What does your home say about you?

Is your home different from your friends or very similar? Could someone match you to your home? Are there things around that denote your interests, pursuits etc. or do you have a generic home? I asked my husband if our home is like other homes we are familiar with or is ours different? I found it interesting that he did not readily identify the things in our home that make it different from other homes e.g., he made most of the furniture, stained glass, railings, etc. It has the distinct marks of both of our interests.

In an effort to describe the individual aspects of one person's home when compared to another, the design world often refers to a home's "personality". I love to go into a home that "feels like" the people who live there. In my book, designing a home with "personality" (the homeowners , not mine) is one of the most difficult aspects of being a decorator. I spend quite a bit of time getting a handle on the people I am working with and trying to reflect that knowledge in the choices I make for their home. I don't understand decorators who are known for a set "look" and anything they do is recognizable as their work I loved the lady who told me she was looking for a Pottery Barn decorator! Silly me had to ask what that meant. I'm much better dealing with an individual look.

I am helping a friend solve several home dilemmas. We have agreed to work on this project over a long term basis. She has little interest in new trends for 2014 or what the most popular colours are this year. Here house is totally wood except for ceramic floors downstairs, and it has personality galore, but it is not a house for everyone. We talk about function, natural materials, textures, warmth, minimal living, wabi sabi, zen spaces and the "feel" she wants. We talk about how her interests have changed and how this influences her living space. It is not my usual decorating job, but I enjoy our chats and the progress we are making. I am up to the task because I truly believe that my job is to listen well and lead the homeowner to a place where they make their own decisions. It takes longer, but it is more rewarding for everyone in the end.

These rooms all have very different personalities. What do they say about the owners? Look at your own space. What does it say about you and the people who live there?

source

interested in what is currently in style and being in style, seems more comfortable in darker spaces that are soothing, likes luxury, some personal touches in photos, likes symmetry and order.

source

not concerned with current trends,likes the warmth of wood and can't get enough of it, likes contained spaces, hand made objects are important, likes a simple life

Urban Abode

current trends are important, likes luxury, entertains larger groups, likes comfort, interested in the trappings of "the good life"

not interested in current trends, recycling is important, likes the marks of history on objects, not afraid to be an individual, likes comfort and a functional space, likes nature, has an artistic eye

Insert a room in your home here. What does it say about you?