If you’re ever questioning how to find your style, just simply look at what you like. But look at all the things you like all together, so you get one picture view. Before Pinterest, these might have been pages torn out of magazines, all laid out on a table.
1. Now with Pinterest, make a style board.
As an example, go see my “Chicago Home – Decoration Inspiration *That I’m Serious About Doing* board. Ha ha. I’m serious about doing about 1,000 things! Need a bigger house. Lately I’ve obviously been into rugs. But there’s also paint colors, patterned furniture, decor accessories, fabrics, and lighting. Anything that I thought I’d truly want to live with in the house. There are definite style preferences there. You may or may not like my style. But if you collect a pin board like this too, your style will become obvious.
When you pin, don’t worry about money! You are not buying this stuff. There’s no credit card debt. They are only pins and pins are free. If you like it, pin it. This is only about finding your style. So don’t worry about prices. If you find you have taste above your income, no big deal, you can always find lower-price substitutes.
2. Scroll through your board and pull out your favorite pictures.
Don’t think too much. Go with your gut. What catches your eye and makes your heart beat a little faster? Hold back from second-guessing yourself. If your eye lingers on something a little longer, copy it or print it.
3. Put all your pictures together. Your choices will show you your style.
It’s really simple. But you have to pull these pictures out and put them all together. Either print them on paper, or put them in Photoshop or a Word doc. Don’t try to put the total picture together only in your head. You won’t be able to literally “see” the style.
Put the pictures in a moodboard, or print them and lay them out on the floor or table. You should see some things the photos have in common.
A sample “how to find your style” moodboard:
I followed the simple steps above and here’s my result. I shamelessly put some really expensive stuff on this moodboard. It’s not like I’m buying it. The rug is $47,000 after all! There is nothing wrong with liking it.
As I’ve written about before, I’ve diagnosed my style as “Natural Nomadic Luxe.” Give your style a name that describes what you see. My style is global with some luxury like silks and gold, it’s pattern-full, with natural colors.
It’s an eclectic and elegant mix with things from different countries and cultures. It’s like an elegant bohemian look. Here is what’s on this global style moodboard:
- Max Schöedl painting “Oriental Still Life”
- Chinese cabinet formerly available at One Kings Lane
- Antique 1870s Persian Serapi Rug from 1stdibs
- Benjamin Moore Rusty Nail CC-390
- Antique currency from tribes in Nigeria
- Silk Lao pillow from John Robshaw Souk
- Leather Holloway Armchair from Anthropologie
- Black and gold Indonesian Toraja textile
- Ceramic Buddha-style hand from Dot & Bo
Very logical advice – Although I now live in Greece, I have lived in many countries in my lifetime and especially liked Turkey. Needless to say, I am soooo into Turkmen textiles and have had so much fun over the years traveling back and forth to Turkey to shop for textiles. As I am sure you are aware, Greece is next to Turkey so I still travel there up to four times a year. I so know what my style is and that would be a mix of objects from many Arabic-speaking countries mixed with the odd Bulgarian Icon ( love to shop for icons in Bulgaria as Greek icons have such severe faces!!). Lately, I think because of my younger sister whose style is very contemporary, has influenced me, I have this feeling of needing much more color in my house besides the colors of old carpets and kilims. I have always loved all shades of turquoise so have started incorporating that into the eclectic-ness of my house and it works! I have never really worried about what style I am, I just buy what I like and somehow it fits in. I find it strange that some people would not know their style as it is so much apart of who we are. I remember as a child sending a way for dolls from China and Japan because I couldn’t find them in shops – my older sister thought ( and still thinks )I’m just too weird. but I have never let that bother me.
OK – enough of this email. Just wanted to comment on this post.
Lis
Thank you Lis – I absolutely understand style being a part of who we are and it reflects what interests us. My style has changed radically over the years as I have changed and have been exposed to a bigger world, but I’ve always known what my style was at any point. It sounds like you have a beautiful mix in your home! I remember in the early days of eBay, ordering kimono and haori from people who traveled to Japan and collected them, because I’d never had access to those before. I did feel weird, like who wears these things and where would I wear these things? Not to the grocery store but I will wear haori over a dress to an evening event, like a jacket.
I bet when you travel and buy carpets and kilims, you can remember the people and the conversations, and their smiles and stories you learned from them. I think that’s what I like most about these things from around the world, is the things I learn about the people who made or owned them, and the memories that come with them! I’m glad you’re following along! Deb