Home Decor 101: Discovering Decorating Themes and Styles

Home decor: A white living room with wooden beams and a black cowhide rug.

Have you taken an interest in interior design and home decor? Start with these basics covering how to discover and pick decorating themes and styles.

Home decor and style is something that should be unique in each home, as it suits the owners best. When deciding on the right style and theme for a home, the process is a long one, but it’s a fun and exciting one as well. Don’t let the stress of trying to figure out the right decor or items to buy overwhelm you.

Try your best to relax and enjoy the entire process. It’s not every day that you get to come up with a new style or theme for your home unless, of course, you’re an interior designer. After reading this post, you just might decide to become one! 

If you’ve taken an interest in interior design or home decor lately, then you might be on the lookout for a few tips. Below are a few tricks and tips for helping you discover which decorating themes and styles are best suited for you. Continue reading to learn more!

Look for Influences

Influences are all around you. If you ever feel like you can’t think of a style that you love, take a look at what’s around you and notice the things that you enjoy most. You can also browse online on home decorating sites and browse through examples of different styles.

Even if you don’t find something that you like as a whole, you can still pick out a few things from the design that you’d like to incorporate in your own home. Take the time to walk around home design stores and get a feel for the things you like and don’t like. 

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Flip through some pages in home decor magazines and circle items that you think would look amazing in your design. Remember: these are just ways to get inspiration. You don’t have to follow someone else’s design exactly.

Consider Your Own Interests

Your own interests, personality traits, and lifestyle preferences should all be considered when coming up with your design. These are all essential aspects when creating the perfect home. You want something that you can come back to each and every day and feel right at home. 

Here are some starter questions to ask yourself:

  1. Do I prefer simplicity?
  2. Do I love the look of antiques?
  3. Are natural elements my style or more industrial elements?

There are several other great questions to ask yourself when figuring out your own interests, but these are a few starting points. Be sure to take what you picked out from your influences and put them all together to get an idea of what your overall style is. 

For example, if you go through your list of influences that you liked and they’re all items that are natural home design elements such as rustic dining tables and other farmhouse items, then you have a good idea of what style you like. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Mix Things Up

When thinking about different home decor styles, there are a lot of options that go through your mind. There’s traditional, modern, farmhouse, minimalist, and so much more. If you feel forced to choose one and stick to it, don’t. 

If you like the look and feel of traditional pieces, but also enjoy modern furniture, then don’t be afraid to mix things up. There are ways to incorporate two styles into one design. This article tells you how to do just that.

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You can take elements of different designs and blend them well with one another, as long as you do it with care. 

Choose Quality Items

You might feel inclined to purchase the cheapest home decor and furniture items you find. However, this isn’t always the best way to go about creating your ideal home design. Remember: you get what you pay for.

Now, this doesn’t mean don’t jump on a good deal when you see one. It does mean, though, don’t buy low-quality items because they’re cheaper. High-quality items are going to last you a lifetime and will serve you and your family well. 

One great idea for finding high-quality items at cheaper prices is to shop around thrift stores or other furniture discount stores. 

Decorate at a Pace

Decorating a home with a new design is a lot of fun. You get to choose the furniture, artwork, paint colors, and more. However, as fun as it can be, it’s a lot of work. 

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by it all. Don’t feel rushed to complete a home interior design quickly. Take your time and decorate at a pace that allows you to play with different color pallets, furniture pieces, and other elements. 

You might purchase one item, bring it home, and then decide it doesn’t fit. When this happens, don’t hesitate to take the item back and find something better for your style. 

Take a Few Quizzes

When all is said and done, if you’re still having trouble finding your style, you have another option. There are a few online quizzes that you can take to help determine your style for you. There are ones for finding your favorite colors, decorative items, and more. 

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You can find quizzes online or even in home and garden magazines. Try taking a few and then comparing your answers to see what you come up with!

Which Decorating Themes Do You Prefer?

Finding the right decorating themes for you and your home can be a challenge. Which styles and designs do you prefer most? After reading through this post, we hope you’re able to determine your favorite!

For other topics similar to this one, be sure to check back with us!

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