Some homes just speak to you. You walk in the doors and the balance of light and texture makes you feel instantly comfortable. It looks warm and inviting and just feels like home. The opposite is also apparent. A clutter of things and a mishmash of styles can feel off putting.
What’s the key? The secret recipe for taking your largest investment and making it feel like home. A space both beautiful and a reflection of the people who live there. How do you find that essential style that lives within and make it come to life within your space?
The secret to finding your style is to first understand the space and what you need it to be. “Look at your space. Do you like it to be bright and light? Do you want it to be warm and cozy? Do you need it to be den like? Are you an entertainer? Or you have seven children, and you like it noisy with lots of people running around,” said Janine Finch, owner of GoldFinch Interior Styling.
Your personal style is constantly changing. Your influences as a child, travels and others you encounter over the years all impact your personality and what feels like home. “When you see stuff, you soak it up. It gives you even more ideas. You see an amazing color of red in the middle east. Or you see those wonderful wedding fabrics in India. So, all of those things sit somewhere in the brain and that invariably ends up driving your personal style,” shared Finch.
Once you really look at your space and identify how you need that space to function, the hard work begins - expressing your thoughts through words and pictures. That can be as simple as creating a Pinterest board and collecting images of spaces that speak to you or pouring through magazines and creating a physical mood board.
Janine shared how that process works through recent projects, including a charming lake home. “Their lakefront home has the most charming outlook that immediately called for the outside palette to be brought inside. They are slowly renovating the home as their forever retirement refuge and they wanted the space to be warm and inviting, classy, but not formal. They spoke of their love of the lack of embellishment of mid-century modern style of furnishings, and wanted a style that echoed that, not copied it to the letter.”
Another project, a complete kitchen gut, involved moving the kitchen to a larger space, custom cabinetry throughout and adding a butler’s pantry. “The couple favored different styles, and we met in the middle with a transitionary style,” said Finch. The results are stunning.
Of course, budget can have a big impact on how you bring your personal style to life in your home. “There are times and places where you don’t want to skimp. You want something that is going to have longevity to it. And that does have style and a story behind it. That adds to the personality of your space,” said Finch. “Small budgets need to be hyper focused on what they want to realistically achieve with their budget. It’s best to start small, do it well and work out from there as budget allows. Larger budgets require a great deal of attention to detail not only because more money is being spent but often because there are more moving parts.”
Once you have your plan in mind, the hard part can be locating unique pieces. Janine suggests online sources like 1stDibs, Etsy and Pinterest, while Facebook Marketplace can yield unexpected treasures. “There are also plenty of places to spend a wonderful day looking around consignment shops, like The Missing Piece in Tampa and Palm Harbor. Just keep dropping in or looking at their website and you can find a gem or two.”
When is a space complete? “Cohesion and balance are your ultimate takeaway,” shared Finch. She also offers a word of caution in creating your dream home, “don’t be led by trends, be led by the things you genuinely love and feel at home around. Any style can be beautiful when it’s well done.”
If you struggle to bring your vision to life, an interior designer can be a worthy investment. GoldFinch Interior Styling offers a range of services, including space planning, 3D conceptualizing and even a “designer for a day” to help you clarify your needs to start or finish your space. You can learn more about the services Janine Finch offers at www.goldfinchstyle.com.
Any style can be beautiful when it is well done.
When is a space complete? 'Cohesion and balance are your ultimate takeaway.'