I've always had a strong sense of what I like and don't like as far as design and decor goes. When we moved to a new house when I was in fifth grade, my parents let me pick the paint colors for my room and also gave me a lot of say in choosing the rug and curtains and bedding. With their help, I chose a soft, sage green for the walls, a rich ivory for the trim, and a fluffy down comforter in a beautiful dusty salmon shade. The rug was a TJ Maxx find, I remember, and it has the same muted greens and salmons and creams in its design (this is one of the things that will be in our home someday when we move). The curtains were ivory and sheer and flowy and romantic. I was never a pink gal, and preferred (and still prefer) a mix of neutrals and earthy tones--sometimes muted, sometimes rich.
When one of my best college friends saw my childhood bedroom for the first time during my bridal shower a few years ago, she walked in and said, "Oh, this makes so much sense. This room is you." When she said that, I felt a sense of pride that my fifth-grade choices had proven to be rather timeless.
When I envision our future home and how it will look, I realize that, of course, my style has changed slightly with time. Especially over the last year, as a result of living in my first home with my husband and becoming addicted to blogs (which are filled with different, fun new ideas!) I think I've refined my tastes and become open to certain new looks and perhaps gravitated away from some things I used to like. Although perhaps a better way to look at it is that my sense of style has simply been expanded.
For example, I'm planning to share one of my favorite new hardware materials later in the week. Only a year ago, this look wasn't on my radar at all, but now I'm envisioning using it for all of the pulls and knobs in our one-day kitchen (hint: you can see this material in the shot above). I get really excited about discovering a new decorating idea and stashing it away for future use.
I'm really thankful to have a clear sense of my own taste and style, but I'm also thankful that it can evolve and become refined. I think it's fun to mix and match styles and explore new ideas with an open mind.
What about you? Do you know what you like? Has your taste changed over time, or simply become refined, or expanded to include more variety?
I'm the same way! Even as a little girl, I gravitated toward pearls and yellow and lace. I'm still in love with a yellow painting I have hanging in my childhood room. It's funny to think that, though I think I've changed so much over the years, in some ways I never will.
ReplyDeleteHow sweet! Yes, looking back, I'm impressed with my design choices, considering how young I was! I hope you can someday have that yellow painting in your own home :)
ReplyDeleteI gravitate towards bright bold colors, and it's often hard to narrow them down into something cohesive! I'm working on a redesign for my blog and the color scheme has been the hardest decision to make.
ReplyDeleteThe description of your childhood bedroom does seem very "you," at least the you that I know from this blog. I was the opposite -- I would always second-guess my design choices as a child, and with good reason. I lived in a pink on pink on pink bedroom from age 7-13 :)
ReplyDeleteI imagine that would be hard! The thing about neutrals is that they all go together :) Looking forward to seeing your blog redesign!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you've gotten a good sense of "me" from my blog--that makes me really happy! And I think most little girls have a very girly stage...in my bedroom that I had before this one, I picked out a floral wallpaper!
ReplyDeleteYep. Yep. Yep. I take it as a huge compliment when my house decorating matches me. That's huge. I mean, let's get real- I only sleep in nightwear that matches my bedroom! Haha! Which came first? I don't even know.
ReplyDeleteYou eccentric! ;) You're totally right, it is a big compliment to hear, "This room is so you." Because that's what we should be striving for in our homes, that they will be reflections of our personal tastes and interests and what we find to be beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm still deciding what my decor style is. I love bright, rich colors and random odds and ends, but at the same time, I like the sense of calm that comes with muted colors. I think that I need to keep experimenting until I finally find something that clicks. Perhaps using a neutral base and incorporating my bright splashes as accents?
ReplyDeletemy taste hasn't changed over time - I think I'm like you in that my friends say my spaces feel like me - but Jon has a totally different aesthetic, so I'm evolving to compromise with him!
ReplyDeleteTotally! I find that the more blogs I read, the more DIYs I do, and the more experience I gather decorating our home, the more clear my sense of style becomes, and since it was pretty clear before, it feels really good to keep refining it and homing in on what I truly love. And I agree--my husband's taste has had a part in that. I enjoy finding masculine touches and pieces I know he'll love! (Luckily, he has great taste :))
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