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2 INTRODUCTION You want your home to be warm, inviting and beautiful. You want to start decorating a space and finish it knowing you ve made the right choices, so that you look at each and every corner and know that your home is beautifully decorated in a way that reflects you. but where do you start? I most certainly didn t know where to start when my husband, Dean, and I bought our first house. We bought all the wrong things and I don t think we own a single décor item from that house now, more than twelve years later. It makes me sad to think of all the time and money we wasted on décor that wasn t right for us. It can be really tempting to try to pigeon hole yourself into some pre-determined style. You may think it s helpful to label your style as modern, or 2

3 shabby chic or transitional. But you are more than just a style label. Your unique and personal decorating style should be about the elements that make up the look you like. If you re spending money on home décor, you want to spend it on things you love. You don t want to have to start over every few months and you definitely want to spend more time enjoying your home than decorating it. I want to help you avoid my early mistakes and find your personal decorating style so you can get on with enjoying your beautifully decorated home! ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE TRENCHES First, I really want you to know that you can do it. It's your space. You live there. No one else can tell you what style to decorate with. You decide what furniture you like. What art you are drawn to. What makes you feel happy in your space. No one else can do that. 3

4 Second, don't deny what you love. Especially if you re avoiding it just because someone else doesn't like it. If you truly love it, than it s part of your style and it s perfectly acceptable to make it work in your home. Only you should choose how to decorate your home because you re the one who has to live there! So let s get started. 1. LOOK AT YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS Pinterest is a fabulous tool. But most of us just pin pretty photos and never go back to them, which is such a waste. Instead of just pinning and pinning without ever putting your pins and boards to use, we re going to use them to help you find your style. Go to your Pinterest boards. Do you have a board dedicated to home inspiration? What are some of your favorite home image pins? Really look at each photo. Examine the individual elements. The light fixtures, the rugs, the furniture. What do the photos tell you about the decorating style you may like? What colors do your favorite images have in common? Are the photos rich 4

5 in textures? Are they cluttered or clean and minimal? Bonus Tip: Have a friend look at your Pinterest boards. Ask them what commonalities do they see in the images you ve pinned? What colors, styles, patterns, etc. jump out at them? To do: Use the worksheets at the end of this guide to take notes on the things you notice. 2. WHAT MAGAZINES DO YOU LOVE? Whether you now read shelter mags online or in print, have a subscription or just occasionally peruse your favorites at the book store, the magazines you read can give you clues to your decorating style too. What are the titles of some of your favorites? Are there any special feature publications you are drawn to again and again each time they re published? What theme runs through all of them? To Do: Write down the titles of your favorite magazines on the worksheets. 3. WHAT HOME BLOGS YOU READ? Do you have any favorite home design or decor blogs? 5

6 Do you love any so much that you subscribe to their lists? How do the writers of those blogs describe their personal style? What colors do they always decorate with? How do you feel when you look at photos of their homes? To Do: Add these notes to the worksheets. 4. WHAT SHOWS AND MOVIES DO YOU RETURN TO AGAIN AND AGAIN? If you had an hour to watch tv, and you only had HGTV, the DIY Network or W to watch, what show would you choose? Which decorators or designers can't you get enough of? What colors do they use? Do they always buy new, have things custom-made or do they choose to buy from thrift shops? What movie homes do you love? What do those homes have in common? To Do: Write down the common themes that run through your favorite shows and movies on the worksheets. 6

7 5. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE HOME DÉCOR SHOPS? If someone gave you $1000 and you had to spend it on decorating, what store would you run to first? Where do you go to window shop? What stores have you absolutely drooling over the decor? What are your favorite big box stores or local boutiques? What etsy shops do you love? To Do: Look for the color schemes, materials and textures that your favorite shops all have in common and write them down on the worksheets. REVIEW: 5 STEPS TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL STYLE You should be able to run through all of these steps and take uber helpful notes in less than a couple of hours. Even with interruptions it should be doable in a single afternoon. But if takes you longer that s okay. Just make sure that you go through these steps before you purchase one more thing for your house. Once you know your own personal decorating style, you will be 7

8 able to decorate with confidence knowing you aren t wasting your time or your money. And you will be able to look at each and every corner of your home and see that it is beautifully decorated in a way that reflects you! The 5 places to look for your style once again: Your Pinterest boards and pins The magazines you love The blogs you read The movies you watch over and over again (at least in part because you love the houses in them) The home décor shops you drool over THE END...IS JUST THE BEGINNING Obviously decorating your home is more than just finding your style. There s coming up with a plan, choosing colors, planning furniture layouts, selecting art and accessories and making it all work together with the style you ve just 8

9 identified as your own. Yikes! Panic attack much? Don t worry I ve got you covered. Work through these steps and then watch your inbox for an from me! 9

10 WORKSHEETS

11 HOW TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL DECORATING STYLE 1. What style information can you glean from your Pinterest boards and pins? What colors are repeated? What textures? Materials? 2. Write down the titles of the magazines that you absolutely adore. Take note of their styles. 3. What décor blogs do you read? What styles do the authors say that their homes are? Are their homes colorful or full of neutrals? 4. What shows and movies do you return to again and again, at least in part because you adore the houses? 11

12 HOW TO FIND YOUR PERSONAL DECORATING STYLE 5. What home décor stores are your hands-down favorites? Which one(s) would you run to if you were given $1000 to spend on décor? 6. Now make a list of the things that are common between all of the steps so far. What colors are you always drawn to? What wood finishes (light, medium, dark) do you prefer? Do you love antiques or newer modern pieces? Do you like straight lines or more ornate shapes? What fabrics seem to draw you in? What patterns do you love (feminine florals, geometrics) What words express the feeling you notice in all the spaces you love? 12

13 YOUR PERSONAL STYLE WALLET CARD After completing the 5 steps in this guide, jot down what you know now to be true about your personal decorating style on this handy card, filling in the blanks. Print this page and then cut out, fold and glue the card together. Laminate for extra durability. Then just pop it into your wallet or purse so you can easily reference it when you re out. No more buying things that don t fit your home s style! FAVORITE COLORS: FAVORITE WOOD FINISHES: NEW OR ANTIQUES: FAVORITE FABRICS: STRAIGHT LINES OR ORNATE SHAPES: - Bunny Williams FEELINGS YOU WANT TO INVOKE IN YOUR HOME: Now that you ve found your style...it s time to decorate! 13

14 ABOUT SHANNON ACHESON Shannon Acheson is the co-founder of AKA Design, a community of over 13,000 people ditching their fear of decorating failure and learning to just get started. She believes that anyone can learn to decorate their own home and she created Cozy & Beautiful so that you can skip the learning curve and get straight to creating the home you love. 14