Cat’s Interior Design Style Evolution
8.29.24
The best way to describe the evolution of my interior design style is to compare it to the many journeys my closet has undergone from when I was younger to now.
At every stage, the foundation of my closet was always me. But it was layered with a lot of trial and error—constantly trying to wear things that were not quite allowed to get a reaction from my parents and peers, and experimenting with trends only to realize that not every trend suits everyone. Trends are not rules, young Cat. And spraying sun-in hair lightener on your jet black locks because your mom said no to dying it was never a good look.
Ultimately, I discovered that my best style is on the verge of what I feel most natural in meets a tinge of “I don’t know about this. I’m sort of uncomfortable, but let’s do it anyway because why not?!”
When I’m comfortable, it takes no effort to pull off an outfit. When I’m not fidgeting with a top, when the heels aren’t eating away at my feet one layer of skin at a time, and when a bra isn’t literally taking my breath away, I’m relaxed and my blood is properly circulating. Now, this doesn’t mean I’m leaving the house every day in my high school sweats and a messy bun.
But it’s when I nudge my boundaries (some days it’s a little more than others), pick a different top than I normally would maybe one that isn’t quite appropriate for daytime but works over a pair of slouchy trousers, and add strappy kitten heels. That's when I radiate next-level confidence. Let’s say it’s 75% of what I’m comfortable with and 25% of what I’m pushing.
When I was younger it was testing the boundaries against another’s opinion. Now it’s testing personal boundaries to push me beyond my comfort level in order to evolve. Because why not?
Understanding quality fabrics and what feels best against my skin, knowing which layering technique will not consume me, and what works for my height, all came with experimenting and allowing myself to not be afraid to try things that sometimes “don’t make sense”. It’s not perfected but rather a work in progress. And it’s feeling more and more me with every trial.
All to say, this approach applies to my design style evolution as well. As interior designers, we are asked to push the boundaries and think outside of the box. To see what works for me and my space continues to take the same sort of experimenting.
Ideally, I want the feeling I create and the energy of my home to shine the brightest. You can try to adopt a trending style or one that seems popular with clients, but if it’s not true to you or if you’re not experimenting to grow but merely conforming as you see done, something will always feel off. Similar to not letting the outfit wear you, but you wear it, remember to let the feeling of your space as a whole speak for itself instead of buying into a look that you try to force for the sake of it being currently popular. And don’t forget to have fun doing it! Because why not?
I’m also entering a phase where I want to bring into my home only those items that people would go into a bidding war for at an estate sale, you know?! The item every experienced flea market or consignment shopper is eyeing so hard. My goal for my home moving forward is to only surround myself with things I absolutely love, things that hold meaning, things that make my heart sing, regardless of a style genre, and void of whether it “matches” or not.
Here is a quick journey of design styles that have influenced me and shaped my design eye through the years :)
My earliest Pinterest pins looked a lot like this. I gravitated toward clean, modern, yet soft lines.
Then as I envisioned materials becoming the art pieces, it was impacted by more sculptural elements.
But true to my love-of-all-things, the warmth of traditional elements always caught my eye.
I will always have a soft spot in my design heart for a wood shingle style beach front.
For as long as I can remember, Spanish, whether Colonial or Revival era and everything in between has had my heart in a chokehold. You can’t say your environment doesn’t shape you! I do live in San Diego after all.
Interiors like these are forever iconic to me. They are bold and unapologetic.
And today, the result is a rich blend that cumulates to resonates tailored and collected spaces like these.
I’ve learned that there is no one set of rules for defining your interior design style. As I grow so do my preferences. You don’t have to be tied strictly to Art Deco or Mid-Century or Scandinavian. Mix the varying traditionally known styles and create a home that is uniquely you.
I love it when someone says they are stewards of their home. Typically that’s said about historical homes. But I think this can be said of any dwelling space. Our homes provide us with so much love but it’s like a grandparent. It gave us all this life and love and in return, we bring to it all the things that make it happy.
Coco Chanel’s famous saying, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory.” I love that. Keep editing until it’s right. Mine would be, “A house is never finished! So add, remove, and mix and match as your heart desires. It’s a living entity. Let your house sing!”
Happy road to discovering your personal style! -Cat
*All images shown are designed by Others and sourced from Pinterest