Interior design is an opportunity for self expression. Everyone has an opinion on how they decorate their space, whether it’s an entire home or just one small area of their apartment. Thankfully, from how large the industry is, there are so many subsets of various aesthetics that people can mix and match. Some people choose to stick to one look, but personally I like to mix and match pieces. When I am decorating my space, I tend to pick my pieces separately, one at a time. It comes down to a combination of me being picky as well as not wanting to spend a lot of time and money fully committing to an aesthetic. So instead of spending my life savings on decorating my studio apartment, I instead spend my time looking through Pinterest to see what I like. Here are a couple of my favorites. 

Danish Pastel

I have always loved pastels. It’s about pastels and mixing various textures together. It has become more popular in recent years, especially in 2021. Pastels for Spring are groundbreaking, as Miranda Priestly said in Devil Wears Prada, but I don’t think they need to be a seasonal choice. It takes away the harsh hues that may be distracting in a smaller space. Bright bold colors can make a room feel smaller, so instead going with more muted shades, there’s an opportunity to visually open up your space.

English Cottage

Wallpaper. Framed art walls. Old lady wallpaper and patterns. All of it sums up the idea of the English cottage aesthetic. I’m not sure if this is as much of a trend in England as it is in the United States, but this idea of a home being turned into a cozy cottage you can pretend is in the hillside is popular. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to add potentially atrocious wallpaper to the blank walls of my rented studio simply from these kinds of photos. Could a grandma live within this aesthetic and a college student with no complaints from either? Yes and I think that’s what I love about it.

As for more popular styles, there are many to choose from. It all comes down to personal style and choice. Maximalists will fill every available section of wall space they have and collect trinkets and things they like on any open surface. They like to collect things not everyone will agree is important. Minimalists will keep themselves to a selected color palette typical and only keep out things that are important to them at the time. They don’t like having a lot of distractions, just what is needed. People who like the rustic farm house aesthetic, barn doors, shiplap and all, probably watched a lot of Chip and Joanna Gaines on “Fixer Upper” as a child. Meanwhile those who prefer bohemian are self proclaimed plant parents with an on going collection. It’s all up to the person living in the space. Everyone can have their opinions when they walk into your house or apartment, but at the end of the day, the person living there makes the final call on the space they call home.