WHAT DOES YOUR HOME SAY ABOUT YOU?

I often come across clients with style phobia.  They are either afraid they don’t have it or that someone else may not like it.  Thus, they are timid about expressing themselves in their décor.  I encourage them to learn who they are and what they want their “look” to be.  Flipping through some design magazines and clipping photos of rooms that you would enjoy spending time in is always revealing.  By spreading these out side by side, you can start to see a common theme. Look for items you see repeated; for example: lots of windows, or dark stained furniture.

There are basically 4 decorating personality types.  Look around your home and see if you can discover which one is you.  Most people are a combination, but one will be dominant.

1. The extrovert, a person with an outgoing love of life.  Your home is a set in which you can interact with other people and live life to the fullest.  You love to throw a party and your home will have interesting focal points to draw visitors together, such as a huge fireplace in the living room or a butcher block in the center of the kitchen.  Your furniture will be arranged to encourage conversation. You will probably have a “picture wall” of photos and clippings or a painting you have done yourself. Your home is always interesting.  You like rich reds and greens.
2. The romantic, who seeks total happiness in life and treasures deep relationships.  You like to dine by candlelight and be surrounded by possessions that have sentimental attachments. More than likely, you are a lover of antiques, wicker, and fine fabrics.  Your furniture will be arranged in intimate corners, maybe two chairs in a cozy corner.  You love collections of any type and will probably have many plants and flowers. Cheerful pinks and peaches are your colors.
3. The achiever, who is naturally ambitious.  Your home is an environment from which you initiate action and you insist that it meet your needs for convenience and workability.  You are a do-it-yourselfer and may have an appreciation for handmade items.  You love information and are thrilled with the new technology boom.  Your kitchen will be full of gadgets.  You will probably have a round dining table and a desk is important to you.  Your colors are electric blue and yellow.
4. The trend setter, drawn to anything new and innovative.  You are an explorer, always ready to try the unexpected.  Your home will be full of unusual ideas, striking color combinations, and unusual accessories.  You like large paintings and lots of empty wall and floor space. You will seat people in an unexpected way; perhaps pillows on the floor.  You love modular furniture. Steel gray is your color.

Since most of us do not live alone, the tricky part comes in accommodating several personality types in one setting. Let your style become a lifestyle.