"I firmly believe that how you decorate your home says a lot about who you are as a person. The question is whether it’s saying what you want it to. It’s easy to buy into all the trends you see online and try to replicate your favorite influencers’ design choices, but if you really want your home to be a reflection of who you are, it’s important to take the time to figure out your personal decorating style. Much like when it comes to your wardrobe, finding your style requires some reflection and a healthy dose of trial and error. But when you put in the work to create a space that truly looks and feels like you, you’ll find so much more joy and pride in your home.
If you find yourself struggling to sort through the flood of design inspiration and find what you actually like, this is for you. Keep reading for our best tips on how to find your personal decorating style, plus some inspiration on all the decor styles you have to choose from.
How to Find Your Decorating Style
Learning what you like and don’t like when it comes to decor is an ongoing process, but if you’re wondering where to begin, start with the steps below.
1. Consider your preferences and interests outside of decorating
One of the best ways to determine which decor styles appeal to you actually has nothing to do with decorating at all. To get a broader picture of your preferences, look to other aspects of your life outside of your living space. Your closet is a great place to start. Does your wardrobe skew more neutral or is it full of bright colors? Are there certain materials or patterns that you particularly love?
Additionally, think through any hobbies you have and how you like to spend your time. Maybe you’re happiest when curled up on the couch with a book or when you’re outside surrounded by nature. Maybe you love to go thrifting or travel and see the world. A favorite color, theme, or interest of yours can easily serve as the jumping-off point for your whole decorating style.
2. Choose a few words that describe your style
Before you jump on Pinterest and start pinning every image in sight, it’s helpful to have a few keywords to guide your search. Thinking through the preferences you identified in the step above, come up with 3-4 words that describe your personality or style. Think broadly and focus on simple terms, such as colorful, modern, natural, cozy, or vintage. Then include those words as you search for design inspiration or start shopping.
3. Seek out design inspiration
Once you have a baseline understanding of the colors and motifs you’re drawn to, now’s the time to start gathering inspiration. Head to Pinterest and create a mood board of interiors you love, or create an Instagram saved folder to add to any time you see a room you like in your feed. When you have a few dozen or so inspiration images gathered, take a look back through your saves and think critically about what exactly you love about each image. Is it the color scheme? The type of furniture or accessories? The layout or architecture of the space? Identify the specific elements that make your heart sing so you’ll know exactly what to look for when you start decorating your own place.
4. Take stock of what your home looks like now
The next step to figuring out your decorating style is to look around at what your space looks like right now. Even if it’s not totally your style or “finished” quite yet, take stock of what you’re currently working with to identify existing items you love. Which pieces of furniture or accessories could you never bear to part with? What items feel the most like you or fit with your ideal aesthetic? On the flip side, what are the eyesores or pieces you’d gladly get rid of? Analyzing your likes and dislikes within your current space can help give you some clarity on which elements fit your personal style and which ones need changing.
5. Decorate and re-decorate
Lastly, it’s time to put your ideas and inspiration into practice. Re-style items you already own, edit pieces you no longer love, and try out new styles as you go. Decorating is a fluid process that can constantly change over time, so don’t be afraid of a little trial and error while you figure out what works best for you. If you’re worried about spending a fortune in the meantime, look to thrift stores, flea markets, or budget-friendly retailers to find inexpensive accessories to play around with. You don’t need to spend a ton of money to create a home you love, so start small with affordable changes and work your way up to bigger investment pieces as you gain more confidence in your personal style.
7 of the Most Popular Decor Styles for 2024
Keep scrolling to learn more about some of the most popular interior design styles right now and see which one resonates with you.
Grandmillennial
Rising in popularity over the past few years, the grandmillennial aesthetic is basically a new take on traditional. It’s rooted in the comfort and nostalgia of traditional designs but layers in fresh colors and patterns that make it feel current. If you aren’t afraid to mix and match elements like fringe, ruffles, floral prints, and woven materials, this classic-with-a-twist style might be for you.
Midcentury Modern
Midcentury refers to the furniture and decor styles that were popular in the 1950s and ‘60s, but don’t make the mistake of assuming this style is stuck in the past. The sleek lines, curved shapes, and rich colors of this aesthetic are truly timeless and just as popular today. It’s the ideal aesthetic if you love vintage pieces and bold colors but also want the clean look and functionality of more modern designs.
Minimalist
Minimalist interiors are carefully curated, uncluttered, and almost always neutral. This decor style adheres to the “fewer, better” philosophy by ditching unnecessary clutter and frills in favor of a few high-quality, thoughtfully selected pieces with plenty of breathing room. Instead of adding interest with color, minimalist spaces use texture and unique silhouettes (such as an eye-catching sculpture or a contemporary accent chair) to bring in personality while maintaining a clean, sophisticated look.
Modern Eclectic
Quirky, funky, unexpected—this style is all about bending the rules and having fun with your decor. Bright colors, punchy patterns, and unconventional accessories combine to create spaces that feel playful and wholly unique. Though not for the faint of heart, the modern eclectic aesthetic is perfect for those who love to jump on the latest trends and aren’t afraid to take a maximalist approach to decorating.
Moody Vintage
If you’ve ever fallen down a “dark academia” rabbit hole on social media, this decor style might be right up your alley. Defined by moody colors, dark wood finishes, and lots of vintage pieces, this aesthetic feels collected over time and richly layered. Artwork is especially key to playing up the moody vintage look, but you can also embrace the past with antiqued finishes, well-worn rugs, and materials like leather and velvet.
Organic Modern
You can think of this aesthetic as a more elevated spin on boho style. Rooted heavily in nature, it’s all about layering neutral colors and natural materials to create a look that feels organic and texture-rich. In addition to elements like wood, woven textiles, natural stone, and plants or greenery, this interior design style embraces modern furniture and minimalist accessorizing to give it a clean, contemporary feel.
Parisian Chic
If you strive for that effortless elegance French girls seem to have mastered, then Parisian chic might be the aesthetic for you. This decor style encompasses luxe materials like velvet, marble, and unlacquered brass alongside classic pieces like vintage artwork, ornate framed mirrors, and—of course—traditional French-style furniture. It’s layered, lived-in, and refined but not stuffy.
