How to Identify Your Home Decor Style: A Complete Guide
For many of us, pinpointing exactly what our home decor style is can feel surprisingly challenging. We bounce between Pinterest boards, save conflicting Instagram posts, and end up with spaces that feel somehow… incomplete.
I’ve been there too. For years, I couldn’t figure out why my living room never felt quite right despite investing in quality furniture and following design “rules.” The missing piece? I hadn’t identified my authentic decor style—I was decorating based on trends rather than what genuinely resonated with me.
Why Knowing Your Style Matters
Having a clear understanding of your decor style isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating a home that supports your lifestyle and makes you happy every time you walk through the door.
When you know your style, you:
- Make more confident purchasing decisions
- Create spaces with natural cohesion
- Avoid costly decorating mistakes
- Express your personality authentically
- Feel more connected to your living environment
“The most beautiful homes aren’t necessarily the most expensive or trendy,” says interior designer Maya Wilson. “They’re the ones where you walk in and immediately understand something about the person who lives there.”
Your Style Is Already Speaking to You
Believe it or not, clues about your preferred decor style are already surrounding you—in your closet, your travel destinations, and even your social media saves.
Look at Your Wardrobe
Open your closet doors and really look at what’s inside. Are you drawn to timeless classics like white button-downs and well-cut jeans? You might appreciate traditional or transitional decor. Do you gravitate toward eclectic patterns and vintage finds? Bohemian or eclectic style could be your sweet spot.
The color palette of your clothing often translates beautifully to home decor. If you wear mostly neutrals with occasional pops of color, that same approach might feel natural in your living spaces.
Your Favorite Places Tell a Story
Think about hotels, restaurants, or friends’ homes where you’ve felt instantly comfortable. What elements stood out? Was it the clean minimalism of that boutique hotel in Copenhagen? The warm wood and industrial lighting at your favorite coffee shop? These preferences are valuable indicators of what would make you feel at home in your own space.
My own style revelation came during a stay at a small inn that blended mid-century furniture with natural textures and handcrafted ceramics. I couldn’t stop taking photos, and later realized I was documenting exactly what I wanted my home to feel like.
Decoding Popular Home Decor Styles
Let’s break down some common decor styles to help you identify which elements resonate with you. Remember, you don’t have to commit to just one—most people’s authentic style is a thoughtful blend.
Modern
- Key characteristics: Clean lines, uncluttered spaces, neutral colors
- Materials: Glass, metal, smooth surfaces
- Feeling: Sophisticated, streamlined, forward-thinking
- You might love modern style if: You appreciate minimalism and functionality, prefer sleek over ornate, and enjoy a clean aesthetic
Traditional
- Key characteristics: Symmetry, classic patterns, coordinated furnishings
- Materials: Dark wood, ornate details, rich fabrics
- Feeling: Timeless, warm, established
- You might love traditional style if: You’re drawn to classic literature, appreciate antiques, and value time-tested design principles
Bohemian
- Key characteristics: Layered textiles, global influences, collected items
- Materials: Natural fibers, plants, handcrafted elements
- Feeling: Free-spirited, personal, eclectic
- You might love bohemian style if: You enjoy travel, have an artistic streak, and prefer relaxed over formal environments
Farmhouse
- Key characteristics: Rustic elements, practical features, comfortable furnishings
- Materials: Distressed wood, metal accents, cotton fabrics
- Feeling: Nostalgic, welcoming, unpretentious
- You might love farmhouse style if: You value tradition, enjoy handmade items, and prefer cozy over sleek
Industrial
- Key characteristics: Raw finishes, architectural elements, open spaces
- Materials: Exposed brick, concrete, metal piping
- Feeling: Urban, authentic, historical
- You might love industrial style if: You appreciate craftsmanship, are drawn to loft-like spaces, and enjoy the beauty in utility
Scandinavian
- Key characteristics: Light-filled spaces, functional design, natural elements
- Materials: Light woods, wool, leather
- Feeling: Serene, bright, inviting
- You might love Scandinavian style if: You value simplicity, prefer quality over quantity, and believe in the concept of “hygge” (cozy contentment)
Mid-Century Modern
- Key characteristics: Organic shapes, clean lines, retro influences
- Materials: Walnut wood, molded plastic, graphic patterns
- Feeling: Nostalgic yet timeless, optimistic, design-forward
- You might love mid-century modern style if: You appreciate design history, enjoy statement furniture pieces, and like balancing form with function
Creating a Mood Board: Your Visual Style Blueprint
One of the most revealing exercises for uncovering your decor style is creating a mood board—a collection of images that capture elements you’re drawn to.
How to Create an Effective Mood Board:
- Collect without judgment: Save any interior images that make you feel something positive
- Go beyond interiors: Include fashion, nature, travel, and art that speaks to you
- Look for patterns: After collecting 30+ images, analyze what common elements appear
- Identify your reactions: Note which images you keep returning to and why
Digital tools like Pinterest make this process easier than ever, but don’t underestimate the power of a physical mood board. Printing images and arranging them on a poster board can help you see connections more clearly.
The Revealing Truth in Your Current Space
Your existing home contains valuable clues about your authentic style—even if it doesn’t feel “done” yet.
Take an objective look around your space and ask yourself:
- Which items did you choose yourself (not hand-me-downs or practical purchases)?
- What’s the first thing you’d replace if budget weren’t a concern?
- Which room feels most “you” and why?
- What compliments do visitors give about your space?
For me, it was a collection of ceramic vessels in earthy tones that survived three relocations. They became the foundation of my eventual style: organic modern with handcrafted elements.
Style Quizzes: Helpful Starting Points
Online style quizzes can provide useful insights, especially if you’re feeling completely lost. Major home retailers, design publications, and even some interior designers offer these assessments.
A good quiz will:
- Ask about your preferences beyond just aesthetics (how you use spaces, what feeling you want to create)
- Provide nuanced results rather than pigeonholing you into one category
- Offer visual examples alongside descriptions
- Explain which elements of different styles might appeal to you
Remember that quiz results should be a starting point, not a definitive answer. Use them as a framework to begin exploring what resonates with you.
Test-Drive Your Style: Small Steps, Big Impact
Before committing to major purchases or renovations, experiment with your emerging style in low-stakes ways.
Easy Ways to Experiment:
- Rearrange what you have: Sometimes a fresh furniture layout can reveal what’s working and what isn’t
- Swap textiles: New pillow covers, throws, or even shower curtains can dramatically shift a room’s feel
- Create a vignette: Style a single shelf or tabletop according to your suspected style
- Paint a sample wall: Test a new color on one wall before committing to the whole room
- Borrow before buying: Ask friends if you can temporarily swap a piece of furniture or art to see how different styles feel in your space
The Art of Style Fusion: When You Love Multiple Styles
If you’re drawn to elements from different style categories, you’re in good company. Most interesting homes incorporate aspects of various styles—the key is creating intentional connections between them.
How to Blend Styles Successfully:
- Identify a dominant style: This should represent about 70% of your space
- Choose complementary secondary styles: Look for styles with some natural overlap
- Find unifying elements: Use color, texture, or shape to create cohesion
- Focus on “bridge pieces”: Select items that incorporate elements of multiple styles
- Maintain consistent scale: Keep proportions similar even when mixing different aesthetics
For example, mid-century modern and bohemian styles pair well because both embrace organic shapes and warm wood tones, despite their different approaches to clutter and color.
Budget-Friendly Style Discovery
Exploring your decor style doesn’t have to drain your bank account. In fact, some of the most revealing style exercises cost next to nothing.
Affordable Style Exploration:
- Shop secondhand: Thrift stores and estate sales let you experiment with different styles at fraction of retail prices
- Restyle rather than replace: Sometimes simply rearranging what you own reveals your preferences
- DIY small updates: Painting picture frames, recovering a bench seat, or adding new hardware to existing furniture
- Create seasonal variations: Use accessories to explore different style directions each season
- Barter with design-minded friends: Exchange pieces you’re no longer loving for items that better match your emerging style
Style-Finding Pitfalls to Avoid
As you explore your authentic decor style, be mindful of these common mistakes:
Style Exploration Traps:
- Trend chasing: Just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s right for you
- Comparison paralysis: Looking at too many perfectly styled homes can leave you feeling inadequate
- Ignoring lifestyle needs: Beautiful doesn’t always mean practical for your actual life
- Style rigidity: Adhering so strictly to one style that your space feels like a showroom
- Neglecting personal meaning: Prioritizing “the look” over items with personal significance
Your Style Will Evolve (And That’s Good)
Perhaps the most important thing to understand about your decor style is that it will—and should—change over time. As you gain new experiences, enter different life phases, and grow as a person, your home should reflect that evolution.
Give yourself permission to:
- Outgrow previous style phases
- Incorporate new influences
- Adapt your space to changing needs
- Refine your aesthetic as you learn more about design
- Keep meaningful objects even if they don’t “match” your current style
Finding Your Style Is a Journey Worth Taking
Identifying your authentic decor style isn’t about finding a perfect label—it’s about creating a home that tells your story, supports your life, and feels genuinely good to be in.
The process of discovery is valuable in itself. Each experiment, each carefully considered purchase, and even each mistake helps you understand your preferences more clearly.
What does your home say about you right now? What would you like it to say? I’d love to hear about your style discoveries in the comments below.
Remember, the most beautiful homes aren’t perfectly styled—they’re perfectly expressive of the people who live in them.