Where Are You on the Style Spectrum?

Find your design personality — neutral or colorful, modern or traditional, formal or relaxed — so you can decorate accordingly

Laura Gaskill October 24, 2016

Houzz Contributor.

Being able to name and define your personal decorating style can be a big help when it comes to choosing items for your home that you’ll be happy with for years to come. But finding that style can be easier said than done. That’s where style spectrums come in. To help unearth your style, simply rate where you stand on seven different spectrums (such as “Neutral to Colorful” or “Formal to Relaxed”), then put all of your answers together to reveal your own unique combination.

Erika Bierman Photography

The Spectrum: Neutral to Colorful

Neutral: People who love neutrals are drawn to warm, rich, earthy tones, natural materials and varied textures. Far from being boring, a well-designed neutral scheme can be sophisticated when layered with a range of tones, from parchment and cream to “greige,” mocha and espresso.

Camilla Molders Design

Colorful: Color lovers feel at home in bright, fun, cheerful spaces. The color may be the wall itself, or you may find you prefer crisp white walls, allowing you to go wild with colorful furniture and accessories. If you’re drawn to colorful spaces, try to notice what sorts of colors you’re most attracted to — are they clear and bright, rich and deep or playful and pastel?

Cornerstone Architects

The Spectrum: Modern to Traditional

Modern: Clean lines, simplicity and an efficient use of space characterize modern design. If you’re drawn to midcentury modern or contemporary furniture or architecture, your style lies closer to the modern side of the spectrum. Modern style can be warm as well, and allows the natural beauty of materials to shine.

John De Bastiani Inc

Traditional: Timeless, elegant and honoring of traditions, this style is all about comfort and grace. If you land at the traditional end of this style spectrum, you’re probably drawn to spaces rich with antiques and designs that have stood the test of time. Traditionalists value quality craftsmanship and subtle elegance.

J. Chai

The Spectrum: Minimal to Maximal

Minimal: True minimalists are enamored (maybe even a tad obsessed?) with simplicity. Focused on the essentials and always editing, those who fall toward this end of the spectrum can’t stand excess and waste. Keeping things clean and clear allows the elegance of beautiful design to come through, and it helps keep the mind clear so creativity can flourish.

Jonathan Adler

Maximal: Abundant, dramatic, bold, over-the-top, multilayered and artistic — maximalists think that more is more! The maximal space shown here is also playful and modern, but that’s not the only way — your version of maximalism might be stately and traditional, with floor-to-ceiling books, a salon-style art wall, leather chesterfield sofa and layered Oriental rugs.

Andrew Flesher Interiors

The Spectrum: Formal to Relaxed

Formal: Formal spaces are elegant, refined and buttoned-up. They suggest graciousness and good manners and tend to include smooth surfaces and delicate, plush or luxurious materials. This doesn’t mean a formal space can’t be any fun — if your style leans formal but also playful, you might inject some whimsy into your space with a jaunty hat on the bust of Athena or painted toenails on the proper claw-foot tub.

Ellie Lillstrom Photography

Relaxed: Laid-back, chilled-out, easygoing — if you lean toward the relaxed end of this style spectrum, you probably like the idea of a “barefoot home.” Low-key and casual, the relaxed home is a place where you want your friends to get that mi casa es su casa feeling. Your version of relaxed style might be ’70s bohemian, breezy beach house or easygoing traditional — no matter which direction you take it, relaxed is all about ease.

ZeroEnergy Design

The Spectrum: Light to Dark

Light: If you crave bright, sunny spaces bathed in natural light, you belong squarely on the light end of this style spectrum. Light lovers also tend to crave open-plan spaces, high ceilings and large windows with views — anything to create a serene, expansive sense of space. Light spaces are often white (even all-white) but you may also be drawn to pale washes of color, soft pastels or milk-paint hues.

Meredith Heron Design

Dark: If you land at the dark end of this style spectrum, you crave rich, deep colors and cozy nooks. Being in a compact, enveloping or cave-like space makes you feel safe and secure. You probably also crave warmth, whether from a crackling fire, toasty blankets or warm, rich hues.

Andrew Franz Architect PLLC

The Spectrum: Urban to Rustic

Urban: Sophisticated and cultured, city lovers want to be in the heart of the action and don’t mind making do with a smaller space if it means being able to walk to a favorite restaurant or museum. If you’re drawn to the urban end of this style spectrum, you may value the arts as well as innovations in design and technology.

Axial Arts Architecture

Rustic: Natural and woodsy, those who favor rustic style find inspiration in the outdoors, simple pleasures and the company of cherished friends. If you sit at the rustic end of this style spectrum, you’re probably drawn to raw, unfinished materials and handcrafted items. This style can be expressed in many ways, from the rough-hewn charm of mountain cabins to a more wabi-sabi, Zen-inspired aesthetic.

JBMP Architecture and Interior Design

The Spectrum: Classic to Playful

Classic: If your tastes run toward the classic side of this style spectrum, you appreciate a sense of history and crave spaces with some gravitas. Classic spaces are serious, elegant and well-thought-out. You appreciate planning, symmetry and tradition and feel inspired by classic garden designs and architecture.

Grossman Design Build

Playful: If your design sense leans more toward the playful end of this style spectrum, you appreciate the imaginative, whimsical and creative. You want your home to delight you and put a smile on your face, and you’re not afraid to be a bit silly sometimes or to make a bold statement.

Rikki Snyder

Finding your ideal mix: Once you’ve figured out where you stand on each style spectrum described above, put them all together to get a more complete picture of your individual style sense. Are you traditional, light and relaxed; modern, neutral and rustic; or … ? It’s the juxtaposition of these elements that will really bring your style to life and set you apart.