In my interior designer practice, I'm often asked by my clients "What's my style?" They're having a hard time identifying their own style, and they turn to me as an expert. I always tell them, "The style you like is your style!"
What exactly does that mean? It simply means that, just as you are unique, so is your style. Your style is a reflection of your own taste, lifestyle, and history.
Your style will undoubtedly evolve as you mature. The style you like when you're in your 50s will probably be different from the style you liked in your 20s. That's normal. As we change, our tastes change too. We shouldn't fight the changes, we should embrace them.
The old saying of Buffon’s that style is the man himself is as near the truth as we can get—but then most men mistake grammar for style, as they mistake correct spelling for words or schooling for education.
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)
You might find that you like a combination of typical interior design styles, and that may seem confusing. But there's nothing wrong with combining styles. We're no longer locked into just one style or another. The most important thing is to relax, have fun and enjoy designing your home.
At one time, it was common to select either a traditional, modern, contemporary, art décor or other defined style. But it's not so cut-and-dried today, because of the many new styles, including eclectic and shabby chic.
In fact, eclectic and shabby chic styles are great examples of styles that were created without any of the old established boundaries. They were born out of the need for new individual looks? a buffet of different styles all mixed together to create new styles.
Temperament is the natural, inborn style of behavior of each individual. It’s the how of behavior, not the why.... The question is not, “Why does he behave a certain way if he doesn’t get a cookie?” but rather, “When he doesn’t get a cookie, how does he express his displeasure...?” The environment—and your behavior as a parent—can influence temperament and interplay with it, but it is not the cause of temperamental characteristics.
—Stanley Turecki (20th century)
Of course, all of these styles can make selecting your style more confusing. And sometimes it's just too difficult to choose just one style. That's okay. You can break the rules and still achieve your design goals.
So, remember, choose your style wisely, and take time to decide. But never forget-it is YOUR style!
James Charles is an award-winning interior designer who provides revolutionary new affordable online design services at http://www. DesignerAtHome.com. In just three steps he can make your professionally-designed dream home a reality.