How to Find Your Interior Design Style
Let’s redefine the word ‘style’—what it means and how we find our own. It’s not about labels; it’s about discovering what you love and what makes your heart sing. Come with me to uncover yours.
I was asked this question recently in an interview with London-based decorators Paint the Town Green, and honestly, my gut response was: “Don't try and fit into or follow a specific style because in doing so you might miss out on being your true self and the colours that really make you happy.”
But the more I pondered over this question, the more I realised that having a style doesn’t necessarily mean identifying as ‘Scandi’, ‘Modern’ or ‘Farmhouse’… it goes far beyond that. Having a style, or should I say, developing your style is less about having a label and more about having an identity. Just like we gravitate towards certain clothes, materials, shapes and patterns in our wardrobe, we do that in our homes, too.
So this article isn’t about finding out whether you’re ‘Mid-century modern’, ‘Traditional’ or ‘Grandma Chic’. There are no labels here. This article is about finding out what your unique style is, to celebrate you and your story. Because homes should be exactly that shouldn’t they? A reflection and a celebration of the people living inside.
1. Document what you love
When you’re out shopping, staying in hotels or Airbnbs or even just at your local coffee shop, there’ll be moments when you spot something gorgeous and think, ‘Oh I LOVE that!’. It might be a paint colour, cushion fabric, curtain pattern, a piece of furniture or even a lampshade. Take time to stop and notice why you love that piece, and then document it if you can. I take photos all the time of colours or interior pieces I love and save them in an album on my phone. I’ve even been known to ask at hotels where they get their cushions from (or I sneakily unzip the cover and see if there’s a label inside).
Once you have collected a few photos or pictures, create a mood board (digitally or by hand) to see your favourite colours and materials in one place. This way, you can take a step back and see your unique style start to come together.
I'm absolutely not interested in things that are cool and aloof. It's not the route to making happy spaces." Ilse Crawford
While inspiration can come from anywhere, online is a great place to start. I have a ‘Dream Interior’ board on Pinterest. This is where I pin the images that I LOVE (I have to love them, not just like them, which helps me distinguish between what looks lovely online and what genuinely resonates with me).
Do you keep pinning navy sofas? Have you pinned a lot of white interiors, but it’s not the white you love, it’s the combination of the light walls and a bolder piece of art? Or is it simply the composition or layout of the space? Spotting patterns in your mood boards or identifying exactly what you love about each image is a crucial step in understanding your style.
Here is a small section of my ‘Dream Interior’ Pinterest board below…
When we step back from our mood boards, repeated themes quickly emerge. For me, they are terracotta tiles, olive green kitchen cabinets, plaster pink walls and soft curved shapes. I love a mix of woods, both light and dark, nothing too perfect and something that feels lived in. When I dig a little deeper, I notice that I love green as an accent, and it’s the combination of dusty pink or light neutrals with terracotta that makes me smile.
Another tip for discovering your style (and finding pieces that align with it) is to focus on the adjectives that describe your dream interior. When I work with clients, I rarely use labels like ‘Scandi’ or ‘Boho.’ Instead, I encourage them to describe their style or desired mood using words that resonate with them. Do they prefer warm or cool tones? Earthy, rich, light or soft colours? Adjectives are far more relatable - they feel simple and accessible, without the connotations (or pressures) tied to trends.
2. Trends vs True Love: finding your balance
The whirlwind of consumerism and marketing has given the word ‘trend’ a negative reputation, but when it comes to interiors, perhaps a trend is simply a reaction or response from a designer to what is going on in the world? When we look at it like this, trends don’t have to feel so overwhelming or fleeting. It’s ok to be influenced inspired by what’s happening in the design world. The key is to pause and ask yourself: do I love this because it’s trending or because it genuinely works for me and my home? This distinction makes all the difference.
If you keep chopping and changing your mind or ideas, don’t beat yourself up about it. Perhaps take it as a sign that the colour, material or furniture you’re umm-ing and ahh-ing over isn’t for you - you simply like it or admire it because it’s trending. If you really love something, you’ll keep coming back to it and won’t get bored of it easily.
And there will be times when trends do resonate with you. I was never a huge fan of the colour brown, but last year opened my eyes to how brown can be used in our homes, and do you know what? I love it. This doesn’t mean I’m going to paint every room brown, but perhaps I’ll add it as an accent to elevate my colour scheme, which I might not have done before. It doesn’t change my style, it simply adds to it.
3. Find your colour story
Often, we have a style without even realising it. As you document or mood-board the things you love, why not look closer to home for inspiration? And by that, I mean quite literally - your home. Is there a particular colour or group of colours you’re consistently drawn to? Do you notice a recurring colour theme, even in small accents?
I recently worked with a client in the UK who needed help with her hallway. As we explored the existing colours in her home, one colour that kept cropping up was yellow. In one room, she had cream walls with a yellow undertone; in another, soft ochre curtains; and in yet another, a buttery yellow rug. We took this thread and carried it into her hallway, choosing an ochre-based neutral for the walls that perfectly suited the space. The key was uncovering the connection between her rooms - aka her colour story. Soft yellow was already part of her style, but she was so accustomed to living with it that she hadn’t recognised it as the common thread tying her spaces together.
4. Let your travels inspire you
If you know me, you’ll know I’m a BIG advocate of travel as inspiration for our homes. Have you ever been on a trip that left a lasting impression, one that made you feel alive again or deeply moved? These are the kind of trips I’m talking about when we talk about travel-inspired design. The ones that will forever remain a part of you.
If you’ve spent time in new places, meeting new people, and learning about local cultures, you may find yourself bringing home keepsakes or objects. But how does this influence our style? I’m not talking about fridge magnets or postcards but handcrafted pieces you bought when you stumbled upon a ceramic studio in the middle of nowhere, or the rug maker you found in the mountains (I mean, you never know) - the pieces rooted in the traditions and culture of the places you visit. These treasures are so much more than souvenirs; they weave personal memories into your home, creating a unique story that informs your design style.
A subtler yet equally powerful way to draw inspiration from travel is through colour. Colours around the world shift with the light, landscapes, and cultural influences of a region. Collect and document your favourite hues and explore how they fit into your mood boards.
Living in Italy has had a huge influence on my design style. Here, I am surrounded by terracotta floors and dusty pink houses with green shutters. I especially love the hazy blue tones from the mountains and the smoky oranges of the sun when it sets over the lake near where I live. These are colours that I love because they feel personal and meaningful and for the eagle-eyed among you, they’re also the colours reflected in my Pinterest board.
Here is the mood board I made for my dream interior/style. I followed all of the above tips: documented what I love, found my balance of trends vs true love, dug deep into my travel inspo (and in doing so, spotted my colour story - pink people!) This is my unique style, and my oh my, it makes me soooo happy just looking at it!
P.S. - this is a few years worth of saved images and documentation, not just something I whipped up yesterday.
For all the travel lovers, you can read more about Travel-Inspired Interiors here.
5. Be patient, these things take time
Finally and most importantly. We don’t just stumble upon our design style like we do finding loose change in our coat pocket. Our style evolves over time, shaped by our experiences, tastes, and even the changes in our lives - and that’s a good thing.
I have always loved light and airy interiors, choosing to introduce colour through accents, but the more time I spend at home (especially since working remotely), the more I’ve realised that light and airy is ok for working, doing consultations, writing etc...but it’s not what I need for my down time. When I’m relaxing at the weekends, watching TV on the sofa or heading to bed early to read my book, I find that light neutrals feel too stark and I seek more warmth and depth to a space.
So I suppose my point is, be kind to yourself - our preferences evolve, just like we do. Take time to let your style unfold naturally, thoughtfully choose what you fill your home with, and slowly create a space that feels safe, comforting, and perfectly suited to you and the way you live.
It makes so much more sense to be guided by colour and form rather than labels!
I love this approach. Thanks for this inspiration.