Do your style blend with your home decor? - YouLookFab Forum

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Do your style blend with your home decor?

harmonica

Veteran

The Finnish brand Marimekko isn't just about home decor, dishes and fabrics in bold patterns and colours. They also have a clothes line with their same signature style. You could actually mesh with your home. Or play hide and seek.

Question is: is your style and home interior related? Would you go all the way with, i.e. Marimekko style or any other (i.e. Laura Ashley, Ralph Lauren or others)?

Home decor isn't my main interest (and family life seems to get in the way of a tidy look ;-)), but l like a small dose of fun, i.e. happy colour. I also love to mix high end, second hand, vintage, ikea and different textures and materials in a slightly unexpected way. That's how I think when l make my outfits, too. In that sense there is a correlation.

Just a thought after wearing my happy Marimekko coat again.

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General

31 replies

Latest reply was from DonnaF

Bijou

Veteran

I have thought about this too after buying a dress that was almost a replica of my lounge room curtains - I look hilarious when wearing that dress in my lounge, as though I purposely bought it so I would match the decor! I have definite colour combinations that I favour, so I guess that it is not surprising to see the similarity between what colours I like to live with and what I like to wear. Marimekko is so vibrant and fun, I love it in clothing and homewares.

harmonica

Veteran

Bijou: We all need a good laugh and almost blending with your curtains isn't a bad thing.

cindysmith

Veteran

The two are starting to have a lot of common threads. I would like for my home to be very minimalist, but DH is not a minimalist LOL

I like darker or dirty looking colors for clothes (practical reasons, they don't show dirt as easily) and I've started gravitating towards darker finishes in my house. I will say, though, that I don't like for my house to look as beat up as I like my clothes to look LOL.

harmonica

Veteran

cynthia: you are so right that the other family members has a say in how to make a house feel like a home. DH is way more modest and classic than me in so many ways. I like the idea of minimalism, but it doesn't work in practice, lol.

Ledonna N.

Veteran

Yes, my home and what i wear are a direct reflection of who i am or where i want to be.

Great topic.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oh, Marimekko memories!! I used to work for a company that had two stores -- one for Finnish and Swedish fashions and one for home decor. I used to have some sample dresses from Marimekko and my step daughter had curtains...how I loved their bright colours.

My home decor is not really congruent with my personal style except in a very abstract way. I would describe my personal style as:

Modern
Practical
Simple
Classic
Strong
Playful
Vivid
Polished
Precise

And of course I wear a lot of cool colours because they flatter me. But our house is decorated in mainly warm colours (golds, reds) and our furniture is a mix of antique pine and a few modern pieces. I guess you could say there is more modernity in the artwork, but in general in our decor the lines are more ornate than I prefer in my clothing. That's partly down to the house itself, which is Victorian; if we lived in a more modern house we'd have more clean lines.

We do like a neat house (daughter's room excepted, LOL) and our art often is a bit playful.

harmonica

Veteran

Ledonna: I couldn't imagine you in a home without your vivid and energetic soul.

Suz: I love how your analytical take and how you break it down. So true that the house itself is a very important factor for how to do the decor and interior.

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

My fashion and home design style are very much related. My apartment is mostly neutrals with both vintage and ethnic elements. I have houseplants in every room and natural wood and stone elements, like the natural stone jewelery that I like. My rooms are tonal, just like my outfits. My outfits fit in with my home very well, although I wear more black than I have in the house- just spots here and there.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I guess in that sense perhaps my decor and personal style are related in that I am trying to go with the "bones" of what is there, if you know what I mean. I respond to the facts before me. In terms of my personal style -- it's about what flatters and fits and is practical for my climate. So I don't try drapey because my frame is overwhelmed by it.

In terms of the house, I am trying to respect its basic underlying character which is Victorian regency style -- not quite as ornate as gingerbread Victorian but more curvilinear and detailed than a modern house.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Marimekko's great! Not my style at all, but I can certainly see the appeal. (I love the idea of "playing hide and seek" against patterned wallpaper and sofas).

I like what Suz said about respecting the basic underlying character of the house. I think that's usually a good idea.

One thing about home style vs. personal style: home style isn't created solely by me. It's a combined effort me and my partner. Having said that, there is definitely a common thread between the clothes I wear and the environment I "wear". Both looked lived-in, a little bit arty, neither minimal nor maximal, an somewhat borrowed from a time long past. I have mostly neutral colours in my home and my wardrobe, with occasional bright-colour accents.

Bonnie

Veteran

After seeing your visuals, I think they do. Both are very much like #2. Interesting topic!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

My personal style and our home design and decor definitely share common qualities. We live in the woods in a contemporary house with post-and-beam construction -- a little Asian influence, a little bit of lodge (vaulted wood ceilings). Colors are neutral but with lots of blue/green, and red and orange accents. We like natural stone and eclectic but simple light fixtures and interesting artwork. I don't like the extremes of overly cold modern decor or very traditional/colonial styling (the prevailing aesthetic in my area), and I strive for something that looks lived-in and welcoming but not cluttered or stuffed.

I don't match my surroundings, but I doubt that anyone who visits my home would be surprised at the decor, based on my personal style. I'd be curious to know. Perhaps Vicki and Mochi can chime in?

harmonica

Veteran

chewy: you're really cohersive in both ways. Interesting how you do it. I admire that skill, but think l'm too whimsical and not persitent enough when it comes to our home.

Az: our differences is what makes things interesting and it's great to enjoy different styles on the side line, too. It takes an open mind to see what others enjoy.

Suz: to me it seems like you definately have a sense of style «ethos» that stresses authenticity, i.e. the origin of your house or your frame.

Bonnie: I agee , and I find it interesting how a part of a personality or style can seep into different parts of a persons life.

Diana

Veteran

They're definitely both eclectic and quirky but I would say my home decor style is overall more sedate. Part of this is of course that I live with my husband who has a much less crazy sense of style (but still appreciates the wacky touches). The other part is that I like my home to feel calming and relaxing. So no hectic pattern mixing or dark moody colors. I actually prefer white walls (with some but not too many things on them), both for the calming effect and because they make a space seem larger and more open, a big consideration if like me you have lived in many small spaces and are also slightly claustrophobic. So I will wear my wallpaper prints on my pants but you won't see them on the walls.

I do have a teal couch. other than that though most of our furniture is neutral with fairly simple lines, and we have white walls and curtains. This is not to say we don't have lots of color though, in the form of artwork, decorative objects, and accents. For example our white curtains are tied back with various colored bow ties (part of my husband's extensive collection).

JAileen

Veteran

I used to wear more earth tones and that's what most of our house looks like. I don't get to make the choices on my own because my husband has his own opinions. However, since I went grey we've remodeled both bathrooms in grey and white!

ETA: I have a bunch of Marimekko fabric a friend gave me. I make aprons from time to time.

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Tisa

I don't think so. I choose my clothing according to my mood and activity, while on the other hand I like my home to always feel comfortable, regardless of those things. In clothing I enjoy contrasts, bright colours, patterns, textures. When it comes to design, I prefer modern architecture and decor that suits it, so a more neutral looking space.
There is some common ground between my style and home decor, though. I like natural materials, nice fabrics, interesting textures and certain colours (colour palettes) in both.

rachylou

Veteran

Haha! No. It's terrible. I look like Howard Stern in his place - like I've come to rob the joint! I'm all downtown street girl, but I can't get over the home decor look of Laura Ashley in the '80s.

MsMary

Veteran

Yes, when I was doing my house a couple of years ago it was very similar to my clothing style. I had planned to have a serene home with lots of soft grays and whites and light blues, and I ended up with a riot of color and sparkle! LOL Here are a few samples.

Now I'm living in Lovely Husband's house and fortunately our styles are reasonably similar. I knew he was the guy for me when I saw the leopard chairs in the living room!

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Emily K

(website)

Veteran

*** OMG! I wrote a novel!

I've been thinking about this very thing! I am very confident in many areas of design and creating a happy, vibrant home (indoors and out) has always been something that has seemed to deserve time, attention and expenditure. By contrast, I did not previously feel that my clothing and appearance merited the same level of investment. Now that I am spending and thinking about personal style, I find I'm heading towards a look that is not so similar to what I am doing at home. I really value continuity and cohesion of thought, so it bothers me that the expression is not the same. I'm happy with what I've done at home, so I've been wondering if my personal style is inauthentic in that it doesn't match the home look.

At home, I have a carefully-curated collection of furniture--Harry Bertoia is well represented, as is Le Corbusier. I have colorful quilts, rugs, and original art. I just painted an expensive (to me), new media cabinet in shades of bright orange, red, and yellow. The look I've been going for is late-60's artist's loft/pied'-à-terre with a bent towards folk art and industrialism. (I know...it sounds a lot like the whole Dwell Studio thing that is fashionable now, but--I swear!--I've been working on this look for more than 20 years.)

On me, the look I've been developing is much more severe/austere and I feel like I've made the biggest gains in personal style by editing instead of expanding my look. I love the IDEA of bright colors (the kind that might happen in my house) and clashy maximalism and but I think I'd feel like a fool if I wore them--although I am delighted to see outrageous fashion on others!

I'm TRYING to see the areas of similarity between the styling of house and self. Maybe my fashion is kinda like the austere bones of the iconic chairs? The chairs are black, leather, and silver metal. There is not a ruffle or print among them--nor on me. In fact, if I were to take a selfie with the chairs, I think the level of austerity would be consistent. But the color and fun of home is not yet finding a place in my wardrobe. Must it, I wonder? Or does the fact that color and artiness are not present in my wardrobe simply relate to the fact that I am still not really comfortable in my skin?

Gaylene

Veteran

I've always been drawn to Scandinavian mid-century design because that is what surrounded me as a teenager and young adult. When we downsized into our condo, I repainted and remodeled the interior so my vintage pieces felt at home. White walls, bleached wood floors, neutral textures, and simple blinds/curtains are the bones of my decorating style--interjected with splashes of color and original artwork which get swapped out seasonally. Luckily, Mr. G has the same aesthetic.

My wardrobe follows the same aesthetic--functional design, neutrals, and texture with splashes of color which get swapped out seasonally.

rachylou

Veteran

Ack, Ms Mary - I can't resist a yellow sofa!

deb

Veteran

I think my home and my clothing style have a similar classic style but the colors are not alike at all. I like calm neutrals for my décor where I prefer jewel tones for my clothing. I am drawn to mid century modern and my decor leans that direction. One thing I could never be without in my decor are my books and original art. I have bookcases in every room. I suppose this translates into something similar to ruffles which I do not wear.

Anonymous

My house is traditional, with the typical crown moldings, etc. Our furniture is a mix of traditional and contemporary, but it all works. My clothing style is not at all contemporary I don't think.

Brooklyn

Veteran

My house is all white walls and timber floors. I think my style is more colourful. I am still decorating following a renovation but I do already have a lot of black and white accents. Check out my coffee mugs, I would wear any of these patterns in a heartbeat!

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Jaime

(website)

Veteran

My house is a mix of found items (both from the streets of Tel Aviv and thrift stores) and Ikea, with a the floors setting the tone. Substitute Zara for Ikea and shoes for floors and I think that is a fair approximation of my dressing style too!

Joy

Veteran

No, unless IKEA comes out with a clothing line

harmonica

Veteran

So sorry for not keeping up with this thread. I really enjoyed your comments, but got too tangled up in other stuff to reply.

Janet: I'm sure you're home has your feel! Your sense of style is great and consistent, maybe also because your work is about aesthetic, creating a certain feel, taking care of the right lightning, seeing the details etc
Diana: In my fantasy life my home has a calming effect, too! The curtain ties sounds like a fun and fab touch to the simplicity.
JAilen: What a wonderful apron! Did you sew it yourself? Husbands have to get a say in the home decor, even if there sometimes is negotiations.
Tisa: I love natural materials, too. Feels calming and I like the "unevenness" about natural materials.
RL: I'd love to visit you! Sounds like an interesting juxtaposition.
MsMary: I knew it! Great visuals, just as vibrant as your style. I'm sure you look gorgeous sitting in a leopard chair!
Emily K: We all have our different interests and I'm sure fashion style and home style don't need to fit. In fact, if all fit too well, I get really suspicious. There has to be a crack somewhere, right? A touch of lived life and life experience.
Gaylene: Your description is very much what I like, too. I like the simplicity and clean lines of mid century Scandi interior, design and architecture - but without falling into beige land. Not sure I'm channeling that in our home, though.
RL & MsMary: I need a yellow sofa!
deb: A home without books is very strange to me. I grew up surrounded by books and now reading books is part of my job.
BC: As I recall, your clothing style is classic and fab. Mixing different styles gives your home a personal touch.
Brooklyn: Beautiful coffee mugs! I could easily see the patterns on a piece of clothing!
shevia: I like your comparison!
Joy: Ikea has safety vests!

Joy

Veteran

Ha! I'm sure to look sexy in an IKEA safety vest

DonnaF

Veteran

Sadly, I am not really into home decor so the look is one of neglect. Our kitchen and breakfast nook get more love, and our soapstone counters really reflect our style. Very low maintenance, no need to use trivets, no danger of thermal shock. Of course, I love the charcoal color with a little off-white veining -- just like my hair! The edges get tiny nicks, so it's a little RATE. Polished granite is absolutely not my style. The other thing I really like is almost invisible: My Tapmaster. It turns our faucet on and off by kicking the baseboard. I think it's the kicking I like. . .

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