I have a secret to confess. I’m a little obsessed with home decor. Knowing that, you’d think that I’d have all these great decorating posts or even DIY stuff on my blog (because I do actually DIY). But it’s been my secret for all these years and somehow it feels like documenting it all would take away the fun of it.
The true fun of it for me, though, is looking back through my photos and looking at the evolution of my style.
If you had to pick a style to describe your home, what might it be?
- Rustic – Casual, Pure, Rustic Chic
- Fusion – Eclectic, Versatile, Unique
- Classic – Timeless, Tailored, Classic
- Sleek – Streamlined, Functional, Sleek
After looking at the gorgeous photos from the Havertys Lookbook, I could see my style in all of the photos but ultimately, the one I was drawn to was Fusion. And if you know me, the words eclectic, versatile, and unique are pretty good descriptors for my life.
When looking back at how my style came to be, there’s a clear evolution.
Shortly after college, I lived on drugstore furniture. Maybe you never entered this phase of your life but it involves storing your clothes on open shelving made from MDF and using a cardboard nightstand.
Yes, they made cardboard nightstands.
Eventually the appeal of milk crate storage wore off and I longed for a better night’s sleep than a futon could offer me. So I graduated to a nice couch, a decent mattress, and some fine Swedish ready-to-assemble furniture.
I was content with my perfectly sized and furnished apartment but it was an apartment. Which meant white walls, gray carpet, and no character.
It was around this time that I met and married my husband, who already had a house of his own. A house with zero decorating, or as I liked to think of it, a clean slate.
Looking back now, I can consider that my experimental house. We had three small tables instead of one in the dining room. We used peel and stick tile in the kitchen. And the paint colors… well, there was definitely room for improvement.
Three years after we were married, we built a house of our own. Another blank slate but this time, we were ready to fill it. We had been waiting for years to buy nice furniture because we wanted a nice house to fit it in.
I bought my dining room set of distressed oak and my pine farm table in the kitchen. I kept with dark cherry in the living room and opted for a more tropical feel in our bonus room. I painted the walls with earth tones and accented with bold colors. I laid hardwood floors and added slate tile backsplash.
If you’re looking for a theme there, you might not find one. And yet, somehow, it worked. Not only did I think it worked but people often told me that, thinking that I had some sort of background in interior design (honestly, it wasn’t that good).
Over the years, I’ve had a habit of finding one piece I love and building a room around it. It might be a beautifully framed piece of art or a beautiful kitchen countertop. And then I try to accept with unusual pieces: from overseas, from a flea market, or even from my mom’s house!
Want to see what I mean?
In just one room, I’ve included an antique mahogany table in desperate need of refinishing (holding up my son’s lighted globe), new stained cherry furniture, a Tibetan singing bowl, two lamps fashioned after trees, an Indian made candle stand, an inexpensive wool rug, and a print (that I framed myself) of the now extinct Carolina Parakeet.
Ask me to match and I’ll throw a fit. Ask me to coordinate and I’ll make an interesting room that feels cozy. That’s being eclectic, versatile, unique.
And the best part about a Fusion style is that if you get bored, it’s so easy to change it up. Keep your focus in the room and change pillows, curtains, rugs, and even paint to make the room feel fresh.
A little over two years ago, we moved yet again to a new house. Another blank slate. Trust me, creating your canvas over and over again is exhausting. But I learn from my previous houses and mistakes to keep creating a style that makes me feel warm, happy, and energized. And always keeps my company guessing!
Check out the Havertys Lookbook and let me know what style speaks to you the most (and even what pieces you’d love to have). Or better yet – tell them on one of their many social channels!
Visit Havertys.com for even more planning tools and to define your personal style.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Havertys. The opinions and text are all mine.
