Take this Home Decorating Quiz to Pick Your Style!

If there’s a person who doesn’t love a good quiz, we haven’t met them!

The Baer’s Design Team has created a list of targeted questions that will hopefully provoke a little thought and consideration in the reader. Hopefully, you’ll learn a little bit about your decorative leanings and have fun at the same time. With no further ado, here are your quiz questions.

A. Warm tones: yellow, red, and orange

B. Cool tones: soft whites, blues, lighter shades of green

C. Neutrals: white, gray, beige

 D. Jewel tones: sapphire, ruby, emerald

Certain colors lend themselves to different decorative styles.

A. You might favor a tropical style that allows for bright splashes of color.

B. Try on a coastal theme.

C. Neutral colors lend themselves to many decorative styles, but are de rigueur for modern and minimalist themes.

D. Jewel tones are colorful but darker in hue. Traditional and Dark Academia could be good fits for you!

A. All straight.

B. All curvy.

C. A little of A and a little of B.

Decorative disciplines usually fall into either the straight or curvy camp, but not both.

A. Straight disciplines include modern, Art Deco, and minimalist.

B. Traditional, Art Nouveau, and Grand Millenial all embrace fancy curves and swirls.

C. You have a lot of options: transitional, Mid-Century Modern, cottage, tropical, and contemporary are just a few of the furniture styles that mix curvy and straight. The Candace Transitional Sofa by Bernhardt has straight edges but also a slight inward curve at the base in addition to soft edges at the back of the armrest.

A. Minimalist

B. Maximalist

C. Somewhere between

There are many decorative disciplines that run the gamut from the most austere interpretations of minimalism to extreme busyness, verging on clutter. In fact, there is even an emerging décor offshoot called “Cluttercore.”

A. Minimalist styles include modern, contemporary, and Art Deco.

B. Styles lending themselves to maximalism include Grand Millenial, Dark Academia, traditional, Art Nouveau, tropical, and Bohemian or Boho. 

C. Some in-between designs include Scandinavian, Mid-century Modern, and Japanese Zen. Many "in-betweenists" choose a minimalist style and add to it or declutter a maximalist style by spacing items out.

Some styles have both minimalist and maximalist interpretations. Traditional, coastal, transitional, farmhouse, rustic, and industrial can all fall in the “somewhere between” category.

This Bernhardt Terra Fabric Sofa is exactly the kind of high-quality versatile piece that can really fit into nearly any decorative motif. It's simple design and warm texture make it an appropriate choice for many of the styles we mention in this section.

A. Raw materials

B. Finished materials

C. Balanced mix

Some decorative styles deliberately celebrate the natural world, while others are more about processes and refinement. Here are some examples of each:

A. Raw Materials – Industrial expresses itself through raw iron, stone, unfinished wood, etc. On the other hand, Boho uses living plant life and plant-derived materials to celebrate nature. Other styles that use unfinished, raw materials include rustic, coastal, tropical, etc.

B. Finished Materials – Some styles make liberal use of artificial materials or heavily refined natural materials. For example, contemporary design may use raw materials, but they’re usually shaped and polished to a high sheen. This Intenso Contemporary Leather Sectional by Natuzzi Editions is made from high-quality leather that has been dyed and treated to give it a softer, more supple feel. Contrast this to suede or rawhide.

C. Mixing Raw Materials with Finished Products – While not all styles permit glossy, finished surfaces, nearly all décors will permit exposed wood, stone, iron, or even something like wicker. If you’re going to mix these types of materials, try to create balance. Look at how nicely this bedroom featuring the Paradise Point Woven Rattan Panel Bed by Tommy Bahama Home work with the more finished accessories in the room.

If you already had a decorative style in mind, hopefully by answering the preceding questions, you confirmed your aesthetic leanings. If you started this quiz without a clue as to where you were, use the information to explore further. For example, if you suspect that you’re a straight-line minimalist who craves the simple beauty of soft neutrals, check out some designers before rushing off to buy all-new furniture. 

If you’re not sure where to start, the knowledgeable Baer’s Furniture staff will be happy to help you find your way in the interior design universe without making your feel pressured. Stop in at your local Baer’s Furniture store today!