Walk into a furniture showroom and you’ll feel it instantly. That overwhelming sense of "I like everything and nothing at the same time." One minute you’re staring at a velvet emerald sofa thinking you’re basically a Victorian maximalist, and the next, you’re eyeing a slab of raw oak and wondering if you should move to a cabin in the woods. Finding your interior design style isn't about picking a label out of a hat or copying a Pinterest board beat-for-beat. It’s actually much more psychological than that. Honestly, it’s about how you want to feel when you’re hungover on a Sunday morning or when you’re hosting a loud dinner party.
Most people get this wrong.
They think they need to choose between "Modern" and "Traditional" like they’re picking a team in a sports league. But the reality is that the best homes—the ones that actually feel like humans live in them—are usually a messy, beautiful blend of three or four different influences. If you go 100% "Industrial," your house ends up looking like a Cheesecake Factory. If you go 100% "Mid-Century Modern," you’re living in a Mad Men set, not a home.
The Closet Method: Your Clothes Are Tattletales
Stop looking at rugs for a second and go look at your laundry pile. It’s the most honest data you have.
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Think about it: the textures you’re comfortable wearing on your body are almost always the textures you’ll want to sit on. Do you live in oversized linen shirts and neutral tones? You’re probably leaning toward Japanese or Scandinavian minimalism, or maybe a bit of "Coastal Grandma" (which is a real term coined by TikToker Lex Nicoleta, by the way). On the flip side, if your closet is a riot of sequins, vintage leather, and clashing patterns, a "Sleek Modern" living room is going to make you feel like you’re in a sterile hospital wing.
Look for the "neutrals" in your wardrobe. Are they warm (tans, creams, olives) or cool (grays, navy, crisp white)? This is the foundation of your home’s color palette. If you hate wearing yellow, why on earth would you buy a yellow accent chair? You won't. Or you will, and you'll regret it in six months.
Why Finding Your Interior Design Style Feels So Hard
The algorithm is kind of ruining our taste.
When you spend hours scrolling through Instagram or TikTok, the "Explore" page starts feeding you a very specific, homogenized version of "good design." For a while, it was the "Millennial Gray" era. Then it was "Cluttercore." Now, we’re seeing a massive surge in "Organic Modernism."
The problem is that these are trends, not styles.
Interior designer Kelly Wearstler—who is basically the queen of mixing things that shouldn't work—often talks about "living with what you love" rather than what's "in." She mixes Memphis Group geometry with classic French silhouettes. It’s weird. It’s bold. And it works because it’s authentic. If you’re struggling with finding your interior design style, it might be because you’re trying to fit into a TikTok aesthetic that wasn't built for your actual life.
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The "Three Word" Trick
Designers like Shea McGee often suggest narrowing your vibe down to three specific words. But don't use generic words. "Pretty" is a bad word. "Nice" is useless.
Try these instead:
- Rugged, Atmospheric, Collected
- Tailored, Moody, Ancient
- Airy, Playful, Geometric
When you have those three words, every purchase becomes a "yes/no" question. If you find a lamp you like, ask: "Is this lamp Rugged? Is it Atmospheric? Is it Collected?" If it only hits one of those, keep looking. This prevents you from buying random stuff just because it was on sale at Target.
Stop Ignoring the Architecture
You can’t ignore the bones of the house.
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Trying to force a "High-Tech Minimalist" look into a 1920s Craftsman bungalow is a recipe for a headache. It’s like wearing a tuxedo to a beach bonfire. You can do it, but everyone feels a little uncomfortable.
The most successful attempts at finding your interior design style acknowledge the "vibe" of the building. If you have high ceilings and ornate crown molding, lean into the drama. If you’re in a boxy "builder-grade" apartment with zero character, you have to bring the character in through furniture with varying heights and textures.
The Rule of 80/20
Most people aren't "pure" in their style. Expert designers usually follow an 80/20 rule. 80% of the room stays within one primary style (say, Traditional), while 20% is something completely different (like Industrial or Pop Art). That 20% is what keeps the room from looking like a furniture catalog. It provides the "friction" that makes a room feel interesting.
The Practical "Real World" Test
Before you drop $3,000 on a sectional, do some low-stakes recon.
- The Coffee Table Book Test: Go to a bookstore. Which photography books do you gravitate toward? Architecture? Nature? Street art? Fashion?
- The Hotel Cheat Code: Think about the last hotel or Airbnb where you actually felt relaxed. Not just "it was nice," but "I didn't want to leave." What was the lighting like? Was it bright and sunny, or dim and "vibey"?
- The "Hate" List: Honestly, it’s often easier to define what you hate. I hate glass coffee tables. I hate the color purple. I hate anything that feels too "preppy." Once you eliminate the "no" pile, the "yes" pile starts to reveal itself.
Why Your Life Stage Matters
Let's be real. If you have three dogs and two toddlers, "Finding Your Interior Design Style" shouldn't involve white Belgian linen.
Design is functional art. A style that doesn't account for your actual life isn't a style; it’s a burden. This is where "Kid-Friendly Minimalism" or "Durable Transitional" comes in. Brands like Crypton or Sunbrella have made it so you can have "fancy" looking fabrics that can literally be hosed off. Don't let your style choice make you a slave to your house.
Actionable Steps to Define Your Look
- Audit your "Saves": Go to your Instagram saved folders. Look for the common denominator. Is it the way light hits the room? Is it a specific type of wood grain? Usually, there is one thread connecting all 50 photos you’ve saved.
- Create a "Physical" Mood Board: Digital is fine, but it’s flat. Grab a tray. Put a piece of wood in it, a fabric swatch from an old shirt you love, a stone from your backyard, and a paint chip. If they look good together in a small tray, they’ll look good in a room.
- Start with the Rug: The rug is the "fifth wall." It’s the largest piece of pattern or color in the room. If you find a rug you truly love, it will practically tell you what style the rest of the furniture needs to be.
- Ignore "Complete Sets": Never buy the matching bed, dresser, and nightstand. It’s the fastest way to kill a personal style. Mix your metals. Mix your woods.
Finding your interior design style is a marathon, not a sprint. Your style at 25 shouldn't be your style at 45. It’s okay to evolve. It’s okay to realize you actually hate the "Boho" trend you spent a year leaning into. Just start with one room—or even one corner—and let it grow from there.
The next time you’re tempted to buy a "Live Laugh Love" sign or a generic piece of "Art Deco" wall decor because it's trendy, ask yourself if it fits your three words. If it doesn't, leave it on the shelf. Your future self (and your living room) will thank you.