Ask Veronica: I’m embarking on a home renovation. How do I start to define my own authentic style?

I’m renovating my house, including the kitchen and bathrooms, and adding on a first-floor family room. How do I figure out what I like? What my style looks like? —Rosa C. Creve Coeur 

“To start, I always tell people to look for inspirational images. What draws you in? Is it modern? Traditional? What colors do you like? Do you have a preference for an all-white interior? How about prints or solids?” says Baur of Baur Interiors. 

Personally, I’ve always enjoyed thumbing through magazines and decorating books. You can find an array of them at your local library or bookstore. Take a snapshot of what appeals to you. Write down the name of designers whose work catches your eye, or a style of print or even an era that speaks to you, and then do some internet research. Instagram and Pinterest are great sources of endless inspiration. A fashion stylist friend of mine takes her research one step further by creating folders in her iPhone, which she fills with favorite images–be it kitchens, sofas, fabrics, etc.–and then pays close attention to see if patterns emerge. When you spot a trend within your folders—maybe it’s a color or a material that pops up a few times—that’s when you know that you’ve stumbled onto something special. Explore it some more. And speaking of fashion, don’t forget to open up your closet doors and take a look inside. What colors, fabrics, and patterns do you see? It’s not unusual that the colors you like to wear are ones that you’d enjoy living in as well. In addition, if you like strolling through museums, they are great places to discover new ideas, interesting color combinations, textures. 

Weeding out what you don’t like also helps to clarify what you do like, adds Baur. “When thinking through kitchen and bathroom renovations, it’s important to understand how you want to use each space and how much storage you will need. This will dictate how much cabinetry you really need.”