Personal Design Style or Design Trend?
Specific styles and trends can influence interior design, but it is not limited to them. Like any form of design, interior design involves the creation of functional and aesthetically pleasing spaces to meet an individual’s needs and preferences. Interior designers use various styles and trends as tools to achieve the desired look and atmosphere, but the ultimate goal is to create a harmonious and functional space. Styles in interior design refer to specific design aesthetics with distinct characteristics and elements. Examples of interior styles include Modern, Traditional, Contemporary, Industrial, Mid-Century Modern, Costal, and many more. Each style has its own set of visual characteristics.
Conversely, interior design trends are temporary and often short-lived popular choices that emerge within a specific time frame. Trends can be influenced by fashion, technology, societal changes, and even global events. Before the new year, many YouTubers took to the internet to talk about the 2023 design trends. The hot discussion was about what trends are going out and what new trends will be coming for the upcoming year. From accent walls to ultra-sleek modern chair designs, the craze of trends flashed before us, saturating designers and buyers with ideas and confusion. I am guilty of following trend craze news in the past. It was part of my past design failures but mainly my inability to discover what I found satisfying.
So, after thinking about how design trends are being pushed and pulled, I asked myself, does someone’s design style have to consist of a trend? What if a style is just that, a style, something that represents an individual's personality or what they prefer and like? However, many interior designers incorporate elements from various styles and trends and consider their client's specific needs, preferences, and lifestyles. An excellent interior design goes beyond unthinkingly following the latest trends and instead focuses on creating functional and timeless spaces. Ultimately, the best interior design results from a thoughtful blend of styles, trends, and personalized elements that cater to the specific requirements and tastes of the individuals using the space.
Creating a functional space is essential and can be done with items you love and find appealing. I enjoyed the layers of textures, colors, and patterns my mother and grandmothers exposed me to. Walking into a room full of design ideas and colors makes me feel at home, and it is wild to say that I prefer things not to be matchy-matchy but placed together in ways that make a room flow. It feels like people live in a home and love the home they have created.
I enjoy collecting art and all things vintage. On any given Saturday, you can find me at my local antique stores or traveling throughout Georgia, visiting antique and thrift stores. I find myself on the app invaluable or browsing on Chairish, often looking for unique finds and treasures. Old mixed in with new styles are my go-to design methods. Even though my décor style is not always on the trending lists, that’s okay. It’s my style!
Make your home stand out
Create the space you love!
So, after many trials and errors of chasing trends and finding my style. I’ve come to embrace the co-mix design elements that give a maximalist living vibe that my husband likes to call crowded. My treasures are displayed gracefully in my home. Needless to say, my design style is a mixture of me, my upbringing, and things I've collected through our many moves and from family members.
Let the style you embrace bring you joy!