How to Describe Your Interior Design Style (Even If You Have No Idea)
Not knowing your interior design style isn't a problem—it's just a starting point. Here's how to figure out what you actually like, how to put words to it, and why it matters for creating a home that feels like yours.
Why This Matters More Than You Think
When you're working with a designer—or even just trying to make coherent purchasing decisions—knowing your style isn't about putting yourself in a box. It's about having a framework that makes decisions easier.
When everything is on the table, nothing is. When you know you're drawn to warm, organic spaces with natural materials and a bit of pattern, suddenly the decision between two rugs becomes obvious. One fits your framework. One doesn't.
Style isn't about being rigid. It's about knowing what you're drawn to so you can build from it.
Start With What You Actually Like
Forget design terminology for a moment. Pull up the images you've saved—on Instagram, Pinterest, in your camera roll, wherever. Look at them as a group and ask: what do they have in common?
- Is the furniture light or dark?
- Are the spaces busy or calm?
- Are there a lot of patterns, or is it mostly solid colors and natural textures?
- Is the overall feeling warm or cool?
- Is there a lot of stuff, or are the spaces edited and spare?
The answers to these questions are your style, even if you don't have a name for it yet.
The Most Common Interior Design Styles—Plain Language Edition
Design styles have names, but those names aren't always intuitive. Here's a plain-language description of the styles most people find themselves drawn to:
Farmhouse / Organic Modern
Relaxed and grounded, with an emphasis on natural materials, neutral tones, and the kind of warmth that makes a space feel immediately livable. Think: wide-plank wood floors, linen upholstery, vintage-feeling finds mixed with practical pieces.
Glam
Rich textures, metallic finishes, plush fabrics, and a general commitment to making a room feel special. Glam isn't about excess—it's about intention and finish. A velvet sofa, a statement chandelier, lacquered surfaces, mirrored accents. At its best, glam feels genuinely elevated rather than overdone.
Midcentury Modern
Clean lines, warm wood tones, tapered legs, and a restrained palette with occasional pops of color. Functional shapes that also happen to look beautiful. Think: a room with real design conviction—every piece chosen, nothing fussy. Mid-century modern has been popular for decades because it doesn't date.
Coastal / Californian
Light, airy, and relaxed. Natural textures (linen, jute, rattan, weathered wood), a palette of soft blues, warm whites, and muted greens, and a sense of ease that makes every room feel like a weekend. The goal is a space that feels like being near water (without being literal about it) to create rooms that breathe.
Traditional / Classic
Symmetry, rich fabrics, layered pattern, and shapes that have stood the test of time. More formal than contemporary styles, but not stiff—traditional interiors done well feel warm and deeply livable. If you're drawn to antiques, heirloom pieces, or rooms that feel like they have a past, traditional is probably part of your aesthetic.
Scandinavian / Japandi
Functional minimalism with warmth at its core. Scandinavian design is often misread as stark, but the best examples of it are deeply comfortable—natural wood, soft textiles, considered lighting, and a discipline about what belongs in the space. The palette leans neutral with occasional warmth from wood tones and natural fibers.
Bohemian
Collected, layered, colorful, and globally inspired. The feeling of a well-traveled person's home—things from different places and eras that somehow work together. Think: a room that feels like it has a history. Bohemian done well isn't chaotic—it's intentional mixing with a generous spirit.
What to Do If You Love Multiple Styles
Most people do. The goal isn't to pick one and stick to it—it's to understand what the styles you love have in common. Someone who loves both Scandinavian and coastal is probably drawn to calm, natural, considered spaces. Someone who loves both bohemian and midcentury modern might be drawn to strong design intention, color confidence, and rooms that feel lived-in.
A designer's job (and Havenly's style quiz's job) is to help you find the through-line.
The One Question That Cuts Through Everything
How do you want to feel in the room?
Calm and restored? Energized and inspired? Cozy and contained? Social and alive? Every other design decision—color, furniture, lighting, layout—is in service of that feeling. Start there, and the style question gets a lot easier.
How the Havenly Style Quiz Works
Havenly's style quiz is designed to surface your preferences through visual choices rather than abstract questions. You'll react to images, answer questions about how you live, and describe what you want your space to feel like. The result is a style profile that your matched designer uses to create a room tailored to your specific aesthetic—not a generic interpretation of a style category.
It takes about 10 minutes. It's a significantly better starting point than 'I think I'm midcentury modern?'
Already know your style? Book a session with a matched designer →