Defining Your Style…Impeccably
What is your personal style? Are you attracted to spaces that are contemporary? Filled with Art Deco period pieces? Modern and sleek? Traditional? Transitional? Baroque? Ba -WHAT? Most of time when I ask new clients this question they say, “I don’t know, I just know what I like and what I don’t like”. Here is the good news: even if you cannot label your style with a design buzzword, knowing what you like and don’t like is a great start.
I am the principal designer at a Chicago Interior Design Firm and I have learned that understanding my client’s style helps me tremendously when I am designing their home and making suggestions on new furnishings, colors, accents and even layout. In fact, I think it is so critical that I invest my own time into helping each client define their style preferences utilizing several tools I customize to them and their project. Understanding your own style can help you too if you are choosing something new for your home.
I firmly believe that design is emotional – nothing crazy like a sappy novel or chick flick – but in a more subtle way. Well-designed and appointed spaces evoke different emotions in different people. For some people, a mostly white room with sparse décor feels cold and institutional. For others, a space with such neutrality feels fresh and inviting. The key to beginning to understand your style is to first tap into the emotional response you have to different spaces and environments. The good news is that this is easy to do.
Some people like me can spend hours on end looking at photos on sites like houzz.com or pinterest.com – both great places to explore different styles. But if you don’t feel like investing hours on your iPad or hundreds of dollars into design magazines, just start to pay attention to the spaces in which you interact every day. Next time you are in someone’s home, a hotel or even a nice restaurant take a moment to take in your environment and engage in an inner dialogue. How does the space make you feel? Try to dig into more complex emotions than happy and sad – I trust we can all articulate more sophisticated feelings than the average kindergarten student. Maybe the space makes you feel relaxed, peaceful, energized, cozy, or even focused. So, if the space evokes a positive feeling, ask yourself “why?”. What do you like about the space? Is it the color? The lighting? The layout? The patterns on the furniture? The accents? Then, pull out your smart phone and snap a photo of whatever it is you like the best. Take a selfie on the couch, or pose with your favorite lamp! I promise that if you engage yourself in this inner dialogue often enough you will begin to better understand why you like certain elements of a space and be better able to articulate your personal style.
So what can you do with this newly found insight? If you do decide to work with a designer, your experience will be smoother, as you will easily be able to articulate your preferences. If you decide to take a more DIY approach, understanding your style will help you decide where to shop for new furnishings and accents. For example, if you prefer a more contemporary style I might suggest shopping at a retail store like Room and Board first rather than starting at Ethan Allen. Plus, you might be able to use one of those design “buzz” words to describe your style – your friends will start of think you as a budding HGTV groupie!
If you are looking for a designer to help you with designing your home impeccably to reflect your personal style, you can find us at Impeccable By Meredith Park, and we will help you discover your inspiration and bring it to life!
