Home Design Personality PLUS Home Interior Style Equals LOVE

Unlocking the Essence of Home: Understanding Your Unique Home Design Personality

Hey there, fellow homemakers and design enthusiasts! 🏡✨

Have you ever wondered why certain spaces feel like a warm hug, while others leave you feeling a bit… off? It's not just about styles like bohemian, traditional, or minimalist. There's something deeper at play – your unique home design personality.

Defining Home Design Personalities vs. Interior Design Styles

Let's start by clarifying – home design personalities are not styles. Interior design styles, like modern or industrial, focus on the aesthetic appearance of a space.

Home design personalities, however, dive into the emotional core of YOU, which is reflected in your home. What I call your ‘Design DNA'® [1]. It answers the question, “How do you want your home to feel?”

Our personalities influence how we find inspiration, make choices, and overcome challenges in our pursuit of a happy home. [2]

A Quick Tour of Interior Design Styles

Before we delve into the captivating world of design personalities, let's take a quick tour of traditional interior design styles. You've probably heard terms like bohemian, industrial, or minimalist. Each has its own unique flair:

Bohemian Interior Design Style: Vibrant, eclectic, and full of personality. Think mismatched furniture, bold patterns, and a sense of wanderlust. 

Traditional Interior Design Style: Classic, timeless, and often formal. Rich colours, elegant furnishings, and a nod to history characterise this style.

Industrial Interior Design Style: Raw, urban, and edgy. Exposed materials, metal accents, and an embrace of the rugged aesthetic define industrial spaces.

Minimalist Interior Design Style: Clean, uncluttered, and serene. Minimalism celebrates simplicity, with a focus on essential elements and a sense of calm.

Modern Interior Design Style: Sleek, clean lines, and a balance of form and function. Neutral colour palettes and a preference for simplicity are hallmarks of modern design.

The Uncommon Odds of 100% Adherence to a Single Interior Design Style

These are just a few of the many different interior design styles people across the globe have created. The likelihood of you strictly adhering to a single interior design style at 100% is uncommon, as your personal tastes tend to be influenced by a variety of factors, and people often enjoy incorporating a mix of styles to create spaces that reflect their individuality.

These interior design styles offer a visual language, a way to articulate how you might want your space to look. 

However, the missing link is often understanding how you want your space to feel – and that's where your unique home design personality steps in.

Navigating the Design Landscape with Personalities

Now, let's explore the fascinating landscape of home design personalities. Your home design personality is like a guiding star that helps you make choices when creating a home that reflects your style. You have to take concentrated time and effort to actively learn what your home design personality is.

Over your lifetime, your home design personality has been slowly formed – and it is 100% unique to you. Your home (which may be rented) is typically shared with your partner. If so, then it is important to know your and their unique home design personalities. Then a successful blended home environment can be achieved.

If you desire a home that feels like a sanctuary, where you spend over 70% of your day [3], it is not merely a “background” but a significant aspect of your everyday life.

Understanding your unique home design personality is not just about following current design trends or meeting the expectations of others. It's about creating a space that supports your mental and emotional well-being on a deep level. Agree?

A defined ‘look' might catch your eye momentarily, but it's the intangible essence, the feeling your home evokes, that sustains and nurtures you.

Trends come and go, and external opinions may vary, but your home environment must remain a constant. It's where you recharge, connect, and find solace.

The world is becoming more polarised. Your work environment is becoming more demanding, and there are tensions in the geopolitical world. To improve your mental well-being, your home, along with family and true friends, should be a source of support. [4]

How Does This All Play Out? Why Knowing Your Design Personality Matters

So, you might be wondering: Why does understanding your design personality matter? Well, it's not just about making your home look good; it's about making it feel right.

Research has proven that (a) knowing your unique design personality, (b) clearly and concisely documenting your design personality, and (c) using it to guide you as a DIYer, or giving a copy to your chosen design professional will result in your home having a unique look and feel that is 100% you.

Your home could end up being a blend of a number of those interior design styles I quickly summarised before. Or it could be just one of them.

The key point is this: You will not know whether the finished home improvement project is a blend of styles you love today, next week and next month, but, absolutely hate within 6 months.

You won't know if you love it – but your partner feels ill or sad, or worse it makes them angry when they spend an extended period of time in the space. i.e. interior design spaces affect your mood. [5]

Here's why:

DIY Delight 🛠️:

If you're a DIY enthusiast, (e.g. Amy Baker), knowing your design personality is your secret weapon. It's like having a ‘compass' guiding you through the vast world of possibilities, making your creative journey more focused and enjoyable.

The end result: “You join the 24.6% of homemakers that love their finished home improvement project.”

Working with Design Professionals 👩‍🎨:

If you're enlisting the help of a design professional, (e.g. Keren Wallace), your design personality is the key to unlocking a seamless collaboration. It ensures that every creative decision aligns with your vision, minimising rework and maximising satisfaction.

The end result: “You avoid joining the 75.4% of homemakers who do not love their finished home improvement project.”

Referrals and Ongoing Love ❤️:

A home designed with your personality in mind becomes a space you love. And when you love it, you can't help but share the joy.

The end result: “Happiness with our home is almost three times as important to our overall happiness as our income.”

“73% of people who are happy with their home are also happy in general.”

Budget and Stress Management 💰😅:

Understanding your design personality streamlines the decision-making process. This means fewer costly mistakes, less stress, and a project that stays on budget.

End result: “You minimise humiliating rework that eats up to 29.6% of every home improvement project.”

In conclusion, your unique home design personality is the secret sauce that transforms a house into a haven. It's the language of emotions, the compass of creativity, and the key to a home that resonates with you on a profound level.

So, whether you're embarking on a DIY adventure or partnering with a design professional, take a moment to discover the essence of your unique design personality first– it's the beginning of a journey towards a home that feels uniquely, beautifully, and authentically yours. 🏡💖

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References:

[1] Revealing Your Design DNA

[2] Love at first sight – our finished home improvement project. 

[3] You spend ~70% of every day in your home. 

[4] Designing Bliss: An ‘Apple A Day’ Approach To Your Home’s Well-Being 

[5] Interior Architectural Elements That Affect Human Psychology and Behavior