What the Style of Your Home Says About You

interior design

When it comes to decorating and furnishing your home, it is very rare that people visit interior design firms these days. Instead we let our inner artists out and go nuts with making our house our home. But did you know that your personal interior design style actually says a lot about you and what makes up your personality? Obviously, people don’t only fit into category A or category B, but I bet at least a few of these stereotypes ring true to you.

Thrifty or New

This one has much less to do with budget than might meet the eye. Maybe you’re the kind of person who gets lost for hours in an antique store looking at all the little gadgets that you’re not even sure of the use for, or you love to browse the furniture and home section of your local op shop. It’s likely in this case that you’re going to have a house filled with unique and second hand items. You probably have a love for things with character and see the little scuffs and marks as sign of a life, if not a project for you to fix. It’s highly likely you have an eye for how to make seemingly mismatched things just work. The people you let into your home will either notice this skill and be impressed, or it’s simply so flawless no one can tell. You see the beauty in the little things, and you have a little box of sentimental items stashed somewhere in your closet. You are reliable and loyal with ears to listen with and a shoulder ready to be cried on.

Maybe you’re more the person to spend months checking out every furniture shop you see, and hours online browsing displays for inspiration. Maybe you get lost in Ikea for hours and find yourself so glad that Kmart has 24-hour stores. You probably have a Pinterest board of all your favourite combinations and you’re keeping an eye out for that exact piece. You’re someone who values a fresh, and elegant look. You like your furniture to all follow a theme and you value the feeling of opening or building something new to make your own. Unpacking that box or constructing that flat pack is part of the thrill of decorating for you. You are grounded and patient. You know good things come to those who wait, and you sure aren’t afraid of the unknown. By the time you’re finished, no matter your budget, your new home looks fresh out of a magazine and you couldn’t be prouder.

Clutter Me Up or Less is More

Personally, I find myself slap bang in the middle of these two and both ends of this spectrum are always very impressive. First you have the minimalist, you somehow know the right five items that manage to make a big room feel full yet, understated. You have an eye for detail, you know just where everything you own is and you are never caught unaware. You don’t get tied up on the materialistic aspect of design, and your strategically placed box of Cuban cigars pulls the entire room together. You’re cool, calm and collected and have the right answer in situations of conflict. A born leader and passionate about how things should be done.

Otherwise, your house is full of knick-knacks and bric-a-brac and you have no idea where it all came from. The sheer amount of it is only ever noticeable when you try to pack all your belongings to move. You realise you have managed to fit a mansions worth of magic into your two-bedroom house but somehow make it seem organised and homely. If you find yourself on this end of the spectrum, you’re probably extremely creative, you’ve always got a new project on the brain or an idea that’s jotted on a piece of paper somewhere. You likely have more pets than the average person (and you definitely let them on the bed). Organised chaos rules your life and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Au Natural or Modern Chic

When choosing the features for the house to become your home, things like natural light and access to the outdoors might have been an important component for you. If so, you likely filled your space and windowsills with an abundance of greenery. You know the names of each and every plant. You may even have one of those bins that has the compost section built in. Chances are, you read a substantial number of books and may even be a regular at the nearby yoga studio. You love the feel of sand between your toes and the organic markets and fresh flowers make your heart overflow. You know your star sign, even if you don’t follow it. You believe in the power of natural healing and you own or have owned at least one scented candle. You feel at peace in nature and your home reflects this.

Don’t get me wrong, modern chic doesn’t mean you don’t love a bit of sunshine and natural light. But rather you prefer the way it strikes your perfectly placed art piece rather than how it makes your skin feel. And you picked a time of day for the sun that best suits your lifestyle. You have a structure to your wall hangings and a method to any madness. If, when you are done tidying your house in time for those pre-planned guests, your home looks somewhat of an open house, you probably fit this category. You have amazing taste in art and an appreciation for beauty, but you’re also quite savvy. You’re up with the latest of what is what. It’s not just your family you’ve helped with technology, likely a colleague or a bunch of friends too. Sure, you still have a plant or two and know the basics of your star sign, but you also have books; lots of books! A number of which are non-fiction. And you have that gadget in your kitchen that does something not everyone is sure of. You get compliments from most of your house guests, because let’s be honest, your home is a work of art in itself.

Granted the human condition prevents us from ever being accurately categorised. Plus, the location of your home will likely impact decisions relating to the overall ‘vibe’ of your aesthetic. For instance, if you live near an ocean, it’s likely you’ll have a more coastal interior design with a beach style furniture look. But be honest, you know which of each you are!