Interior Decorating Styles - Discovering Your Favorite

by HDME Staff

There are loads of interior decorating styles. How we decorate our homes has always been a blend of different influences from our own culture, other cultures we admire, available space, and how much we have available to spend.

If cost were not an issue, it would be interesting to see different individuals discovering their own favorite interior decorating styles. Here, we will look at just a small sampling of the available options and some of their features.

Many interior decorating styles can be sorted by geographic region from which they originate. Mediterranean style has become quite popular in recent years. In fact, this region has influenced the choices of the western world for so many years that many do not even realize it when they choose Mediterranean furnishings and color schemes.

Italian and Tuscan interior decorating styles are gaining in popularity. Features of these styles include prolific use of natural woods, wrought iron, stone, and wherever possible, a fountain or small pool. Many have become jaded toward Italian style due to the large number of tacky concrete copies of art forms that are cast in stone and badly done fresco paintings. However, use of more genuine items can make these styles something to make anyone comfortable in one's home.

Japanese style is completely different from most Western ideals. The philosophy that prevails in Japanese styling is the search for peace and balance along with an instinctive need to have a place where one can relax and feel serene.

One can also incorporate a more general Asian style that includes statuary and furnishings from several parts of the Orient including China, Tibet, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. Each has a rich cultural past that extends to a time before most western nations hadn't even been founded.

In addition to grouping interior decorating styles by geographic influence, certain time periods stand out from others in the history of many regions. This is why it is not uncommon to hear people say that they are decorating in French Louis XIV style, referring to the styles that were popular in France during the reign of Louis XIV. Victorian English is another popular choice that tends to be very ornate and formal compared to some of the other more relaxed decorating styles.

There are many more interior decorating styles that one can look into and decide if they are right for the room or rooms being redone. Many people choose to mix elements from different styles to create their own unique style that marks their house as their home.

The Big Question for YOU!
What's your favorite decorating style(s) and why?