What’s Your Decorating Personality?

Not sure if your decorating personality is formal, casual, or modern? If you waffle between some of these decorating styles, perhaps it’s time to focus on figuring out your design personality. Take this quiz from Real Simple to help you focus your décor choices and style. How you live says a lot about who you are, but like actual personality traits, sometimes it’s not so black and white. Once you start looking around, you’ll find that you tend to fall more into a particular category. Defining your decorating personality helps you stay focused on your vision.

FORMAL

The formal style exemplifies the fact that homeowners enjoy the finer accouterments that life can offer. You’re the only one of your friends who registered for china, and you would be more than happy to host a tea service on a daily basis. If you love the look of elegant Ritz-Carlton hotels or public buildings such as the White House, you’re probably drawn to their formal style of decorating. You’d take a neatly upholstered piece of furniture with elegant details over an overstuffed anything. And of course, only original paintings for you.

CASUAL

On the other end of the spectrum, maybe you love to put your feet up on the coffee table, sometimes even with your shoes on. A warm, traditional look made for relaxing with family and friends. Draws on early-American furniture designs, as well as laid-back country, cottage, and farmhouse styles. Weathered, low-maintenance furnishings are easy, inviting, and built for daily life. Your ideal dining room scenario is an oversized farmhouse table with painted chairs in mismatched styles.

SOPHISTICATED AND CLASSIC

On the flipside, your collection of little black dresses is legendary. If you like calm and comfortable and steer clear of flashy or cluttered decor, the traditional style may be for you. Rooted in timeless and classic design. Your tastes are sensible, but not at all plain. You just like your surroundings to be classic and understated — nothing trendy or ostentatious. You prefer sophisticated fabrics like linen and twill, but it wouldn’t be surprising to find an Oriental carpet. And the perfect centerpiece is a well-manicured arrangement of tea roses.

TRENDSETTER

Last but not least, we can’t forget our trendsetters. You have a love for all that is white and sleek. Clean lines define your furniture as well as your wardrobe, and a mix of woods and metals round out each room. You prefer furniture with simple forms made from light-toned wood. You love adding bold patterns and accent pieces that add color and make a statement. You know your local Ikea and West Elm store inside and out. Sophisticated, clean lines and dramatic finishes are all elements of this style.