Staying True to Your Style in Interior Design
An Instagram follower recently posed a question to me that I’ve been thinking about ever since:
“How do you stay true to your aesthetic in this Insta/Pinterest world?”
I know exactly what she meant by “Insta/Pinterest world.” We’ve all seen them, the spaces that tend to share a lot of the same design elements that are currently on-trend, and are visually pleasing, but that seem to march to the same tune. They are also often the homes and spaces that get a lot of “likes” on social media platforms, which could be a source of influence on our own design decisions, whether it feels true to our style or not. I could write a book on the pitfalls of social media comparison, and am certainly not immune to them. But at some point, I always come back to who I’m designing for: myself and my family, or my client. Not the masses, not all my followers, not even ten of my followers, just the person who lives in the home, and wants to feel their absolute, authentic self in it.
For me, staying true to my aesthetic means buying or collecting what I love for our home, even if there’s not an obvious “fit” to the design. One of my favorite pieces of furniture is a vintage sofa I found at a Habitat store. At the time, I didn’t have a place for it, but I loved the lines, and knew it was a great piece. It wasn’t until five+ years later when we did some room changing that it finally made sense in a design, with fresh upholstery that also has meaning to us.
There’s a freedom in being OK with doing your own thing. Although I may love the Insta-fave spaces, I want something different for myself and my clients that can’t be easily replicated. That can only come from quieting the noise of image over-exposure, and designing from your heart.
“...I want something different for myself and my clients that can’t be easily replicated. That can only come from quieting the noise of image over-exposure, and designing from your heart. ”
