Does ones fashion style translate into interior design? Today, they are inter mixed and one does have a sense of uniqueness in dress and decor. Color and pattern are the main design features that unite the styles together. To begin this weeks design challenge we chose a blue & white dress from Diane Von Furstenburg which reflects her classic tailoring in her famous wrap dress. This fashionable dress is easily paired with a Barclay Butera blue and white interior: both are tailored, sophisticated and yet offer a sense of elegance and casualness. A woman wearing this style of dress would surround herself with tailored stripe pillows, blue beachcomber chairs like the sea shell pattern in blue from GP & Baker, witty stripes and elegant monochrome paisleys. Both styles exude a familiar attitude and feel in design.
I always assumed that fashion lead the way, but now, I not so sure anymore. It is interesting to see how an individuals personal style translates into their home style. When we look at a personality of a room, we look at color, style of pattern and types of design elements one chooses to make a design statement. People don’t realize that how we dress tells us more about ourselves and our homes than one thinks. Today’s home furnishings and fabrics are far more trend and lifestyle orientated. When we look back at the 1950′s, everyone wanted what the neighbors had and imitated them. Now, consumers want to be individualistic and put their stamp on the world through their own fashion and home style.
What’s fascinating is that subconsciously we do reflect our personal style naturally. For instance, this stunning orange, turquoise and black decor from Gaita Interiors is a great modern look. It reflects a young vibrant attitude which is also displayed in the wrap dress from Diane Von Furstenburg. Both are fun and flirty and one senses this visually. It even gets deeper than this as patterns and colors have symbolic meanings. Subconsciously, the color orange symbolizes vitality, creativity and power; the color black symbolizes power and strength; one feels this vibrancy from the dress and decor. The dress is predominantly black with less orange and turquoise where the decor is focused on orange and turquoise with less black, but both symbolize similar meanings. It is a fascinating world out there when we realize there are deeper meanings subconsciously affecting us but we are usually unaware of these subtle forces influencing our fashion and home decisions.
Ones individuality is definitely expressed not only through fashion but also through ones approach to interior decorating. Purple is the color of royalty while lavender is the color of femininity. This color can invoke a feeling of romance and can soften an interior space beautifully. Just like this elegant lavender accessory it stands out being soft yet bold, just like the Sebastian wallpaper for this front foyer; inviting but not intimidating.
How one uses color and pattern in a room is very important to our senses. I love the bold statement this yellow couch has in this predominantly black and white room. Yellow makes us think of sunshine, makes us smile and is a symbol of happiness. Even though yellow is a color of high visibility and often used for warning signs we can use it differently in a decor. Here it creates a bold statement, just like in the Nicole Miller dress. Bold, daring and not afraid of being noticed is what these two design statements have in common. Visually they say notice me, I am powerful, confident and exude a cheerful attitude. The room symbolizes power graphically just like the dress but with a simpler approach to design.
So take notice of your home and fashion style! You may be amazed what you discover!
Images via:jaimabrownhome.com;nicolemiller.com;michaelkors.com;instyle.com
