During my years as an interior designer, one of my very favorite things was helping people to discover their personal style. As I see it, my job as the designer was never to come into a client’s home and decorate their home in my style. At the end of the process the client would be left alone in their newly designed home. It should, and must, function specifically for them.
I believe that the decorating shows on tv, while informative and entertaining, can be more than a little misleading. A good designer asks many questions at the beginning of the design process. The answers given by the client form the basis of every design decision. The designer does not come in and take over.
Style is so much more than choosing between cottage and formal or French and English. It is about the way you use your living room for watching tv, whether you are an early riser or like to sleep late, and if you actually cook in your kitchen or just heat microwave meals. The Personal Style Profile, which I developed for my clients, contained more than seven pages and was revised, shortened, or lengthened for the individual client and the scope of the project.
I really enjoyed when a client produced a Style Notebook. These notebooks, filled with magazine pages and fabric and paint samples, give a designer a marvelous understanding of someone's style. A Style Notebook helps you develop an understanding of your personal likes and dislikes, helps you to see patterns in the colors, themes, and moods that appeal to you, and provides a location to store samples and ideas. Later, I will provide a tutorial for assembling your own Style Notebook.
Finding your personal style is like searching for hidden treasure. The rewards are a home that successfully functions for you, your tastes, and your personal lifestyle.
Tell me about your personal style.