33 www.CharlestonWomenPodcast.com | www.ReadCW.com | www.Instagram.com /CharlestonWomen Finding your interior design style should be simple, fun and rewarding. A great place to start is in purging the things that no longer serve you. If something is broken, chipped, isn’t meaningful, isn’t useful, doesn’t function or isn’t beautiful, get rid of it. Ditto for the things that you haven’t looked at or touched in six months: toss, donate or gift them. Purging creates inspiration for finding your design style, because you’ll find a new appreciation for what you already own and decided to keep. Next, remove all clutter such as fake flowers and knickknacks. Stop buying cheap accessories for the sake of having, and instead invest the money you would have spent on a more expensive piece of furniture that will hold up against the test of time, children or pets. No matter what your design style is, from now on nothing comes into your house that is not intentional. Strategically chosen pieces only, please. Now that you have a streamlined base to work with, it’s time to find your inspiration. Nature or nearby architecture can be influential guides for choosing your range of colors, patterns and textures. Pinterest, furniture stores and design magazines such as Find yourself in your interior style BY SARAH ROSE Charleston Women in Style Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, and World of Interiors are also fabulous catalysts for creativity. Just be careful not to get too attached to trends, because what’s stylish today will be outmoded a year from now. For example, many designers are currently throwing shade on the color gray, calling it outdated and boring. But if you love gray, don’t be deterred by someone else’s opinion of what is or what isn’t fashionable. Go ahead and paint the walls a charcoal or kitten hue such as Antique Pewter or Smoke Embers from the Benjamin Moore classics collection. Buy that husky-toned velvet tufted-back sofa because you love it. Gray is a timeless neutral: how can a classic go out of style? You can always pop the muted color with a few chartreuse silk throw pillows, et voila: instant glamor. In sum, this is your home, so do what makes you happy in it. Narrowing down your style can often feel overwhelming with so many choices online, in furniture stores and in magazines. The following four approaches will help you find a deeper clarity about what you want to accomplish so you can formulate your design plan accordingly. CITY CHIC City Chic is bold and unafraid when it comes to color, pattern and texture. Pastels like pale yellow have no place in the City Chic interior. Choosing a richer ochre tone such as Antiquity or Classical Gold from the Colors of Historic Charleston collection by Sherwin Williams will add layers of depth to these interiors. City Chic style.
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