Interior Design Stories

Personal stories and tips from an interior designer

Personal stories and tips from an interior designer

Discovering Design Identity

The promise of a fresh start to the new year feels great and, I’ll admit, a bit intimidating. It’s also a perfect time to begin our resolutions. After all those holiday feasts, you will probably hit the gym and eat better or try to land that work opportunity for your career advancement.

You’ve thought, too, that a bit of redecorating in your own house would be good to welcome the new year. But you do not know where to start.

Yes, you’ve got your favorite colors, artwork, or furniture you fancy from a local store. However, you still need to figure out how it will come together nicely. You have an interior design Pinterest board of the homes you are inspired by, but you are unsure how to translate that on your own. As an interior designer, I suggest hiring one, as this is what we do for our clients, but this post is about doing things yourself.

First, I would like to make sure that if you are thinking of renovating your entire house or unit, mainly where there are technical aspects involved, hiring an interior designer is advisable because projects at this level can be challenging for a homeowner and may take a considerable amount of money as well as risk.

But it’s possible to do this yourself if your plan involves a simple refresh: painting the walls, buying new furniture, and hanging an artwork.

contemporary living room design in neutral color scheme with white sofa, black coffee table, sheer curtain, patterned armchair
minimalist home gallery interior with all white walls, framed squared photographs in grid layout, textured stone arch entryway, light wood floor, wood bench with woven seat

However, it is essential to know your design identity before buying anything. Do you like modern or contemporary? Yes, it’s two different things. Traditional? Eclectic? Below, you’ll find some of the most commonly used styles. Do aesthetics and comfort have the same importance?

It may be challenging for an average person since you’re not constantly exposed to such things, but you have an idea of what you want. You can do the same as I did: browse different magazines, visit furniture stores, or do what most people do now – find inspiration through Pinterest.

In my early years as a designer, I purchased from the local bookstore an assortment of back issues in home magazines such as Vogue Living, House Beautiful, Elle Decoration, and Wallpaper* because I could not afford to subscribe during that time, so I could see which styles would appeal to me.

I’ve seen House Beautiful’s new pretty article with its cover page in pastel blue and white floral patterned chair with matching wallpaper that made me fall in love with French Revival. However, as I progressed through my practice, I better appreciated contemporary and minimalist designs because they emphasized material quality and simplicity.

INTERIOR DESIGN IDEAS

interior design of a kitchen in green color scheme, zellige tile backsplash, white quartz countertop, natural wood bar stools, modern appliances
interior design of a minimalist all white living room, polished concrete floor with cream shag rug, l-shaped white sofa, natural wood coffee table, fireplace with clean lines, cream sheer curtains
interior design of a contemporary living room with a neutral color scheme and floor to ceiling windows, wood herringbone floor with beige area rug, white sofa, round wood coffee table, accessorized by artwork, table lamp and decorative pieces
interior design of a home library with floor to ceiling wood bookshelf filled with books, polished pebble washout stone floor, wood ceiling with cove ceiling, eames midcentury modern armchair and footstool, round accent table with fresh hydrangeas

Back to the topic at hand.

Your boards can get easily crowded, and shortlisting them is the next step forward. You might be able to select your images by answering these questions:

1. Why do I like these photos? What are the common elements seen in all of these? You will be pleased to discover that some of the pictures you’ve been compiling have a very close connection, such as color, finish, or furniture.

2. Is this going to work with my lifestyle? Will it be a part of my everyday life?

Once you have answered these questions, now is the time to remove photos that do not meet your criteria.

Take as much time as possible to discover your design identity. It might take more than a day or several weeks to figure it out. There are a lot of resources out there that discuss various styles of interior design, but here are some well-known ones:

contemporary living room in all white color scheme, sofa with clean lines, short pile area rug, rectangular glass coffee table, indoor plants in terracotta pots, wood accent chair

CONTEMPORARY

According to Decoraid, this style is defined as one that is entirely of the moment. It’s simple, has clean lines, plays with texture, and has quiet drama.

mid-century modern master bedroom in pinewood plank walls and ceiling, beige patterned area rug, simple bed with white bedding punctuated by orange throw and pillows

MID-CENTURY MODERN

This style has been growing over the last few years. For a retro, clean, Danish-inspired look, it borrows from the best of the 50s and 60s, according to Decoraid. It has simple silhouettes, organic shapes, and an emphasis on functionality.

minimalist style kitchen interior with gray quartz counter top and backsplash, wood cabinets and furniture, polished concrete floor, white walls

MINIMALISM

According to My Domaine, this embodies the “less is more” design philosophy with its significant impact with bright, clean spaces that keep clutter at a minimum and the color palette of muted neutrals or pure black and white.

traditional style master bedroom with neutral color scheme, wood plank floor with persian rug, queen-size bed with black metal frame, ornate night table with ceramic table lamps

TRADITIONAL

According to My Domaine, it is inspired by 18th- and 19th-century European interior traditions but in a more timeless approach, with symmetry, harmony, and understated elegance as its defining traits.

eclectic style living room with white wood floor with red stripe woven area rug, pale blue wall, red accent wallpaper, grid patterned sofa with colorful throw pillows, decorated with scultural accents

ECLECTIC

According to My Domaine, it is a grown-up version of the bohemian style. Think of bold color schemes, textures, and patterns.

IT DOESN’T NEED TO FIT IN THE BOX!

Your design identity does not necessarily have to fall into one of those styles since everyone has their preference. Yours might combine different styles, mid-century coastal or modern country to give a few examples. It will be highly fulfilling the moment you identify your style!

a different design identity in the form of a mid-century coastal bedroom with carpet floor, wallpaper walls, and modern furniture
modern country style living room in cream colored walls, ceiling with decorative wood trusses, sofa covered in linen slip cover with neutral throw pillows, beige persian rug, arch wood door

In the next post, we will discuss how we will apply this newfound design identity in your space. Yes, actual redecorating ideas!

Feel free to share your design identity and why it appeals to you.
If you still need to figure it out, where do you find yourself having a hard time? I hope to help.