Defining Style

I keep reading in magazines about all the trends in home decor coming this year.  Style at Home describes them as European Mauves, Belgian Farmhouse, Polychromatic Brights (!), and Industrial Schoolhouse in this year's high/low issue.  As we have recently moved, I see choices on the horizon for everything from a couch, to bathroom fixtures, to flooring.  I would love to have a clear idea of what I want the house to turn out like before I choose things along the way. 

Really, I don't want basic and I don't want a mishmash, so I would like to define my style a bit before we get too far.  Thinking about clothes and how I have thought through my style this last year thanks to some fun blogs (more on that in another post) I have discovered some truths about myself that I think will be useful here. 

 I am not Romantic.  I don't like ruffles or florals on my clothing, and I think we can safely rule it out for the house too.  Even traditional and intricate antiques are a bit too much for me in big doses.

I am not Trendy.  Looking like everyone else is not for me.  I am excited by colour trends though, so I would like to have some flexibility in accent colours.  My house has had some version of blue in it (and a bit of green) since I have had a house of my own.  So keep blue and green in mind.

I like Vintage.  I like un-frilly vintage things.  In my wardrobe I think this means a bit of 30's/40's/50's styling and in my house it means pieces with patina that happily show their age.

I like Natural.  I like being outdoors, I like denim, I like the worn in look.  In the house I like wood, and primitive things, a bit of nature.

I read a lot of country decorating magazines, never the fancy magazines with perfect formal houses!  But when I first got married I was enthralled with modern, minimalist style and everything had to be chrome.

When I saw Style at Home I thought I was all about the Belgian Farmhouse look described as "natural", "clean" and "casual".  Did I mention that everything about us as a family is casual?The mauves are to feminine and the brights make my head hurt.  Then I flipped a few pages and saw the Industrial Schoolhouse spread.  I think I gasped.  It is lovely.  

Described as "retro", "functional, yet clean, simple".  It is the perfect way for my country and modern ideas to meet.  I think it will work well with the classic and caftsman pieces we already have.  It is casual, vintage and natural, and now I just need to get my hands on all the galvanized metal I can find!

Oh, and these pictures are sneak peaks of my new improved mantel.  Remember back here I said I was working on it?  Well I have made progress, but it is not perfect yet!