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What is style? “It is an ongoing,
lifelong search for what feels completely right,” says
Judy George in The Domain Book of Intuitive Home Design. She
goes on to say, "Whether it's plain, fancy, offhand,
or deliberate, our sense of style is always a reflection of our
history, our temperament, our impulses - in short, it is
a reflection of our personality." |
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How do you find your style
and how do you make that style fit your lifestyle? You
may be beginning your decorating journey and be insecure in figuring
out your style. Or, you may want to change the style you
have lived with for many years. One thing is for
sure our needs and our tastes change as our life evolves.
We think your style should
begin with what you love. What’s popular or fashionable
is secondary. Ask yourself what works for you and
makes you feel good. |
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- Which furniture and objects in your home have
meaning to you and are your favorite?
- What are your favorite colors? Warm, Cool,
Bright or Monochromatic?
- What style of furniture do you have? What
style do you like? Traditional, Contemporary, Transitional
or a blend?
- How do you want your home to feel? Pretty,
Tailored, Funky, Peaceful, Romantic, Comfortable, Serene, Fun,
Happy?
- Do you like patterned fabrics more than solids?
- Is texture important to you?
- Would you describe your taste on the opulent
side of the spectrum or more down to earth?
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One of the best way's to figure out
your style is to be aware, look around and see what you like.
Looking
at magazines and books will help you determine what you like. Becoming
aware of the things around you when visiting friends and family will
help you decide too. Go on home tours in your community. Educate
yourself in what you like!
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Alexandra Stoddard in her book “Open Your
Eyes” says, “Just because we’ve been given eyesight
doesn’t mean we know how to use our eyes to look and really see. We
have to train ourselves to look at all things and see things well. We
must not be limited by the familiar but must instead look and look again. Seeing
well is a process of opening our mind as well our eyes.”
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| We are used to seeing the styles of the big box
retailers such as Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and Crate and Barrel
as their catalogs and websites come into our homes regularly. Because
these styles are familiar and because we are in this age of not wanting
to wait for anything, not even a home to evolve, many Americans have
taken the style of these stores as their own style. The intrigue
to adapting these styles is that you can have it now, you don’t
have to wait. The downside is that everyone else has it now too
and that these styles may not have room for your favorite things, the
things that are the history of your life. |
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Finding your style and making it
unique to you is evolving, takes time and is often done in stages, because
your home and your style should be an eclectic result of your life experiences. It
should be a collection of the things that you have gathered or inherited
along the way. Be patient through the process of establishing
your personal style. It may require some editing along the way.
We don’t think of style as disposable but as evolving. Trust
your intuition and don’t be afraid.
Some places just feel like home. As
soon as you walk in the door, you want to stay. If this is what
you want, then Printer’s Alley can help. Our decorators
see their job as drawing out your own style and being a guide in helping
you create your home, your style, your way. |
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