The DIY Style Finder

February 4, 2019
In this helpful, brightly illustrated manual, Thistlewood Farms blogger Wood (You've Got This) defines home style broadly but lends workable categories to guide the DIY homeowner toward a unified and balanced home presentation. She lists the five major design styles (derived from her sensibilities and those of four fellow lifestyle bloggers) as coastal, contemporary, farmhouse, traditional, and transitional, with a multiple-choice quiz to help readers determine which appeal most to them. For example, readers that indicate their "home slogan" is, "Isn't zebra print a neutral?" likely have a contemporary design sense. If the slogan is, "Pass the sweet tea," that indicates a farmhouse design sense. As Wood makes clear, these categories are broadly defined, but they serve to point the amateur designer in the right direction, both toward clarifying his or her general preferences in décor and toward deciding upon specific projects. An entryway in the farmhouse style might include a timeworn bench and vintage storage buckets, while the same space in coastal could showcase an oversize jute basket. For those desiring a more intentional approach to their interior spaces, this book should prove a beneficial guide for bringing taste and economy to individual home design.