Creating a space that feels authentic to you and your own personal style can often feel like a challenge, particularly at a time when new design trends seem to be coming in fast and furious and you’re bombarded with so many images of different interiors on social media. As many designers will tell you, following trends doesn’t always lead to interiors with lasting presence and meaning, especially in a home. Instead, tapping into your own tastes and personal preferences can be the most effective way to create a design that lasts and feels good for you, year after year. Here, AD PRO Directory members offer their key tips for translating your own personal style into interiors that truly reflect who you are and what you like.
1. Know Thyself
The first step in creating a design that reflects your personal tastes is to identify what, precisely, those tastes are. Putting language to your aesthetic predilections and preferences, and becoming confident in knowing what you like and don’t like, is essential before you can express it outwardly to anyone else. Often, the first place to start is with a healthy dose of self-reflection. “Take a moment to describe yourself and your personality,” suggests interior designer and AD PRO Directory member Huma Sulaiman of Huma Sulaiman Design. “Are you bold, adventurous, whimsical, minimalistic? Let this description be your guiding light in selecting elements that truly resonate with your unique style.”
2. Look Backward to Look Forward
Sometimes, the best place to look for indications of your personal style is in the rear view mirror. “Think about past travel experiences and remind yourself of decoration or design elements in those places that caught your eye,” recommends designer Andrea Lavigne, another AD PRO Directory listee. Dig through photo albums and mine your memories of spaces you’ve inhabited that made you feel at home and relaxed. Consider how places from your past have shaped you and what elements resonated with your taste. These can be interior-design-specific or more evocative aspects, like emotions, scents, sights, and experiences. “I also like taking into account family history, culture, and tradition because these are important aspects of someone’s identity,” reveals Amanda Jacobs of Amanda Jacobs Design. It’s all fodder for building the foundation for a design that makes you feel at home.
3. Incorporate Your Interests
Since interior design is often seen as an extension of someone’s personality, it should reflect your values and interests in a way that helps anyone visiting your space get to know you a little better. “The right interiors make us happy and contribute greatly to a positive mindset,” insists Elizabeth Ghia of Elizabeth Ghia Interiors. Bringing in elements related to your personal passions and interests can make spaces feel truly yours and make you feel more like yourself. Love swimming and the ocean? Or books, magazines, and reading? Perhaps you have a passion for gardening and love being around plants. All are great places to start when looking for design inspiration. “By infusing your passions into your design, you make your space truly personalized and reflective of your individuality,” explains Sulaiman.
