What is your decorating personality?

Are you bright and bold or neutral and casual?
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Are you a lover of all things floral, or do you prefer clean, white walls in every room? Do you worship your huge, overstuffed sectional that swallows you up when you flop into it, or is your couch on a smaller scale with a low profile?

How you live says a lot about who you are, but like actual personality traits, sometimes it's not so black and white. Once you start looking around, though, we bet you'll find that you tend to fall more into a particular category. Unless you're masterful at combining the über eclectic, you'll find there aren't a lot of cohesive looks that pair Laura Ashley florals with Ikea's modern furniture. And though you may object to being put in a shabby chic box, you'll probably find that defining your decorating personality helps you stay focused on your vision.

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Special Occasions Only

No shoes in this room.
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Maybe you're the type who used to love to sneak into your parent's formal living room saved only for entertaining guests, and now, you're beyond excited that you have one of your own. You're the only one of your friends who registered for china in the last decade, and you would be more than happy to host a tea service on a daily basis. Your ideal pooch would be a Pomeranian, because he fits perfectly in your leather tote and he's too small to jump up on your silk-covered couch.

Does this sound familiar? Then your decorating personality probably falls into the category of formal. You like symmetry and order and prefer darker woods with a gleaming finish -- mahogany, preferably. You'd take a neatly upholstered piece of furniture with elegant details over an overstuffed anything. Tassels are optional, but appreciated if tastefully done. And of course, only original paintings for you -- prints are so bourgeois.

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Anything Goes

This room was made for fun!
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On the other end of the spectrum, maybe you love to put your feet up on the coffee table -- sometimes even with your shoes on. You have a strong desire for comfort and this calls for practical furniture. You were the first of all your friends to embrace a couch with washable slipcovers, because it meant your shaggy mutt could hop up and snuggle with you. Your ideal dining room scenario is an oversized farmhouse table with painted chairs in mismatched styles.

If any of this rings a bell, then your decorating personality likely runs a bit on the country side. If the word country offends, don't fret. It doesn't mean that you're destined for a house full of gingham-checked pillows or a collection of rooster canisters. It means that your style is feminine but the complete opposite of fussy -- one of the qualities your friends love most about you.

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Longing for the Old Days

Old-fashioned could mean it's out of style, so be careful!
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Maybe you have a firm love for all things old. If it was made in the last couple of decades, it has no place in your home. You have a yen for oilcloth table coverings and your great-grandmother's quilt serves your bedspread. You have crocheted edges on your pillowcases and cabbage roses on your dishtowels. You're known among your friends as the one who plans your weekends around flea markets and yard sales.

Does this sound like you? If so, then you are vintage all the way. You respect the craftsmanship and quality of a slower era and love the lived-in feel these items create in your home. The more weathered the table or nicked the bookshelf, the better. Your candles live in teacups and you would never part with your Russell Wright pitcher collection. But you still haven't quite convinced your friends that the doily is coming back.

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Calm and Classic

Clean lines and neutral colors scream classic.
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On the flipside, your collection of little black dresses is legendary, and you pay off your J. Crew credit card each month. You wear flats for day and a demi-heel for evening, and your timeless trench has gotten you through years of wet springs. Your living room could be described much like your demeanor -- calm and orderly. You prefer granite countertops to butcher block, Waterford crystal and sterling candlesticks adorn your mantles, and your furniture came as a suite.

Know anyone like this? If so, your decorating personality screams traditional. Your tastes are sensible, but not at all plain. You just like your surroundings to be classic and understated -- nothing trendy or ostentatious. You prefer sophisticated fabrics like linen and twill, but it wouldn't be surprising to find a standard poodle resting on your Oriental carpet. And the perfect centerpiece is a well-manicured arrangement of tea roses.

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In Vogue

Wood, metal and white, oh my!
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Last but not least, we can't forget our mod-loving sisters. You have a love for all that is white and sleek. Clean lines define your furniture as well as your wardrobe, and a mix of woods and metals round out each room. If downtown loft meets mid-century modern is how you would describe yourself, then you most likely have a contemporary decorating personality.

Low-profile couches, recessed lighting and geometric designs perfectly describe your den. You prefer furniture with simple forms made from light-toned wood, but you're not vanilla. You love adding bold patterns and accent pieces that add color and make a statement. You know your local Ikea store inside and out, and you would gladly outfit your walls with just about anything from MoMA.

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Lots More Information

Related Articles

  • "Decorating Style." Bhg.com, 2010. http://www.bhg.com/decorating/decorating-style/quiz/
  • "Vintage style decorating resembles shabby chic." Home-decorating-room-by-room.com, 2010. http://www.home-decorating-room-by-room.com/vintagestyle.html
  • "What's Your Decorating Personality?" bhg.com, 2010. http://www.bhg.com/bhg/quiz.jsp?quizId=/templatedata/bhg/quiz/data/DecoratingPersonality_01212004.xml
  • "What Is Your Decorating Personality." lifescript.com, 2010. http://www.lifescript.com/Quizzes/Personality/What_Is_Your_Decorating_Personality.aspx
  • "What's Your Decorating Personality?" realsimple.com, 2010. http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/decorating/decorating-style-quiz-00000000030420/index.html

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