torstar file photo
ikea
Clothing choices can be a good indicator of the type of decor you might like to see in your home. For instance, if you like the bohemian/haute hippie style of Anna Sui,top, you may like this bedding look by Ikea.
Are you all revved up to decorate your home, but unsure about which style to choose?
Relax! Choosing a style should not be complicated — it should be as easy as choosing the style that suits you and your lifestyle. For example, choosing a formal style of decorating would not work if you prefer a casual approach to your living spaces.
While this approach seems natural, it’s easy to loose touch with what you like after living with yourself and all your changes over the years, and keeping up with trends and growing families. You may simply need to get reacquainted with your likes and dislikes.
The design team has found that the quickest and easiest way to do this is to look in your closet.
We use this simple method to steer us in the right direction in choosing decor for our guests on the show. Chances are that your personal style of dressing is very similar to the style with which you prefer to decorate.
For example, if you see a lot of sweater sets or classic, quietly understated pieces of clothing, you may be a candidate for a more traditional style of decor. This means that you probably like symmetry and balance — you probably like to place things in pairs that are formally arranged. You likely prefer your wooden furniture to be dark and polished, with a formal style. You probably like your paint colours to be bold, rich, “historical” colours.
If, on the other hand, you look in your closet and see a combination of vintage clothing mixed with interesting or unique “wow” pieces, you may well be looking to a more eclectic style of decorating.
At home, you would probably opt for a mix of styles in furniture and decor bought from a variety of places including design stores, but also junk stores and flea markets. You would probably tie your collection together with colour and repetition, rather than sticking with an one overriding theme.
Trendy clothing, in simple monotones or contrasts and edgy style, would call to mind a modern decor, with clean lines, little clutter, simple geometric shapes, a sleek look with very little ornamentation or fussiness.
Of course, if your closet is in dire need of an update, this method may not be reliable. You may need to devote more attention to investigating and rediscovering your sense of style.
