So, you’ve just moved into your first place—a new condo, apartment, or small house—and you're ready to make it your own. Are you thinking, where do I even start? Truth is that you may find yourself thinking that even if you just want to refresh your living space as well. There is an extra challenge also when you are dealing with a small home. In a small space, you can't keep everything. You have to be super selective about what makes the cut. Sticking to the frequently recommended minimal contemporary décor and neutral colors for small homes is a successful plan for those who love this type of design but these spaces just don’t feel like home to everyone. I do think it is important to find a style that you feel comfortable living in and find ways to modify it for small home living.
First, you need to be able to identify the types of interior design styles that you enjoy the most. The internet can be so helpful with this as you can do a search on images of different design styles. Below are some well loved interior design styles with descriptions of common traits of each style.
Characteristics for Common Interior Design Styles
1. Traditional : If you find yourself drawn to furniture that has features of curved lines and ornate details and more elaborate architecture features such as crown molding, wood paneling or tray ceilings you are going to feel at home with traditional interior design. There is a sense of history and, symmetry. This style can lean towards luxury. Color palates are usually neutral, earth tones or jewel tones. Luxurious materials can be found in fabrics and décor/lighting are sophisticated
2. Farmhouse: If you find yourself drawn to décor that also has history and tells a story, but you prefer a more simple homemade feel , furniture that is well crafted, shows its age but is straight lined. If you like a style that is more simple, with minimal decorations this style may be for you. Neutrals play a strong role in the color palette and incorporating well loved antiques or thrifting for décor is common.
3. Modern: This also focuses on a sense of history but from more recent times, approximately 1920s to the 1960s. This was a time when new textures and materials such as lacquer polishes and metal furniture were being fabricated. Mid Century Modern would fall under this category. Others include Scandinavian, Modern Minimalism and Industrial design. Focus was straight lined furnishings, no clutter, very minimal decor and neutral colors.
4. Contemporary: This style refers to what is most popular right now, therefore a very dynamic, changing style. In more recent times most popular is clean line furniture, family friendly fabrics, neutral foundation in color with pops of color inserted. All though there has been a sway back to using more color in design lately. This style tends to use more decoration/accessories than Modern design styles
5. Rustic/ Organic : the emphasis here is organic, natural materials. Earthy color palates. Bringing the outside in.
6. Industrial : Inspired by warehouse lofts, featuring exposed pipes, concrete floors, and raw materials.
7.French Provincial/ French Country: closely related styles that blend refined European elegance with rustic farmhouse comfort. French Provincial leans more regal, featuring ornate carved wood, gold accents, and crystal, while French Country is more relaxed, emphasizing soft colors, distressed vintage furniture, and natural, earthy material. Muted & Earthy: Inspired by the rolling rural landscapes, the foundation features soft, chalky whites, creams, muted sages, and gentle blues or lavenders.Classic Patterns: Traditional textiles include toile prints, damasks, stripes, and ditsy florals.Modern Adaptation: Blending with Modern Farmhouse styles, these textiles are often simplified, focusing more on rich textures than busy patterns
8. Mediterranean: Earthy color palate of terracotta, olive green, and sandy beiges. Uses material such as wrought iron, plaster for walls, painted ceramic and terracotta tiles. Carved detailed furniture, architectural details like wood ceiling beams and minimal decorations. Emphasis on outside living spaces
9. Scandinavian: Emphasizes bright spaces, light woods, neutral tones, and functional coziness. Minimal decoration
10. Transitional : Achieved by mixing traditional elements (e.g., molding, classic silhouettes) with modern design concepts (e.g., open layouts, modern finishes. Instead of heavy clutter, it features a few curated, large statement pieces, such as a single piece of art or a statement light fixture. Main focus on neutral color palates
11. Art Deco: Rich jewel tones (emerald green, navy blue, ruby red) paired with black, cream, and metallic gold/silver. Luxurious materials, geometric patterns, statement lighting, and streamlined often custom made furniture
12. Boho Chic or Bohemian: a free-spirited, eclectic style that embraces unconventional, artistic, and globally inspired elements to create warm, cozy, and highly personalized spaces. Characterized by layered textures, vibrant or earthy colors, natural materials, and vintage furniture, plants and homemade décor.
13. Mid Century Modern: Incorporate low-profile, long, and lean furniture with tapered legs. Multifunctional items that fold or stack are ideal. Minimal decoration, Utilize iconic pieces like the Eames molded-plywood lounge chair or Saarinen tulip tables to create a focal point. A mix of neutral earthy tones, muted colors (olives, browns), and vibrant, saturated accents (orange, red, yellow). Use geometric patterns in textiles or bold artwork
14. Modern Traditional : Modern traditional interior design seamlessly blends classic 18th- and 19th-century elegance with modern functionality to avoid both cold minimalism and cluttered traditionalism. This aesthetic features architectural details like crown molding and wainscoting alongside a curated mix of furniture that juxtaposes plush, traditional pieces with sleek, contemporary ones. Rooms utilize restrained, neutral color palettes, mixing rich classic materials with modern textures, and are finished with bold statement accessories and elevated historic hardware.
As you explore these different styles by looking at online pictures, books, magazine and even interior design TV shows, imagine yourself living in these different types of spaces…. Which ones do you believe you would be most at home with? Going window shopping might also be helpful here as you would be able to see the types of furniture and décor in the store vignettes associated with the interior design of interest. Once you have decided what appeals to you the most, this will help determine what type of furniture, accessories and color palate you will be using in your home. Just remember it is okay to use more than one style… but you will have to limit the number of styles so that it is cohesive enough for a small home. More about that to come.