How Do You Know?

 

 What your TRUE style is??
The one that will never go out style?

The best way to gather clues is to look at your favorite clothes, favorite designer, and magazines and catalogs that you have kept around for awhile because you just couldn't bring yourself to get rid of them.

I happen to be a psycho magazine collector.

My bookshelves are by no means filled with books. Some books, yes. I love to read, just not as much as I love flipping through glossy magazines that are filled with crack for my eyeballs.

My enormous magazine collection is separated by each brand, year, and then in order by issue.

I have been known to recall specific images and think to myself, "Gotta locate that House Beautiful issue from November 2010 with the navy lacquered walls!!!!!"

 

I'm really only like that for issues that I absolutely fell head over heals for.

 

Like, when Traditional Home featured the office of Deborah Lloyd, the creative director of Kate Spade, back in September of 2012. I may have freaked out a little and had the magazine put in a safe.

 

Ok. I didn't go THAT crazy, but it IS under it's own, very special category, on the shelf.

A category called "Awesome & Don't Touch or Else"
 

 

 

Please note the Japonisme (the influence of Japanese art, fashion and aesthetics on Western culture) print pillows from the Florence Broadhurst collection.

No one has successfully pulled off large scale prints quite like Florence did.

I adore her aesthetic and of course, the aesthetic of Deborah Lloyd, who, so cleverly pulled this Flo Bro collection together.

It is my most favorite Kate Spade collection ever!

I do not own a single piece from this collection, which makes me a little sad, but being a believer in true love, I know I will get my hands on something at some point in my KS loving life.

 

Besides being a psycho magazine hoarder,  I am also tenacious.

 

 

 

I would take those reddish orange Eames chairs any day!

 

Anyway, back to identifying elements of your own true style.....What colors are the in clothes that you have kept year after year?

 

Those are YOUR colors! Use them!

 

I don't care if it's turquoise, orange, or pink...boldly put it somewhere in your house and don't ask ANYONE what they think about it. NOT even your husband because he is most likely color blind and easily distracted by boobies. That was a hint as to how you will get away with whatever bold statement you chose to make.

Boob. ies.

 

God knew exactly what He was doing when He created Adam and then created Eve with boobies.

 

That color doesn't have to be paint either.

It could be on your furniture or some accessories.

Whatever makes you giddy inside.

 

What about patterns and the style of your furniture?

 

These hints are also found in your clothes.

 

Do you wear a lot of solids or prints?

Do you like flow-y skirts or more tailored, structured skirts?

If you're a more tailored person then straighter lines are probably for you. I would even venture to guess that if you love tailored clothing, you probably prefer solids over patterns, and if in fact you do like patterns, they are probably subtle and more tone on tone.

 

Am I right?

 

Do you wear a lot of prints ?

Are they more geometric or soft with curvy lines?

Are they high contrast or are they more subtle?

 

These are your hints at looking for fabrics for upholstery, décor pillows, window treatments, and rugs.

You can keep the expensive things more subtle and solid and then be bold, like your choice of patterned clothing, in the accessories.

 

What if you like both? Like me.

Nothing wrong with a bit of contrast.

In fact, that is what makes life interesting.

 

Why not have a tailored sofa with straight, modern lines, and then mix it up with a French, Louis style chair? You can make the two worlds come together with a tailored pillow on the fancier, Louis chair, and frou frou pillows with the tailored sofa.

 

Like this...

 

 

Curvy with straight and straight with curvy.

 

The patterns that I love, I have loved forever.

Polka dots, stripes, florals, and subtle geometrics.

Chances are it's the same for you.

Maybe you have plaid or gingham in your wardrobe.

This means that you are likely to fall for some checked patterns with some contrast and that you'll probably love them forever.

 

The evidence isn't only in your clothes.

If you save magazines and cut outs from things that you love, go through them again.

 

I recently found some torn out pages from a Kitchens and Baths magazine from 2005.

I loved what I saw enough to tear out the pages over 10 years ago!

I had tucked them away in my "Dream House Binder" and forgot they were in there.

We're not going talk about how I'm a nerd for having the above mentioned binder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's talk about how I recently became obsessed with Greek Key patterns and how that shade on the window has Greek Key trim....was I prophesizing my future love or what??

 

To this day, I still freaking LOVE this kitchen!

 

In fact the new kitchen will probably be inspired by many aspects of it.

I wish I could afford the inset cabinets and the extremely detailed hood with the dentil molding, but I can still use this as my dream kitchen muse.

 

If you are embarking on the adventure of renovating or building a home, it wouldn't be a bad idea to start collecting muses. Look over them periodically and you might surprise yourself with how you feel about some of them the second time around.

You could hate some of them and then love some of them even more.

 

This reminds me of a rule that I like to abide by.

If I think I really like something, but I'm not sue if I LOVE it, I don't buy it.

I wait to see if that thing will stalk my brain and haunt me at night.

If I still get all crazy about it when I think about it a few weeks later, then I know it's probably true love and worth the investment.

 

Your decision making when it comes to purchases for your home or your wardrobe should never be motivated by fear of judgment or a cheap price tag. They should always be motivated by happiness, necessity, and lust. These emotions when it comes to surviving the enormous world of retail,  can never lead you astray.

In real life, however, lust may not be the wisest of emotions to follow.

Just sayin'.

 

 

What pattern would you go nuts with if you didn't fear judgment or an angry spouse?