“What’s your decorating style?”  Awww…. isn’t that sweet?  Someone’s called to get “more information” about our decorating services and one of their first questions is actually about our style.  Oh, we get it!  After watching some of the interior design shows, that’d be one of our first questions too!  After all, who wants to be a test dummy for some rogue interior designer’s unchecked creativity?

Like the designer fashions seen on the runway, interior designers (especially the more famous ones) love to push the envelope too, creating spaces which are beautiful while edgy and distinctively their own.  In reality, what both types of celebrity designers create and what actually filters down to the everyday closet or home can be drastically different!  (Who doesn’t remember the infamous cerulean sweater scene in The Devil Wears Prada?) 😂

So, how do we answer the question, “What’s your decorating style?”  Of course, there are a thousand different ways to answer.  And as canned as it may sound, the truth is simply, “Our style is your style.” Rather than dictate to our clients how their home should look, we try to guide them toward a finished look that they might not have created on their own, yet still reflects their unique personal style and taste.  After many years of helping, we’ve learned every client and therefore every project is distinctly different.  So, it’s really more about our client’s style (actual or perceived) than our own.  Creating spaces by simply following good design principals helps span every imaginable style.

At the end of the day, great communication makes for great decorating.  Therefore, every decorating job should begin with one, if not more, in-depth conversations between the homeowner and their decorating professional.  No matter the service being provided, timely, good, two-way communication helps get you from where you are to where you want to be with the least amount of oops and frustration.  Clear goals & expectations for both parties help insure the project gets off and continues on the right foot.

So the real question is, “What is your decorating style?”  Have you ever stopped to think what that actually might be?  What label would you put on your style?  Are you:

  • traditional
  • transitional
  • contemporary
  • modern
  • minimalist
  • industrial
  • eclectic
  • rustic
  • bohemian
  • scandinavian

Since “great design begins with great communication”, how would you effectively communicate your “style” to a decorating professional if asked?   You’re probably thinking, “I like more than one!”  That’s not a bad thing!  Most of our clients fall somewhere in the transitional category, liking elements of several design styles.  The challenge, of course, is being able to successfully express one or more of these styles in a way that seems purposeful rather than accidental.  And what happens when your “style” changes?  (Well, that’s a story for another time.)

 

What is your decorating style can be a loaded question filled with confusion and uncertainty.  Rest assured there are talented decorators and designers willing to help you create a style that is uniquely you while avoiding the doubt and the pesky style questions that might be holding you back.

Here’s to the myriad of decorating styles and the opportunity to express them all through our amazingly diverse clientele!

Happy Decorating from Decor Designs, Inc.  815-245-2433.