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Describe Your Favorite Decorating Style {Dream Versus Reality}

by | Oct 4, 2013 | Decorating Inspiration

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Describe Your Favorite Decorating Style {Dream Versus Reality}

Country Living

Describe Your Favorite Decorating Style {Dream Versus Reality}

What’s your favorite style?

I think putting your ideal decorating style into words really helps give a more clear vision to what you want your home to look and feel like.

Being able to describe what you think you love most makes it much easier when it comes to decisions.

And realizing what you might like might not be 100% right for your current home can actually be very helpful!

Giving yourself permission to step out and make a course correction or head in a more defined direction can be freeing.

You know I always feel a bit torn between a few styles and options, because I love so many! And when I’m in full nesting mode like I tend to be in the Fall and winter months, I can be dangerous in a home decor shop (or even my own home) without a few self-imposed guidelines. 

Loving many styles or looks doesn’t mean we need to incorporate ALL of them in our own home. Although I do love to mix things up and not have too many restrictions that might hinder my creativity.

You may find you pin a lot of photos of one type of home on Pinterest, but actually live in or even love something entirely different in real life.

And that’s OK. Sometimes we just appreciate styles that look great in photos that wouldn’t look or feel right in our real life home.

My home and style is always evolving, so I love reassessing what I like so I can stay on track towards really loving my home.

How would you describe YOUR favorite decorating style?

Don’t worry about having the “official” style terms or keeping it short, just have fun with it!

Leave a comment below and let’s discuss our favorite decorating styles, both to look at and in reality!

Describe Your Favorite Decorating Style {Dream Versus Reality}

***Catch up with my 6th annual 31 Days of Falling for Fall series***

Day OneDay TwoDay ThreeDay FourDay FiveDay SixDay SevenDay EightDay NineDay TenDay ElevenDay TwelveDay ThirteenDay Fourteen,Day FifteenDay Sixteen, Day Seventeen, Today is Day Eighteen!

Come visit fellow Fall lovers & Join the Fall Nesting Link Up Party

37 Comments

  1. JoAnn

    I’m loving this series! I love fall, eventhough I live in Florida and don’t get a “true” fall. I thought this series was going to be all fall decorating, which is all ready all over blogland (which I love) but its much more! You have gone deeper and more thought provoking…thank you!

    Reply
  2. JoAnn

    PS. After saying all that I forgot to comment on the actual post :) Just wanted to say I know what you mean about liking so many styles and pinning so much… I find myself pinning so many white, chippy, romantic rooms, which I really like and thinking that’s what I want to start doing but its just not reality for me now…as much as I like it, I like my style for now. It’s sometimes hard not to get swayed…so many beautiful rooms on the blogs!

    Reply
  3. Netta

    Home sweet home! Every home has to have a cozy couch or chair that can fit at least two people. I love a warm, homey, cottage style/country atmosphere with books, books, and more books. In this day if technology it’s rare to walk into a house and see books being used rather I see a few books being used for decoration. Doesn’t make sense to me. So a table set aside for chess, tea,coffee, or reading is ideal. My mom was a poor hippie so I can’t help remembering her decorate with whatever is on hand. She used to put those big yellow fluffy bush flowers in a vase with peacock feathers. And doilies everywhere. So I love home made DIY decorating. Maybe that’s why I like Pottery Barn style or Country Living. My mom could take an ugly old shack and turn it into a cute Victorian style country cottage that looked like it belonged in England. I love to decorate with anything I find at the thrift store. My little six year old daughter sees me rearranging often and it’s cute when I go in her room how I find papers made into picture frames or dolls set up on her shelf with little trickles hanging all over them. Sometimes I’ll give her a bunch if holiday crafts and tell her to decorate the house just so I can watch how cute she decorates and puts thought into it. Then I help her out afterwards. It’s all about what makes you feel AT HOME.

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      I agree, feeling at home is what it is all about! And I love having books in our home, we have so many that I’m thinking we are about ready to need some new bookshelves! But then again, I love having them stacked all over the house, too!

      Reply
  4. Sallie

    Style would be hard to pin down. I think I’m more into “elements” at this point – natural materials like wood, metal, wicker, stone, glass – all of which I use in our home. But “style”—hmmmm. Comfortable, welcoming, casual but refined, warm, “snuggie.” Probably the same as what we all want.

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Yes! Elements are what I think make up the style and make it all the things we love! Love that.

      Reply
    • Janice S.

      Yes! What style is that chair? Because I love it! Just beautiful.

      Reply
  5. Peggy

    I love eclectic country with some contemporary mixed in. I think there’s beauty in spaces. I stage houses and I always try to create inspired moments in a room but leave some empty space. It’s very calming. And found stuff is always the best. I decorate with flea markets finds and stuff from thrift stores and craigslist. You can find so many cool objects.

    Reply
  6. Edi YourChicagoConnection

    oh well, the best how I can describe my style is, eclectic…… I like my home to show what I love and what we do, so there will be a basket with magazines, books on shelves, a table top with family photos, plants in one tiled window bench and orchids in the other, I do not much like modern or contemporary as it feels cold and not comfy to me. I love lots and lots of pillows and I change them, their motifs and their colors according to the season which easily changes the feel of the living spaces and even bedrooms. I also like big windows no curtains to let the outside colorful country front and backyard beauty to come inside, and lots of light, I have
    shades which can direct the sunlight as necessary.

    Edith

    Reply
  7. SandyC

    I’d have to say eclectic as well. Give me lots of windows and at least three exposures (includingg east and south) and then “comfortable, welcoming, casual” (as Sallie says), a little country cottage, weathered, slightly rustic, rooms built around a favorite piece of art or chair or other, nothing matchy-match (only matching pieces I have are the two old but excessively comfortable “curl up and snuggle” club chairs from my late husband) and maybe something whimsical or unexpected. My biggest compliment in March (after I’d bought the house in December and wasn’t and still am not finished) (and from two different sources) was “Sandy, we love your home – it’s so YOU!” and then they sat down to visit. Very neat!

    Reply
  8. Courtney

    I love and always “go to” a more country, vintage, cottage style home. It’s difficult to incorporate that into our current home because we live in the middle of town in a 6 year old builder home. I try my best to incorporate it inside my house, but you would never know from the outside. I feel weird about it sometimes, but then I think its what I love and want to be surrounded by so I’m just going to keep doing it. Someday I’ll have my dream cottage in the country to decorate!

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      I’m with you on that! I think we should decorate with what we love and want to be surrounded with! Even if we have to just dream that if we walked out the door we would actually be in that cottage out in the country :-).

      Reply
  9. Rose L

    I guess I go more for ambiance than style. As a farmer’s wife I have to be incredibly practical in my decorating because there is no way my farmer husband is going to take off his boots when he runs in and out of the house during the working day. I keep it simple, colorful, clean and like all things vintage. I do most of my shopping at farm auctions. I wanted a cabinet full of quilts for display and for the beds so I learned to quilt. I like shelves full of vintage kitchen tools so I keep out and display all the old fashioned equipment I use when cooking and canning. Ball jars anyone??! My kids say my style is “Grandma” but I am one so it works for me. ;) My style is “Farmhouse” in the true sense of the word. As long as everyone is comfy, cozy and well fed, I’m happy with my home and life.

    Reply
  10. Jayme

    I’m with you on not being able to commit to one design style!! But, honestly, I don’t think being totally strict in your specific design style is healthy. Your home should be able to grow and evolve as your tastes change. When we purchased most of our big/expensive pieces of furniture I was into a more transitional style. But now I’m really loving slightly industrial or rustic pieces mixed with mid century modern style.

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      Absolutely agree! I always have a mix, plus I also feel that your home should evolve with you. But once I know what direction I’m headed, even with my random mixes, it sure makes it easier to make decisions!

      Reply
  11. Diliana Imandieva

    I love French sabby chic and white and I am aiming for it all the time though and when I want to change the season or the ambience I just splash on colour. I regret listening to my husband to buy black bed for our bedroom and am opting for bedskirts now ;) o, love… I am mainly white on white girl and with kids white IS practical nevermind what they say. I am not of the best HK as I am working full time and hate dusting the most – so white is my advantage. Love all those cosy rooms you are showing today!

    Reply
  12. Kristin

    I want my home to be comfortable, inviting, with a touch of sophistication. I want it to embrace my collection of art and finds from all of our world travels. I love having items that were made by a local artist, displaying it in my home and having guests ask me about each item. It is like a beautiful memory of our trips always out in view. I think it is also stimulating for guests as they generally like to asks us where we picked up certain items.

    Reply
  13. teresa

    Thank you for these posts…love them all.
    My style is forever changing…..when I look back at some pictures from 20 years ago…I think who was that women….and I’m sure I will be saying the same thing in 20 more years =)
    for me three things play a big part… will it work with my family, do I love it or can I live with it =)
    and does it add to the warmth of the home.
    Happy Day

    Reply
  14. Barbara (WA)

    I seem to be drawn to clean lines, vintage, not too shabby but with charming details. Even though I love many styles in photos (like you said) and many color schemes I seem to love mostly cool colors with pops of brighter colors. Modern country/farmhouse could be what I’d call my style. This is a good subject, Melissa, because as we continue our remodel I want to be clearer on my vision and not so pulled this way and that by all the ideas out there! It’s a funny balance.

    Reply
    • Melissa @ The Inspired Room

      It really does help to form a clear vision! While a mix is good (of course you know I love modern country farmhouse, too) it can start to feel like a hodgepodge (which we end up not liking) if we don’t set a few boundaries for ourselves so we can be more confident in our choices! Have fun :-)!

      Reply
  15. Linda@Creekside

    Primitive . Vintage . Minimalist.

    Really!

    Anyone else out there? Or know of any blogs I can link into to find this fleshed out?

    Reply
  16. Laura @ Elegant Nest

    I find myself drawn to and pinning more and more Swedish/Cottage style photos lately. I love the look of white and wood and chippy and minimal and simple and serene. Slowly bringing in more of these elements into my home…which actually means editing some of the elements I already have. Styles change and evolve…I embrace each phase!

    Reply
  17. Squeak

    I love painted French furniture combined with modern art and lots of natural objects (shells, coral, minerals, fossils, antlers, pine cones, etc.). My friends call it French Country Surf and Turf!

    Reply
  18. Tanya

    I don’t think I would be able to pick One style. I like so many different types of things.

    Reply
  19. Eileen

    I too agree with a mix of styles. I love the look of modern and minimalist but it is not for me in my home. I guess I am still traditional or transitional in my style. And I also agree on the use of books. I have a whole wall full of books and they are not covered in white book covers or on the shelves with the spines facing in!!! What is with that!? I do love to look at pictures of finished rooms and rather than pick up the style of the complete room I just pick one thing that I like about it and try to incorporate that into my style. That said though I feel that my rooms are just lacking that oomph and I don’t know how to achieve that or perhaps I am afraid to go for it. I hope that tuning in regularly to the Inspired room will help me overcome that problem!

    Reply
  20. Melinda @ love melinda

    If I had to define my style it would be modern. I like to throw in some rustic and industrial elements into it too. But I can also be all over the place! What I want to create is a place that feels like home and we are comfortable in. That usually means simple clean lines but is cozy at the same time.

    Reply
  21. Jennifer

    I love so many decorating styles that I can’t just choose one. If I stick to one style it starts to feel theme-y. Right now I’m decorating in a cottage style that fits my house, but throw in modern elements so it still looks young and current. I love everything light and bright right now, too.

    Reply
  22. KATHYSUE

    I love a somewhat understated, elegant, cottage look, like Nantucket or the Hamptons would be my chosen style. It has to be light, airy, crisp, fresh, Spring like colors, with lots of blue and white, black and white, green and white with touches of yellow. I like a peaceful, happy home.
    Kathysue

    Reply
  23. Jo

    Mine is very traditional, but with bright shots of color in accessories. A little cottage and Victorian thrown in. It works for my 100+ year old farmhouse.

    Reply
  24. Lexie

    I am coastal cottage shabby chic blend. I have a lovely coastal cottage house. with a blend of family antiques and stained glass lamps. I like this series as I do not decorate for holidays and it fun to see new ideas.

    Reply
  25. Anne

    Not so much a style as a feeling, I want my home to say: come on in, sit down, put your feet up, have a cup of tea and relax. I want nice and personal things to look and and of course books, flowers and chocolate :-)

    Reply
  26. Lavues

    I like rooms with little decorations, and neatly organised furniture!

    Reply

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