Everyone has her own style. The way we dress, how we interact with people, the manner in which we do our jobs, how we have fun - all these things reflect our style. Yet it can be difficult to interpret those things into the language of decorating. How do you take the multiple facets of who you are and fit it into four walls? Here are a few tips to help you find your personal decorating style.

Start with Your Closet

What you wear says much about your style. Do you like to wear a variety of colors and have specific jewelry for every outfit? Maybe an eclectic mix of furniture with carefully chosen accessories is your style. Do you prefer black or brown clothing in classic lines and a simple pair of earrings? Perhaps sleek furniture and minimal decorations suit you. Do you like lace and ruffles or a tailored look? Do you prefer prints or solids? Find the common thread (pardon the pun) in your wardrobe, and you are a step closer to finding the right style for your home decor.

Favorite Colors

Your favorite color can say much about your style. People who like orange are usually high energy and appreciate structure and organization. A cluttered or messy environment would not be pleasing to them. If you like purple, you likely appreciate art and enjoy looking at beautiful things. A minimalistic room would not make you happy. If green is your favorite color, you like harmony and balance around you. Decor that includes symmetrical groupings is what you like to see. Examine what your favorite color or colors says about your personality, and you may discover another facet of your distinct personal style.

What Do You Love?

Your home should reflect who you are and what you love. This is what makes it more then just the place where you rest your head at night. This is what makes it home. Do you love a beautiful view? Are you lost without a garden to tend? Are you a dancer? Do you love sports, cars, books, cooking, city life, nature, sailing? Find the essence of the things you love and you will find another piece of your personal style.

What Inspires You?

Places you've been can inspire your style. Maybe you'd like to re-create the atmosphere of a quaint Parisian sidewalk cafe in your kitchen. Maybe you'd like to be reminded of your vacation in the tropics every time you wake up in your bedroom. A wonderful spa experience may inspire a redecorated bathroom. Unforgettable places and experiences make an indelible mark on our personal style.

Look at Pictures

When you begin to understand yourself, then you begin to have an idea of what kind of surroundings will make you happy. That is the time to start looking through magazines, books, or on the Internet for decorating ideas. Be careful not to lose yourself as you copy someone else's idea of style. You likely will find features in different pictures that you like. There are no rules in defining your own decorating style. Combine features that appeal to you. Chances are good that all the things you like are of a similar look or style anyway and they probably will all look great together.

Ask Your Friends

Your friends and family know you better than you think they do. Once you've found your style, share it with your friends. Show them the decorating ideas you've come up with for your space and see what they think. They may have some suggestions you haven't thought of. They have a perspective of you that you don't have - from the outside. They can give you feedback regarding how your style is projected to others. Maybe it doesn't matter to you, and maybe it does, but either way, that's your style.

Learn more about this author, Laurel Michaels.
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