How to Find Your Decorating Style Using Instagram
Do you know your decorating style?
If you’re here today, I’m guessing you’re probably trying to figure it out or are at least curious about how you might use Instagram as a tool to do it! We all know about Pinterest, and while it’s definitely a go-to resource, I think Instagram is a fantastic place too. I’m going to walk you through why I think that and share my method for how to do it.
Along the way, I’m also going to share some photos from some fabulous accounts that reflect my style and what I’m really digging right now (it’s ever evolving!). Get ready for some beautiful inspiration - maybe you’ll even find some new folks to follow!
Whether you’re working with a designer to decorate your home or doing it yourself, it’s important to have a good sense of your style to guide you as you design your rooms. Don’t feel like you need to have the perfect words to describe it - it doesn’t need to fit squarely into one category. I tend to think it’s actually more important to be able to show someone (or yourself!) your style. Gather those inspiration photos!
Instagram is a great resource for this because it’s so visual. Everything shared on there is in image form (obviously!) and there are TONS of great accounts on there that are sharing beautiful spaces. You’re sure to find several that reflect the style you want to create in your own home. Find them and follow them! :)
via Virginia Farmhouse Project on Instagram
Here are a few ways you can find accounts that can be your style muses on Instagram:
Use the Explore tab. It’s paired with the search function (that magnifying glass at the bottom of your screen). Instagram will pull content for you that’s similar to what you’ve liked and commented on in the past.
Use Pinterest. If you find an image you like, click over to the original website to find out where it came from, and then hop over to their Instagram account. Unfortunately, pins don’t always link to the original source, but if they do, that can be a goldmine!
Follow hashtags. If you look through some of the hashtags that folks include in their posts, you’ll usually find there are a few that make you go, “oh! I love all of this!” You can then follow that hashtag to see more posts from it in the future.
Try the “Suggested for You” option. This is a great way to find similar accounts to ones you already follow. When you’re on someone’s profile, simply click the little dropdown arrow on the right side of the screen that’s just below their profile description. The Suggested for You menu will pop up and you can click through those accounts to see if there are some you like.
via Gray Oak Studio on Instagram (here’s their website too) Photo by Tamara Flanagan
Now, once you’ve found the posts/accounts that reflect your style, how do you keep track of them?
Well, that’s where the SAVE button comes in! Do you use it? It’s that little bookmark on the bottom right of an Instagram post. Tap it once to save it to your general collection, or tap and hold to save it to a particular “collection.” You can create and name collections if you’d like to keep things organized - this is especially helpful if you save different kinds of posts apart from home ones like food, fashion, etc. You can also go back and categorize them into collections at a later time if you have some you’ve already saved to your general collection. I would definitely recommend this because of what I’m going to suggest next to help you figure out your decorating style!
via The Heart and Haven on Instagram
Once you’ve saved a bunch of photos of spaces you like, the next step is to look for common themes.
This is how you’ll start to figure out what you love! After gathering those photos, do a little observing. Open up your collection of home images and look at them as a whole group. What do you notice? I bet you’ll quickly find similarities among those images that will having you saying, “Yes! That’s my style!”
Be sure to take note of things like…
Colors
Patterns (especially in textiles like rugs, pillows, linens, etc.)
Textures
Particular repeated styles
Metal finishes (brass, nickel, black, etc.)
Materials
I’d even suggest doing this a few times over the course of a few months and see what consistently shines through. Then look through individual photos and pick out features that you love. Be as specific as you can! Use those common themes as your guide as you decorate. Staying true to those will help you create a home you truly love and give you a consistent style to work with!
via Kelsey Leigh Design Co. on Instagram
As you’ve scrolled through this post, have you noticed some common themes with the photos I’m currently loving? (Scroll down to see if what you observed matched my thoughts!)
via By Kristina Lynne on Instagram
The big things that stuck out to me are:
Natural wood - especially lighter tones
Touches of black in furniture, decor, and lighting
Greens and blues mixed with a whole lot of neutrals
Brass finishes
A clean-lined modern style mixed with traditional/vintage pieces that add character and coziness
An organic element like a houseplant or leafy branches
I love this exercise! I’m finding it really helpful as I dig into designing our new house in Richmond - even a decorator needs to go through this…thankfully it’s a fun one!