How to Find your Signature Interior Style – Mia Lake, Interior Designer

A welcoming and creative interior space is one that drips with personality, and makes everyone who enters it feel comfortable and happy. It’s safe to say that if the interior spaces you are creating in your office or home aren’t bringing on a rush of delight, then they probably aren’t a reflection of your signature interior style.

Having a signature interior style for your home or office is basically a reflection of you and everything that comes along with that; it should be a nostalgic yet bright and uplifting representation of the things and people that make you happy, whilst simultaneously creating ease, comfort, and practicality into everyday life. It is important to remember when creating a space that it isn’t about following the latest trends, but more about what trends complement your lifestyle and personality.

As an interior designer, I find it it’s easy to achieve my own signature interior look confidently, and avoid buyer’s remorse with the following helpful hints on how to get creative and mould an idea into a tangible space.

• Become visual, use images. If you feel like being creative – rip up some magazines, print out pictures from your favourite website or photocopy from design books and create an old school mood board. A less ‘crafty’ option, and also my favourite inspiration tool is Pinterest.

I have a rule for both the old school mood boards or modern-day Pinterest boards though – always create a minimum of two boards for every subject. Go crazy, find, repin, or cut out everything you like, but then take a good look at all the things that took your fancy. You will start to notice some things that stick out more than others and this creates a pattern, or trend. Guess what – that’s your signature style coming through! The second board will be the ‘refined’ version of the first board. Narrow down your selections as many times as you like. The narrower and more defined you become the more creative awareness and style sureness you will develop.

• Name it – make it feel real. ‘High street glamour’ or ‘vintage with an industrial twist’ or ‘resort comfort’ or ‘monochromatic clean line’. It's important to categorise your space with a theme or trend. This doesn’t mean it needs to stick strictly to the design principles of the trend, but by giving your space a title, you will find your signature interior style works around the trend rather than aimlessly following it.

• Define your refined style with a few keywords. These words now become your rules or guidelines for shopping, and avoiding buyer’s remorse. For example, Monochromatic clean line; no clutter, bold strong shapes, black and white, sophisticated and slightly masculine.

• Keep a photograph of your mood board on your phone. It’s a really accessible and convenient tool to keep referring to when designing and shopping for your space.

• Continue to refine it. Your style will not stay the same, nor will current trends. Make sure the key words still resonate with you. It doesn’t mean that every six months you have to re-do the whole interior space, but you may want to change or update the cushions, get a new lamp or vase or hand towels. Little tweaks can make a big difference in creating your lifelong signature interior style.

– Mia Lake, design ambassador of Meir Black