What’s your style? Do you know exactly what your style is or is it ever-changing and evolving?
(Coastal Living)
I think for me, I have known my style is Traditional for a long time now. I’ve been drawn to that look over the years and still love it, although in the last few years, I’ve felt the need to de-formalize that Traditional style and make it a little less stuffy. My living room is going through a little tweaking now. It’s the most formal room in my house and even though I still love my furniture, I want to take it down a notch.
With the surge of decorating on the internet that has been going on for a long while now, it’s easy to get sucked into house envy. We see what everyone else has in their homes and I’m not so sure this habit we have of peeking in the windows of all our online friends is a completely healthy one. Fun, yes absolutely, but healthy, maybe not! 🙂
(Traditional Home)
I dived into the online decorating world back in the late 90’s, when decorating boards like Better Homes & Gardens were going strong and were the place to hang out. There I met other obsessed home owners who wanted to talk about houses all the time and it was a lot of fun. I went on to join a private decorating group online in 2000 and from there, blogging took over and here I am.
I still remember the thrill of seeing other people’s house pics and sharing my own and the back and forth conversation that ensued with all of us back in those days. We lived for a new inspiring project from someone else. Now, it’s a little old hat. You can click on any blog and see house after house, style after style of as many differently decorated homes as you can imagine.
So, where am I going with this?
(My living room)
It seems that now that there is SO much out there to absorb and mull over with all the styles and visual overload, we can start to get dissatisfied with what we have. It becomes “oh my gosh, I love that, I want MY house to look like that!”.
We’ve seen the trends of the first decade of this century: Tuscan, French Country, Coastal cottage, Swedish inspired, and a host of others in between, especially the Pottery Barn phenom. I too, am not immune to falling in love with ALL of these looks at one time or another and I enjoy seeing them all. Does that mean I’m going to change out everything in my house and become a devotee of one of those styles?
Absolutely NO WAY!
I’ve carefully acquired and collected every single stick of furniture that’s in my house currently, one piece at a time and I still love every single stick of it. Whatever redecorating goes on at my house will consist of rugs, pillows, fabrics, accessories, and artwork changing out for the most part. You won’t see a whole lot of new furniture coming in my house. If something comes in, something has to go out.
So, as pretty as I think the current trend towards all white might be, it’s not going to happen at my house. I won’t be painting all of my pretty brown antiques white. Cause you see, brown is classic and never goes out of style. It might not be the cutting edge of design at the moment, but I love every single piece of those carefully chosen treasures.
We all have to do do what is right for each one of us when it comes to decorating our homes. I don’t live in a Tuscan home with architectural features to be envied, nor do I live in a stately old historical home with loads of character and patina. I live in a 10 year+ old subdivision and instead of wishing away everything that’s here, I have chosen to embrace my home and make it the best it can be.
I encourage all of you to do the same. It’s so easy to get caught up in blogland with what everyone else is doing, but you live in your home and I live in mine. So, that’s why on this blog, you will see me encouraging all of you to be yourselves, do what makes YOU happy in your home.
That’s how to truly make a house a HOME. A haven for our families. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a pretty house, in fact, I think women have that desire innately built in, but we all have budgets and limitations to what we can do. I can see a gorgeous home online and drool all over it, but at the end of the day, I live in my house and choose to make it what works best for my family and lifestyle. Be unique, don’t be afraid to do what makes you happy, even though it may fly in the face of current trends. Trends come and go, we all know that.
So, here’s what you won’t see in my house that is currently all the rage:
- All white slipcovered sofas and chairs, along with all white walls and minimal color (I do have one white slipcovered chair and ottoman that Grandma helped me with. The slipcover cost me $5 in yardsale fabric, labor was free). 🙂 As pretty as this look is, it just won’t work in my house.
- Brick walls or floors, heavy wood beams, a home built with age. My house has limitations on what it can be. So, I live with what I have and make it the best it can possibly be.
(Babs Watkins, House Beautiful)
- All French inspired furniture and accessories. I love this look too, but I’m not going to get rid of everything I have to achieve it right down to the last detail. Practical rules for me.
(Christopher Petkanas, House Beautiful)
- Swedish design, all pale gray/green and minimal furnishings. Again, beautiful and I love to see it in magazines but it’s not me. I have to use what I already have and make it work.
- Sleek styling ala Pottery Barn, with minimal accessories. Again, I enjoy that look too, but much prefer my old antiques and I like my stuff too much to pare down that minimally.
So, how about you?
What do you truly love?
This pic below from House Beautiful probably speaks to me the loudest at this moment. But, will I totally have this look.
No, but I can get inspired from this pic. 
Do you fluctuate between styles trying to find the REAL you?
I’ve definitely honed in on my style much more as I’ve gotten older. I’ve become a bit of a snob when it comes to buying vintage things, I so prefer old to new and it’s a whole lot more fun to shop like that.
Does trolling blogs make it easier or harder for you to find your style?
If we’re not careful, we can definitely have house envy, myself included. I see SO many beautiful homes out there, but at the end of the day, I love my home so much and have the best time tweaking it and changing things around. I am truly grateful for our home. We have so many great ideas at our fingertips now, visual overload at times and it can make for some frustration and joy all at the same time.
So, here’s the bottom line on all of this. I urge you to be yourself, find joy in YOUR home and don’t get sucked into doing the latest and greatest in blogland. While there is certainly nothing wrong with getting inspiration and ideas from others in blogland, just be careful that you are going in a direction because YOU truly love it and not because it’s the thing to do this year. Copying might not be the best way to get the home of your dreams. Look, listen, and learn for yourself so that you can take the information you glean and use it in a positive way at your Home Sweet Home.
The End! 🙂
Rhoda, you are so right! Very well said and oh so true. Thank you, as always, for inspiring and motivating us — and especially teaching us to be happy with what we have and to make the best of it.
Beautifully said :). You know I struggle with this and as I find my taste evolving I am trying to be ever mindful of who I am in the midst of my decorating. And MOST importantly that my identity is not wrapped up in my blog or style. It’s ultimately in Him…which can also get lost in blog addiction land.
Very well put Rhoda, I couldn’t agree more. As you know, my house can’t support the new “in” styles either. Sure, I could paint my woodwork white, but why would I want to take the charm and character from a home built in 1920 with wood forested in the early 1900’s? Why would I conceal the detailed craftsmanship of the flooring and mouldings with tile or brick? And how much leverage do you really have with white slipcovers when it comes to change? They remind me of summer all the time. Fine if you live in a warm climate – but when temps drop below zero here in NY, and snow blankets every outside surface, I love curling up on my warm sage sofa, atop my colorful turkish rugs; my favorite books on my rustic old cart turned table and enjoying a nice glass of wine. I love your house, and love even more that through the movement to more lighter and gustavian/swedish/french design – you’ve stayed true to yourself and as inspiring as any of those homes with white slips and seagrass! 🙂
Loved this post…all good practical advice. I can tell it came from someone who is comfortable in her own “skin” and home.
Even though they are lovely now, I’m just wondering how these all white homes are going to look in a few years. I just can’t imagine the anxiety of living in white. It would mean no more red wine for me!
Hi there! Thank you so much for posting this. I have been suffering from a mini case of house blog envy! I agree with you in that it is very important to work with the elements in your home rather than try to change it. I have a huge rock wall and floor to ceiling windows in my family room. Although sometimes I wish they were not there (they are hard to decorate around) I chose to work with them, rather than against them. And I also love my antique furniture pieces and wouldn’t paint them white for anything in the world!
Amazing post! I agree—I think as homeowners we get mixed up with what we like NOW and who we truly are. If we go all out in a specific trendy style, it might be appealing today, and maybe even all year. But what about next year, when the slipcover fad changes from white to teal? Or those exposed ceiling beams just aren’t “in” anymore? Most of us can’t afford to remodel according to popularity on an annual basis. Great point on being true to who you are, but not being afraid to add little pieces from different genres to tie it in with what you’ve already got going! Great!
Great post, Rhoda! I get lots of inspiration from all of the blogs out there but then I do my own take on things. I can’t do the all white thing either. I do love it though.
Great post, Rhoda! I also suffer from some degree of house envy…all that lovely creamy white and chippy old accessories! But at my house…that would be a disaster! Can you say…cat hair?? lol It’s so funny that you have posted this because my friend Linda and I have this conversation almost every time we are together! How nice to see that we are not alone! And…I stand with you on keeping my own style! Happy week!…hugs…Debbie
Rhoda,
Thank you for such a wonderful post! You hit the nail on the head with this one!
“Grow where you are planted” is a favorite saying of mine. You seem to have done just that and encouraged each of us to do the same.
God bless…
Natalie
Very thoughtful entry. I struggle with not only ensuring my home design stays true to me (and my budget), but also that it encompasses my blended family and doesn’t monopolize my limited time resources. I too am a traditional girl and have been recently trying to evict mass produced decor from my living space. I try to balnance that by forcing myself to slow down sometimes to make room for the other priorities in my life. That is a tall order, but one day at a time it is possible. http://www.containchaos.com
Very practical post. A good reminder to be thankful for what we have and do the best with what we have! Thanks!
Do I know my style? NO
Lol!
We just recently bought our first home and I am still trying to figure out exactly what it IS I really like as far as style. I have searched through so many blogs and sites and have found so much inspiration but it is so scattered all over the place.
It’s going to take me awhile to get this house together, that’s for sure.
I agree with everything you have said but I will say that if there is a style out there that is trendy–I might try it in a smaller area in my house. For instance, I am moving in about 2 weeks to a new house and there is a computer niche that I would like to do in something a little bit more current right now while the rest of my house is very traditional. I am not selling off everything I have to jump on the trend wagon but I do think you can incorporate it on a smaller scale.
Very thoughtful post, thank you. I have to say my style is still evolving. I never thought I would be in my house for almost 7 years and still have so many spaces that aren’t decorated, but here I am.
I have to say I chuckled when you mentioned all the home blogs out there, it seems that one idea takes off and soon every where I look there it is, whether it’s all white, or burlap everything, definitely inspires me to go a different direcation! Especially since I prefer ‘pre-owned’ furniture and decor. I can’t say antique, since I can’t afford that! 🙂
Great post Rhoda! I so agree with your points. I love making our home – ours. I am not one to jump on themes or trends. We, too are a bit traditional, though not formal at all. A little bit country cottagely thrown in. I have several items from my grandmother and great grandmother and a good many antiques throughout our home. My hubby antiques right along with me and these are the things that we choose to have in our home – the things that we love!
I will not be jumping on the neutrals, the white slipcovers, the beachy look, etc. because it is just not us. I love the slipcovered look and actually toyed with it for our sunroom, but have decided it is just not for us. As beautiful as I think it is.
I LOVE looking at blogs for ideas, and just for seeing pretty pictures. I am not one to want what others have, I have always followed *the beat of a different drummer* so to speak. LOL. But it is nice to see how others decorate, to share ideas, etc. It is not nice to get obsessed over it. Too many other fun things in life!
tina
After two years of “wrestling” with how to decorate our home, I finally feel we have fallen into our style. The reason I say “we” is because it is a perfect blend of our personalities and the accidental fruit of our fun-filled, junkin’ Saturdays. Other people may think it is absolutely odd or funky, but we feel comfortable and realxed now. It’s like we have dressed our house in an old pair of worn-out jeans and a favorite t-shirt from high school!
Amen, sister!
When I fist got married, my hubby and I had nothing but the bare bones of our apartment. Instead of going out like all of our friends and purchasing sets of furniture to fill the space, we picked each item in our home with thought and consideration. Nothing matches. Nothing was purchased as a set. I love it! It’s me, and not a designer or a store… 🙂
P.S. I’m having a little giveaway on my little blog, and I’d love if you have a chance to stop by!
I couldn’t agree more!!! I go through spells of house envy too. It is then that I work on me concentrating on how blessed I am. It is not a large home but I love it. Fads do come and go. I remind myself of how guests always are complimenting my decor. My niece says it is so homey and cozy and LOVES visiting. That to me is the best compliment ever! Usually if I just change around an accessory or two and it nips the “I’m so tired of my house” feeling.
I don’t know that I have any one particular style going on in my house. I do have a white slipcovered sofa that I got done earlier this year, but I’ve been wanting one for awhile and finally had some money to put toward that. I like lots of different styles ~ some are French, some are more transitional {where it’s got a traditional look with a more contemporary flair}. The only thing I won’t do is modern or using steel/metals {unless they are drapery rods!}.
I don’t like sparse, but I like simple and uncluttered as far as accessories. I like using things that I love looking at every single day. But I also flip, and like ruffles and trims on chairs and window treatments.
Thanks for this real life lesson.
I once heard a story; a couple is house hunting, there house is up for sale as well. They read a listing describing all the
wonderful attributes this particular house has to offer, so a time is set to see this wonderful house – and it turned out to be the house they themselves put on the market.
Sometime as Carly Simon says in one of her oldie-golidie great songs, we just need to take a new picture of our own
backyard – and be grateful – we all are some of the richest people in the world. And it doesn’t come from having the
newest or the trendiest. This is Holy Week – enough said.