Your home is your safe heaven - it should be all about you. Understanding interior design styles will help you make some of important design decisions. What do you like? What do you need? What will make you feel like home at your home?

I am a firm believer that every room has its own special personality. Different spaces should make us feel different - In your bedroom you should feel relaxed, in your family living room more energised and social, in your home office motivated and ready for work; that makes sense, right?
Trough decorating every room in your home should still run one universal notion - balance. I read a great book about design once, and I never forgot one statement: "Balance your goals with your limitations; balance your budget with your fantasies-then your design decisions will reflect your needs and your own personal sense of style."

To help you figure out your personal style, here are the most popular Interior Design Styles we decorate our homes in today's time.

• Mid-Century Modern

Designer: Perry Walte

• Contemporary

Comfortable and welcoming design which makes your home feel like a retreat. The main feature of this style is line - used trough high ceilings, linear wooden floors, geometric shapes in wall art where each piece stands out as unique and elsewhere. Tones are neutral, sofas usually have exposed legs and chairs have no trims or tassel's. Less is more.

HGTV Dream Home 2011

• Industrial Modern

Great for combination of living/working spaces that have become somewhat traditional in inner cities and studio apartments. This Urban Style uses nontraditional home materials and design features, such as galvanised steel, concrete floors, exposed brick elements and relies heavily on rustic wood pieces. 

• Cottage

A cosy, warm and positive interior design style that brings that relaxing cottage spirit into your home. It is so casual and personal, that you feel like the room is giving you a giant hug when you walk in. It is perfect for everyday life, fabrics are forgiving, patterns are mixed and not match. Furniture can be from a flea market - stained, painted or unfinished, it doesn´t mater. The rustic feels makes it even better. 

• Scandinavian

Simplicity and pureness of Scandinavian homes are centred around warm functionality, clean lines and elegance. The use of light is very important but accessories are minimalistic. White walls, grey and blue textiles is one part of Scandinavian interior, while the other brings more colourful textiles. Both are very Scandinavian. Wood, clean lines, a fireplace and Eco-friendly aspects are fairly standard in these kind of spaces.

• Art Deco

Style that follows World War I. is filled with glamour and elegance, that reflected positive and optimistic views in that post-war era. The lighting is warm and it includes ceiling lights, floor lamps, table lamps and wall lamps. All the decorative objects are over the top, for example mirrors made of nickel, chrome or silver, with motives of deer, roses and geometric shapes. Black and white marbles used as vases, the patterns are bold and colourful. Colour black is used as main or background colour.

• Shabby Chic

A soft, opulent interior design style, where furniture is chosen for their appearance of age or where new items are distressed to achieve the appearance of antique. This vintage style recreates the rustic flea market look. Using fabrics such as cotton or linen with vintage floral pastel patterns and earth tones are typical of the style. It is a feminine, romantic style of decorating, that looks comfortable and  inviting.

• Retro

An old style with a modern twist, which is difficult to recognise. An eclectic mix of old styles with new forms where the concept of nostalgia is important. The past has an iconic stage in retro style so several things and artefact's can be used as accessories - for example manual typewriters, hand-held cellphones, old computers and computer games. 

My personal preference - cottage style living room, industrial design kitchen and both with different shabby chic and Scandinavian features. I believe that you can find something for yourself in every style anyway and from then on is just a fun mix and match decorating game.

M.