How to Find Your Decorating Style: A Guide to Personalised Interiors

Knowing how to find your decorating style is the first real step towards a home that genuinely feels like yours. Many of us collect saved images and favourite paint swatches for years without ever feeling confident in a direction — and that's completely normal. The truth is, your style isn't something you pick from a list; it's something you uncover by paying attention to what you're already drawn to. This guide will help you do exactly that, in a straightforward and enjoyable way.

By Mae Osz | Interior Design Consultant & Home Decor Expert with 12+ years of experience.

Have you ever scrolled through endless images of beautiful homes, yet felt completely lost on how to find your decorating style for your own space? You are certainly not alone. It can feel overwhelming with so many options out there. I believe your home should tell your story and be a sanctuary that feels like a true extension of yourself. This is why understanding how to find your decorating style is about so much more than just picking pretty things. It is about creating a space that supports and reflects you. This guide will walk you through a simple process, helping you move from confusion to clarity and create a home you truly love.

List of Contents

• 1. Assess Your Lifestyle and Tastes
• 2. Explore Popular Interior Design Styles
• 3. Gather Inspiration with a Mood Board
• 4. Experiment in Smaller Areas
• 5. Weave in Your Personal Story
• How to Find Your Style Without Taking a Quiz
• Your Colour Story: The Fastest Way to Define Your Style
• Bringing Your Personal Style to Life
• Summary: How to Find Your Decorating Style
• Related Questions About Decorating Style
• Frequently Asked Questions About How to Find Your Decorating Style

What Is a Decorating Style and Why Does It Matter?

1. Assess Your Lifestyle and Tastes

The very first step in figuring out how to find your decorating style is a little bit of introspection. I always suggest starting with your wardrobe. Is it a sea of calming neutrals, or a rainbow of bright, bold patterns? Your clothing choices are often a brilliant clue to your aesthetic preferences. After that, think about your daily life. Do you have children or pets creating happy chaos? Or is your home a quiet retreat just for you? A beautiful but impractical style will only cause frustration, so function is key. This practical assessment is a vital part of building a personal interior style that will stand the test of time.

Now, let’s consider your senses. Do you love the feel of soft velvet and plush rugs, or do you prefer the clean lines of metal and glass? When you start thinking about the colours you're drawn to, it can be helpful to see them in context. You can browse our collections and even shop by colour scheme to see what palettes speak to you. Answering these questions helps build the foundation of your personal style.

2. Explore Popular Interior Design Styles on Trend

Please don’t feel boxed in by design 'rules'. I like to think of popular home decor styles UK trends not as strict instructions, but as 'style personalities' you can draw inspiration from. Most of us are a blend of a few different styles anyway. The goal is to identify elements you love, not to conform to a single label. This flexible approach is a much less intimidating way to discover the aesthetic that suits you. Here are a few to get you started:

• Minimalist: This style loves clean lines, uncluttered spaces, and a calm, neutral palette. The motto here is 'less but better'.
• Bohemian: This style is a free-spirited soul, embracing a mix of patterns, textures, and treasures from travels. It feels warm, eclectic, and deeply personal.
• Modern: Often confused with contemporary, this style focuses on simplicity, natural materials like wood and leather, and a strong connection to the outdoors.

Seeing the key differences can help clarify what you're drawn to. It is a wonderfully practical and visual method for uncovering the interior look that feels most like you.

This table offers a snapshot of some popular style personalities. I find it helps to see them side-by-side, but remember, you can absolutely mix and match elements to create your own unique blend.

3. Gather Inspiration with a Mood Board

If there is one tool I recommend to everyone wondering how to find your decorating style, it is the mood board. Think of it as a visual diary for your home's future. You can create a physical one with a corkboard and magazine clippings or go digital with an app like Pinterest. The first step is to simply gather images you love without overthinking it. Pin rooms, colours, textures, and even photos from nature or fashion that catch your eye. 

Once you have 20-30 images, take a step back. What are the common threads? This is the most important part. Are you repeatedly pinning deep blue walls, brass fittings, or light wood furniture? This analysis is where your personal style begins to emerge from the noise. It is a wonderfully practical and visual method for how to find your decorating style. As you gather images, you'll also start to notice the kind of art that speaks to you. You can browse our full collection of wall art to find pieces that match the feeling you're creating on your mood board.

4. Experiment in Smaller Areas

The thought of redecorating an entire room can be daunting. That is why I always advise starting small. Think of a guest loo, a hallway, or a reading nook as your 'style laboratory'. This is a low-pressure way to build confidence. Try that bold paint colour on one small wall, swap out the cushions on your sofa, or add a new piece of wall art that captures the mood you're aiming for. This step is a fun, low-risk part of learning how to find your decorating style because it turns your ideas into reality. It allows you to see what works in your own home's light and space. Even a single piece of art can transform a small space. If you're experimenting in your living room, for example, exploring some framed wall pictures can be a brilliant, low-commitment way to test your new style.

5. Weave in Your Personal Story

This is the final, most important layer. A room can be beautifully decorated, but it only truly comes alive when it tells your story. This is the ultimate secret to how to find the decorating style that is completely and uniquely yours. I encourage you to 'shop your own home' first. Look for inherited vases, beloved books, travel souvenirs, or photos that hold meaning. These are the items that make a house a home.

The process of choosing wall art for my style is a perfect example of this. Art is a powerful way to express a passion, a favourite place, or a specific feeling. It is that final, personal touch that completes the picture. This is the heart of how to find your decorating style.

How to Find Your Style Without Taking a Quiz

You may have come across style quizzes that promise to reveal your perfect interior in a few clicks. While these can be a fun starting point, they often box you into a single label that doesn't capture the full picture. Real personal style is messier and more interesting than a multiple-choice answer.

A more reliable approach is to look at the decisions you already make instinctively. Which café did you choose last time you had options — the stripped-back minimalist one or the cosy, book-lined one? What do you notice first when you walk into a friend's home? These gut reactions are honest data points that no quiz can replicate. Trust them over a category name.

As you gather these signals, you will start to see patterns — and patterns are what a genuine personal style is built from. For visual inspiration that goes beyond labels, browse our wall art collections and notice which pieces stop you scrolling.

Your Colour Story: The Fastest Way to Define Your Style

Colour is often the single clearest indicator of someone's decorating preferences, yet it is the element people feel most nervous about committing to. The good news is you do not need to paint every wall — understanding which colours you are naturally drawn to is enough to anchor everything else.

Start by looking at the colours you wear most often, the mugs you reach for, and the images you save on your phone. If you consistently reach for warm terracottas and dusty pinks, your style likely leans warm and organic. If you gravitate towards slate blue, cloud grey and crisp white, you are probably more drawn to a Scandi or coastal feel. Neither is right or wrong — they are simply clues.

Colour also connects directly to mood. Deeper, richer tones tend to create a sense of intimacy and warmth, while lighter palettes feel airy and calm. Deciding how you want your home to feel is just as important as deciding how you want it to look.

See how leading interior designers approach the process of discovering a personal home aesthetic.

Embark on a journey of creating a home that tells your story. Learn how to choose decor that reflects your true self. Join us as we explore the topic of How to Find Your Decorating Style: A Guide to Personalised Interiors. Click here to uncover more inspiration and tips for decorating your personal sanctuary.

Bringing Your Personal Style to Life

I hope this guide helps you feel confident in creating a home that is a true, authentic, and stylish reflection of you. The process of how to find your decorating style should be fun! By assessing your tastes, exploring inspiration, creating a mood board, experimenting, and adding personal touches, you can design a space you will love for years to come. Remember, the answer to 'what is my interior design style?' is already within you.

For practical guidance on how to arrange those pieces once you have found your style, our article on decorating tips and tricks walks you through one of the most effective layout principles in interior design.