I’ve known Andrea from Blonde Bedhead since 4th grade. I absolutely love her no-bullshit blogging style and her sense of humor. She’s gorgeous and down to earth; always looks put together and will always laugh at a fart. She also has an amazing sense of style, both in fashion and in home decor.
Since we have very similar personalities (aka can get frustrated very easily), I wanted to talk to her about her personal home decor style. I struggle to define my style. And with finding pieces that fit my style without getting frustrated. I asked Andrea a few of my top questions creating a room with your personal style and she had some great advice!
Be sure to check out the links at the end for more details on two of my favorite rooms in her home.
How do you define your home decor style?
It’s taken quite some time to figure out what style truly fits my aesthetic and personality and it’s a combination of midcentury modern and bohemian. I appreciate the clean lines of midcentury modern design, but I love the warmth and textures that a Bohemian style provides. I love a neutral, bright space, with lots of textures and a pop of color in accessories.
Understanding my style preferences helps me make decisions about what works best for my home, and what will stand the test of time. A trendy farmhouse table may be something I love at the store, but I can remind myself of how this doesn’t fit my overall aesthetic and I can stay focused on pieces that fit my home best.
Although, you can make different rooms slightly different vibes. My bedroom is much more feminine and glam than the rest of the house with a floral rug and cream furniture and gold mirrors, but the basement is definitely more of a rustic vibe which is so much to shop for too! When I shopped for the basement, it was much more midcentury modern meets rustic meets farmhouse meets cabin—still feels like me but a cozy space that feels different from the rest of the house.
If you’re not sure about your design style, take this quiz!
How do you select a specific piece of art or décor?
I keep things pretty simple when it comes to art and décor—keeping my walls pretty clean—a couple framed photos from Target on one wall, a bronze décor piece for another wall and I like to lean large mirrors on just about every room in the house.
Since I know my preference, I know I don’t need a lot of wall art, especially since I like clean lines and have never wanted a gallery wall for myself. When I moved into my house, the last thing I was worried about was wall art, which allowed me to see finished rooms and then I could better assess what I needed!
So check in with yourself on what your style is and what kind of wall art speaks to you, using Pinterest or blogs as inspiration, and then start to shop online and save links to the pieces you really like. You can check the measurements and check to confirm the size works for your walls—and order in person or online. Sometimes, I prefer to see the item in person before I purchase, but I can always find measurements online first to confirm it’s the right size. I also don’t get too hung up on frame material or color. I like to mix this a lot— it doesn’t all have to be the same.
For décor, there are a couple of things I love that I use repeatedly in every room: candles, book and plants (real and fake!) So everything from living room shelf styling to kitchen countertops, I have a variety of these items—and then I search for cool unique pieces to set the space apart like vintage bookends or vases.
How do you shop for home decor without getting overwhelmed?
Courtney and I both get overwhelmed easily so we both have to deal with this feeling when we shop so if you’re like us—do this: Do your research FIRST before you shop. Aimlessly wandering into a Home Goods might work for some people, but never works for me. Even my first trip to Ikea was unplanned and I needed to furnish a new apartment, but I left with my tears and one ugly ass lamp.
So if you determine what you need and what you like, even find the exact items you want, it makes shopping so much easier. For example, if you need lamps for your bedroom, what style do you like, color, size? And then search for those online and find your price point—and then when you shop, you can find exactly what you’re looking for in-person or order online. It helps you cut through the clutter and the noise—and identify exactly what you want/need!
Where to shop for home decor?
For décor, I love Home Goods, Target, H&M Home, World Market, Lulu and Georgia, Wayfair and West Elm. I find most of my items from Target, but I’ve gotten some cool vintage pieces from antique malls and my friend’s shop the SHUDIO in Chicago and fun, trendy pieces from the Counting House in Grand Rapids.
To get a better sense of where I shop, I recently wrote a post sharing all the details to my living room! And this post details my closet room.
Thanks so much to Andrea for answering my questions! Did you take the quiz she suggested? What is your decor style?
