The Ultimate Question: What Is My Style?
This is a question I've been asking myself for a long time. And I can't quite put my finger on it. I like so many elements of so many genres. How could I possibly narrow it down to just one or two? I wish there was a Buzz Feed quiz that could just tell me what I like! (Just kidding, there are tons.) But in all seriousness, I've been trying so hard to narrow down this answer and I've really struggled!
There's farmhouse with its casual, distressed and aged charm.
Modern style with it's minimalism and high contrasts.
Rustic with it's raw, unpolished approach.
Closely linked to the rustic style is the industrial style with its urban, functional and unrefined details.
Then there is, of course, traditional - classic, sophisticated, refined and polished.
And on the other side of that coin is boho focusing on eclectic, whimsical, playful and unconventional elements.
While I personally know I can eliminate "industrial" as an aesthetic that I gravitate toward, I appreciate bits and pieces of all of these! Not being able to pin down a style that I could call my own felt like a deeper crisis of self! If I don't know what I like, do I even know who I am!? In search of some answers, I opened Joanna Gaines' book Homebody. I bought this book a long time ago. I flipped through it once, oooed and aaahed at the pretty pictures and it has sat, collecting dust on my coffee table ever since. But this weekend I cracked it open once again and actually started reading.
"Just like in all of life, you try and fail and then try again, and eventually you figure out what works for you. So allow yourself the freedom to mess up, whatever that means, or simply change your mind... Let's not take ourselves so seriously. There's enough truly hard stuff in life, and creating your home should not be one of them."
Joanna Gaines
That quote totally changed my perspective. My perfectionist heart took a sigh of relief because she's totally right! This isn't rocket science and it isn't life or death. I'm just going to pay attention to what I gravitate toward, fill my home with things I like, and my style will reveal itself to me. Besides, intentionality mixed with some creativity goes a whole lot further than perfectly curated spaces and flawless taste when it comes to making a house a home.