Mastering the Art of Blending Interior Design Styles: Tools to Assist in Finding Your Unique Style
“HELP! My house always feels mismatched! I buy things that I like, but they never seem to go together when I get home.”
I’ve heard this often on my Discovery Calls with interior design clients. After many instances, I’ve realized that this typically happens when the client is drawn to multiple styles but doesn’t realize it, resulting in a hodgepodge style that never seems to look cohesive.
It’s so important to do the planning before you begin your project so you don’t waste your money and time. Whether you like an urban contemporary, bohemian style, art deco design, or a blend of all three, you must understand what elements you’re drawn to to create cohesion by blending these styles seamlessly.
In this blog, we will discuss these tips and tools to find your unique style:
- Value of inspiration images
- Creating a board to gather ideas to reflect on
- Be a detective
- Strategically apply what you find
There’s much importance to gathering inspirational images, as discussed in last month’s blog, The Power of Inspiration. Whether you’re working on your design project solo or with a designer, starting with a concept is essential. When gathering images, many clients feel they need to be attracted to the entire room for the photo to make it into their inspiration folder. That isn’t true! You might like just the lighting, a chair, or the color palette when looking at images. Pin it, make a note, and discuss this with your designer.
Or, maybe you look back at your board and see that it’s “all over the place.” There’s an Asian-inspired design mixed in with a few Scandinavian interiors–that’s ok!
Pin all of these images in one place. Websites like Pinterest and Houzz are great places to catalog your images.
Once you start cataloging these images, you’ll notice trends. Be a detective! Perhaps you see that most of your photos have natural materials on the lighting source, or none of the dining room photos have a rug. Note the similarities and differences that you find so you can blend those styles thoughtfully by utilizing the elements that drew you to those designs in the first place.
Case Study:
Here, you’ll see some inspirational pictures a client gathered on a Pinterest board. As their designer, I went through and grouped the like images. You can distinctly see the two styles; one is what the husband gravitated towards, and the other is what the wife liked.
In our kick-off meeting, I delved into the essence of their individual styles. I sought to understand the elements that resonated most with them in the images they provided and explored what compromises they were open to for a harmonious blend. The collaborative vision that emerged was a desire for a space that seamlessly married the light and airy with the traditional. Considering their vibrant household with two young children and a playful puppy, we aimed for durability using high-end materials that promised longevity. Here’s a glimpse of the transformation:
Notice the use of warm, dark woods, the sophisticated frame of the artwork paired with the ginger jar, and the furniture being both light and airy with traditional elements. Their styles blended beautifully to create a space that was unique to their family.
As you can see, planning pays off! It might feel overwhelming and time-consuming, but I guarantee that it will pay off. If you don’t know where to start or simply want professional eyes on your project, schedule a complimentary Discovery Call to see how Curated Home Designs can assist you with transforming your home into a place you won’t want to leave!