliers
Antiques
Classic patterns
Alabaster lamps and marble busts
Oil portraits or landscapes

After you determine what styles are speaking to you...

combine styles - make it your own!
Use Emily Henderson’s Design Wheel to see what coordinating or contrasting styles work best together!
Follow the steps in Episode 3 for finding inspiration for incorporating it into your house!

Segment #3: Listener Q&A

Evianne asks:

“I’m thinking about putting the same flooring as the dining room in the living room and playroom … what do you think? The other option is to put the same gray/beige carpet that we put in the hallway in here too. I think the dark wood would look nice with our new off white couch that is coming, and I hear hard flooring is better for allergies. But [husband] is worried it’ll be cold in the winter. Any thoughts?”

She’s also planning to get a corner entertainment center with an electric fireplace in it for the living room, an off white couch, end tables that match the coffee table, a painting over the couch, wall sconce on either side because the room needs more light in the evenings, and painting the french doors white

The girls suggest carrying the same vinyl flooring from the dining room through the living room and playroom, but investing in some bigger rugs to keep the floors from feeling cold - 8x10 or even 9x12! Remember, your rug should be big enough that all your furniture can have at least the front legs on the rug, with about 12-24 inches of floor space around the rug.

We also suggest staying away from entertainment centers - they can make a room feel dated and smaller.

A caution on getting matching end tables - with a off-white couch, she may not want white end tables and a white coffee table too. Too much white! We suggest going with a different wood finish or black metal.

And finally - instead of investing in bigger art and wall sconces, Emily came up with a new layout of the room that would center the TV on the biggest wall and pull the furniture away from the walls.