When creating your Style File you’ll want to PULL pages out of the magazines or print out the pictures you find online. Don’t keep them in the magazines and try to flip thru pages to find what it was that you liked. You’ll also want to MAKE SURE to write a note about what it is that you love about the photo. It might be the way the room “feels”, might be a chair or a faucet or the flooring. Note it on the page to help you remember.
I used pages from my Style File to help communicate my ideas to my contractor and cabinet designer. They had every little detail so nothing was left up to guessing (but that still didn’t stop a few mistakes from happening, darn!)
For example, this photo (LEFT) was the inspiration for the transom in the “window” we cut in the shared wall between the kitchen and the dining room. I was able to give this to my contractor to show him what I meant when I said I wanted a transom. My window was not as large as this one, but it gave him a good visual. The picture below (right) shows how our version turned out:
Take the information you gain from your clippings and think about how you can translate what you love into your remodel. What factors specific to your home do you need to take into consideration? (For example, Suzann says her house is very dark. That’s important to keep in mind when selecting cabinet finishes. Dark colors absorb light because of the LRV of the finish [light reflective value]).
Also ask yourself how you want the space to “feel” after a makeover. For example, Suzann says she wants a “timeless, classic” look in her kitchen. That tells us how she wants it to look but how should it feel? “Light, bright and airy” will mean making different choices than “sophisticated, formal and elegant”.
One last thing to consider is resale. If your current house won’t be your last, keep in mind design trends. A trend is something different than a fad – trends will last 10-15 years whereas fads last just a season or two. One of the trends we are seeing in kitchen design is mix and match – no reason Suzann can’t consider a painted island and stained cabinets or visa versa.
While you want to create a home you love within the house you have, you also want to make changes that ADD VALUE to your home. (You might LOVE the color blue, but if resale is in your future, it’s a better decision to use it as a wall color and not in your backsplash or countertop.)
Keeping these tips in mind will help you create a room that in the end, you will love. So, go forth and create a Style File to discover your own personal style for your home!
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I have been keeping “my clippings” of inspiration for many years. One of my goals this summer, is to “organize” them and place in a 3 ring binder.
Thank you soooo much! I feel so much better about making my choices now. You have helped me to really sort out my thoughts, my likes and dislikes as well as what will and will not be good choices for me. Wonderful information, suggestions, and ideas.
I too have kept clippings for years. I went through them a year or so ago and was just amazed at how much my tastes had changed. I ended up with a fourth of what I started with! Love your window!!
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