Incorporating Personal Style into Your Home: Moving Beyond the Neutral Trend

 

Over the last decade, home design has taken a significant turn toward neutrality, with shades of grey and beige becoming the default wall choice. The once-bold patterns of wallpaper and textured finishes have been stripped away, leaving pristine rooms that often lack warmth and personality. This trend, driven partly by the rise of “staging” homes for sale, has led to spaces that feel depersonalized and neutralized for the mass market. While a clean, neutral palette may appeal to a broad audience, what does it say about you, the homeowner? Where is the sense of individuality, the expression of who you are in your space?

The time has come to move away from these one-size-fits-all trends and embrace a design philosophy incorporating your personal style into your home. A home should be more than a showpiece for potential buyers—it should reflect you, your tastes, and your life experiences.

The Trend Toward Neutrality: Why We Went Grey

In recent years, neutral colors like grey, beige, and taupe have dominated interior design. The reasoning is simple: these colors are inoffensive and versatile and create a blank canvas that allows buyers to imagine themselves living in the space. For sellers, this can be an effective strategy. A neutral wall color, free of personal touches or bold statements, can make it easier for potential buyers to project their vision onto the space.

However, the downside of this approach is that it leaves homes feeling cold, impersonal, and often devoid of character. The textures, colors, and design choices that reflect the unique personalities of homeowners are sacrificed in the name of resale value. Instead of rooms filled with the warmth of lived-in experience, we have spaces that could belong to anyone—or no one at all.

This trend toward neutrality has led to a widespread aversion to color, texture, and art. People have moved away from bold design choices in favor of muted palettes and sparse walls, hoping to maintain a “clean” aesthetic. But at what cost? A home devoid of personality may appeal to a broad audience, but it can feel hollow and uninspired to those who live there.

What Happened to You in Your Home?

The push to neutralize homes has inadvertently pushed homeowners out of their spaces. Rooms that once told stories through personal mementos, artwork, and meaningful decor now feel more like showrooms. The warmth of a home has been replaced by a sterile aesthetic, where individual style is hidden away to accommodate a hypothetical future owner.

But a home is not just an investment—it’s a place where you live, love, and create memories. Why should the design of your house be dictated by the potential buyer who may or may not walk through your door in the future? What about you, and what you love?

Incorporating your personal style is not about making your home less valuable—it’s about making it more useful to you. The place where you spend most of your time should reflect your personality, passions, and life experiences. Whether through color, art, or unique design elements, there are countless ways to make your home feel like yours again.

Bringing Back Color and Texture: The Power of Personalization

One of the simplest ways to inject personality into your home is through color. While neutral walls may feel safe, they often lack depth and character. Adding a pop of color—through paint, wallpaper, or textiles—can completely transform a room, making it feel more alive and reflective of your tastes. If you’re hesitant to commit to bold wall colors, consider starting with accent walls or small spaces like powder rooms where vibrant hues can make a significant impact.

Another way to personalize your home is by incorporating texture. Gone are the days when walls had to be flat and devoid of personality. Once considered outdated, wallpapers are making a strong comeback in interior design. Whether you opt for a subtle texture or a bold, graphic pattern, wallpaper can add depth and interest to any room. Textured finishes, like plaster or wood paneling, can also bring warmth and character to otherwise flat, neutral spaces.

Art and Personal Mementos: Your Story on Display

One of the most striking omissions in today’s neutral home trend is art. Walls are often left bare, devoid of personal touches that might hint at who lives in the home. This absence of art is a missed opportunity to tell your story.

Hanging art on your walls—whether it’s pieces you’ve collected on your travels, personal photographs, or work by local artists—adds a deeply personal touch to your space. It can turn a blank wall into a gallery that reflects your experiences, values, and tastes. Art doesn’t have to be expensive or highbrow; it must simply be meaningful to you.

In addition to art, incorporating personal mementos and meaningful objects can make a house feel like a home. Whether displaying a family heirloom, a favorite book collection, or a cherished souvenir, these items bring a sense of history and personality to your space. Shelves filled with objects that have personal significance can serve as focal points, grounding your home in your own story rather than a generic one.

Reclaiming Your Home: A Reflection of You

The trend of neutralizing homes for the market has undeniably had its moment, but there is a growing movement toward reclaiming personal style in interior design. Your home is not just a place where you sleep and eat—it’s a space where you express who you are. Incorporating your personal style into your home is about more than just aesthetics; it’s about creating a comfortable, welcoming, and uniquely your space.

So why sacrifice your personal style for the sake of neutrality? Your home should reflect you, not a blank slate for someone else. Embrace color, texture, and art. Let your walls tell your story. After all, your home is where you live—make it a space that feels like home.