Skip to content

Top Navigation

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Home
  • Garden
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Videos
  • Sweeps and Contests

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Midwest Living

Midwest Living Midwest Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • 40 Favorite Comfort Food Recipes

      Macaroni and cheese, Amish apple dumplings and chicken pot pie are among our Midwest comfort food favorites. Read More Next
    • 50 Romantic Midwest Getaways

      Romance, of course, can be wherever the two of you are. But wonderful surroundings help. We found some of the most romantic places anywhere in the Midwest—in the city and country. All you have to do is get away together! Read More Next
    • 50 Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes

      Chocolate lovers, these are for you: 50 of our best rich-and-gooey chocolate dessert recipes, including pie, pudding, cake, cookies, fondue and brownies. Read More Next
  • Travel

    Travel

    See All Travel

    50 Midwest Resorts We Love

    Our favorite Midwest resort destinations range from cozy lakeside lodges to indoor water park behemoths. Dive in to check out our top picks for a fabulous Midwest getaway.
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Michigan
    • Minnesota
    • Missouri
    • Nebraska
    • North Dakota
    • Ohio
    • South Dakota
    • Wisconsin
    • Around the Region
    • Free Travel Info
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food

    Midwest Living November/December 2020 Recipes

    • Comfort Foods
    • Desserts & Baking
    • Breakfast
    • Quick & Easy
    • Chicken
    • Soups & Stews
    • Midwest Favorites
    • Fruits & Vegetables
    • Fish
    • Grilling
  • Home

    Home

    See All Home

    50 Quick and Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas

    Give your home holiday style in a flash with these simple yet creative decorating projects.
    • Quick Decorating
    • Featured Homes
    • Organizing & Storage
    • Outdoor Living
    • Seasonal Decorating
    • Room Decorating
  • Garden

    Garden

    See All Garden

    14 Cheerful Winter Container Gardens

    Create bountiful outdoor winter arrangements with a little help from Mother Nature.
    • Container Gardens
    • Flowers
    • Featured Gardens
    • Midwest Gardening Calendar
    • Garden Ideas & Inspiration
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining

    40 Easy Christmas Crafts

    Decorate your home, make a gift or create an ornament with our 40 ideas for fun and easy Christmas crafts.
    • Christmas
    • Valentine's Day
    • Easter
    • July 4th
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
  • Videos

    Videos

    See All Videos
    • How to Make an All-Butter Pie Crust
    • How to Make Pumpkin-Spice Icebox Cake
  • Sweeps and Contests

    Sweeps and Contests

    See All Sweeps and Contests

    Warm-Weather Getaways Sweepstakes

    • Winter Getaways Sweepstakes
    • Warm-Weather Getaways Sweepstakes

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Newsletters
  • Email Preferences
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout

More

  • Win Your Dream Getaway!
  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Magazine Issues
  • Destinations
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Midwest Living
  2. Homes
  3. Decorating Ideas
  4. Find Your Decorating Style

Find Your Decorating Style

By Produced and written by Carol Schalla. Photographs by Kim Cornelison
June 01, 2012
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Home decorating becomes oh-so-simple when you let your personality guide the way. Find your inner decorating muse with the help of our trio of room styles that channel three different personalities.
Start Slideshow

1 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

It's all about you

Unsure what color to paint your living room? Lost when it comes to choosing accessories? The answers might be right inside you! The activities, art and environments you prefer all offer a reliable guide to confident decorating choices.To show how it works, we've designed three different looks for the same room, each one customized for a specific personality. If you know what you like but can't put your finger on how that translates into your home, click through our examples to reveal your inner decorating muse.

1 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Style #1: Earthy and natural

You like: beach walks, country drives, yoga or tai chi, farmers markets, nature preserves, alfresco dining, hybrid cars, wildlife.Your style probably grows out of the harmonious elements of air, water and earth. Your solution to everyday stress is a connection to the natural world, not only outside, but in your home as well. Look to nature's essence to find a sense of peace and balance for your home.See how this style looks in a whole room on the next slide.

2 of 7

3 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Earthy and natural: Organic elements

COLORS Nature calms your soul in a way that others, rushing through life, might not appreciate. Carry that feeling into your home with earth-inspired hues such as the varied blues of sky and water, or forest tones. FURNITURE Because you care about the environment, comfy sofas and chairs slipcovered in natural, washable cottons make sense. You'll probably feel drawn to accent pieces in wicker and reclaimed or sustainable woods. PATTERN No one can improve on Mother Nature; her patterns are familiar and uncluttered. Follow her example with simple grasses, dragonflies, leaves and other earth forms in fabrics and wallpapers.RUGS Only pure materials for you: sisals and cotton weaves.WINDOWS Don't cover up nature's vistas! Easy roll-up wood or bamboo shades let you drink in the most scenery all the time.ACCESSORIES Look for pieces that replicate nature's shapes and textures (such as "tree trunk" vases or inlaid shell boxes). Walks reward you with genuine bounty: a bowl of pinecones, a stone paperweight or a piece of sculptural driftwood.

3 of 7

Advertisement

4 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Style #2: Creative and eclectic

You like: antiquing, resale shops, crafts fairs, family reunions, recipe collecting, flower gardening, entertaining at home, oldies-but-goodies.Your style proclaims a free-spirited, lively personality inspired by both the past and present. Let one-of-a-kind, pretty vintage and artisan objects, no matter their pedigree, set the stage for the casual self-expression that infuses this mix-and-match look with endearing charm.See how this style looks in a whole room on the next slide.

4 of 7

5 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Creative and eclectic: carefree details

COLOR You have a hard time picking a favorite, so try layering a paintbox full of informal, girly brights: yellows, pinks, blues and greens.FURNITURE Be honest: New pieces and matching suites bore you. You'll be happier with an exuberant patchwork of eras, styles, upholstery and finishes collected over time. For example: Mix a new traditional tufted sofa with old painted-wood flea-market finds.PATTERN Your artist's eye hasn't seen a check, polka dot, stripe or paisley it didn't like, and florals are a must. The secret to this random mix? Balance colors and vary scale. FABRIC Collected bits of handiwork, like laces, embroidery, crewel and appliques (some new, some old), will reinforce this whimsical cottage look.RUGS You like comfort above all. Cozy boucle carpet tiles, needlepoints or plush cottons meet the "treat your feet" test.WINDOWS Sunshine recharges your creativity. Try translucent fabric, on soft shades or charmingly embellished curtains, to let the light stream in.ACCESSORIES Anything handmade speaks to your center. Group collections of paintings, sketches, collages, quilts, pottery and more to achieve the heartfelt, mismatched look that says "you."

5 of 7

6 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Style #3: Refined and modern

You like: theater, galleries, jazz clubs, book readings, wine tastings, designer labels, spa treatments, social networking, piano bars, global travel.Your style springs from the energy of urban environments. Let cutting-edge architecture, sophisticated colors, man-made materials and global influences ignite your imagination. These icons will lead the way to showcasing your cosmopolitan tastes.See how this style looks in a whole room on the next slide.

6 of 7

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 7

Pin
Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Refined and modern: urban leanings

COLORS No pastels here! Your preference for metro living means you probably gravitate to bold hues like rich red. Pair it with cityscape tones of black, gray and stone on background walls and furniture to calm this gutsy statement. Urban neutrals also allow contemporary art to shine. FURNITURE Streamlined skyscrapers inform your passion for minimalist pieces. So when it comes to form, you'll want to look for armless seating, exposed legs, low profiles, tight upholstery and Asian influences. After all, you know simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.PATTERN Unless it mimics abstract art or has exotic roots, busy pattern won't interest the purist in you. But small touches of worldly prints--graphic geometrics or classic faux animal skins (on one wall, pillow or chair)--satisfy your fashion sense.FABRICS You adore luxury, so choose leather, suede, velvet and silk.RUGS As a trendsetter, you like to stand out. Unique dyed or printed cow skins, chunky outsize textured friezes (shag) or modern prints on wool weaves will do the trick.WINDOWS Choose structured, angled treatments with clean lines that follow the city theme. Try flat shades, horizontal wood blinds or shutters.ACCESSORIES Modern art pieces and a few industrial touches, such as lamps and vases in metals and glass, enhance your urban contemporary scheme and reflect your chic but restrained aesthetic.(A version of this story appeared in Midwest Living® January/February 2010.)

7 of 7

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Produced and written by Carol Schalla. Photographs by Kim Cornelison

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 7 It's all about you
2 of 7 Style #1: Earthy and natural
3 of 7 Earthy and natural: Organic elements
4 of 7 Style #2: Creative and eclectic
5 of 7 Creative and eclectic: carefree details
6 of 7 Style #3: Refined and modern
7 of 7 Refined and modern: urban leanings

Share options

Facebook Tweet Mail Email iphone Send Text Message

Login

Midwest Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • Contact Us
  • Help
  • Free Newsletters this link opens in a new tab
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Customer Service this link opens in a new tab
  • Renew this link opens in a new tab
  • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Affiliate Program
  • Free Travel Info this link opens in a new tab
  • Special Promotions this link opens in a new tab
  • Sweepstakes this link opens in a new tab
  • Video
  • Home Advisor this link opens in a new tab

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en EspaƱol this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Midwest Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.midwestliving.com

View image

Find Your Decorating Style
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.