It’s been said that taste is often a reflection of one’s lifestyle. As we mature, so too do our preferences in items such as art, cuisine, literature and music, to name just a few. One of the most dramatic examples of lifestyle influencing taste can be found inside your own home.
Whether striving for simplicity, craving color or embracing elegance, our distinct interior design preferences may vary dramatically yet often fall within a handful of distinct categories.
Nicole Black, a professional Design Coordinator for national homebuilder Morrison Homes, assists homebuyers in assessing their design tastes and identifying the most effective and cost-effective ways to help them make a personal statement within their new home.
According to Black, among the most defining characteristics of any home, and the ones that help define a person’s current design phase, include the use of color, furniture and art. And while each individual’s personal taste and design preferences are unique, she finds that the majority of homeowners fall into the following three design phase categories:
The White Phase
This phase is commonly associated with first-time homebuyers.
The atmosphere of the White Phase home is light, bright and airy, taking advantage of a blend of colors of similar tonal value, such as white, beige, crème, sand and tan.
This monochromatic design style is popular as it allows the homeowner to enjoy and highlight open space, much more so than may have been possible in a previous apartment or rental home arrangement.
The White Phase also works well for those planning to stay in the home for a limited number of years, thus preserving a clean, low maintenance look that will help enhance resale opportunities.
The colors of the White Phase often complement the home’s light-colored walls and flooring, and bring a consistency to the home when artwork and furniture offerings may not yet be complete.
The interior furnishings of the White Phase homeowner consist of individual pieces of furniture, such as a sofa, armoire or bed, versus complete sets, which gives the home an eclectic appearance.
In lieu of artwork, this phase features many photos of family and friends, which are not only more affordable to display, but also help generate a unique, inviting atmosphere.
The Low Maintenance Phase
This phase is consistent with move-up homeowners that have children and are seeking a drastic difference from the previous White Phase. The Low Maintenance Phase homeowner may have tired of the monochromatic light tones, and understands that this design scheme may not be the easiest to maintain given the environment of a home with children.
The home is characterized by high contrast colors, evident on everything from walls to flooring to cabinets, which give it a cozy, warm feel that reflects their maturing personalized taste.
Colors most consistent with this phase may include cocoa, coffee, gold, melon, raspberry, rusty red and sage green. These vibrant colors complement the homeowner’s growing furniture collection, made up of individual pieces and sets that are very attractive but not overly expensive and not expected to last a lifetime given the everyday use by a full family.
Low Maintenance Phase homeowners are beginning to understand their tastes in all aspects of design, including artwork, resulting in the increased use of wall hangings and accessories to coincide with photos of personal photos.
The Mature Phase
This phase is consistent with a move-down homebuyer whose children have moved out of the home and who have experienced both the White Phase and Low Maintenance Phase.
The Mature Phase homeowner does not have to worry about a high degree of interior maintenance due to limited foot traffic, and thus enjoy a neutral color with accents of high contrast. The use of lightened tones such as caramel, ivory, khaki, mahogany, paprika and toffee lend an elegant, formal appearance to the home.
The Mature Phase home is highly stylized in comparison to design phases, with standout highlights provided by faux wall finishes, heirloom pieces and complete antique furniture sets. This home, which serves as a personal retreat to the Mature Phase homeowner, features high-end artwork, lithographs and limited addition pieces to complement a wealth of photos representing a lifetime of special occasions with friends and family.
Based on its understanding of the various design trends and distinct tastes exhibited by homeowners, Morrison developed 5,000-square foot Signature Selection Centers in each market in which is sells homes.
Black and her colleagues conduct private appointments with each Morrison homebuyer to help them customize their new home based on the thousands of options and products available to them. And knowing that the personalization of one’s home ranks as one of the highest areas of importance to new homebuyers.
Morrison allows individual taste to be reflected in areas as diverse as appliances, plumbing fixtures, cabinets, countertops, flooring, light fixtures, home entertainment and security systems.
While each of us may aspire to be in a specific phase of home design, Black offers the reminder that our natural lifestyles and home environments more often than not will determine the interior look and feel that is most appropriate for you and your family.
And with each person possessing individualized tastes and preferences, these three design phases could take place just as effectively in three separate homes as in one long-term home.
“When asked by a homeowner what interior design elements are most appropriate for them, I reinforce the importance of allowing the home to genuinely reflect the persons living within the home and their lifestyles,” said Black. “There is no timetable for the various phases of home design, and in some cases a homeowner will achieve an entirely unique style that perfectly suits them. What is consistent among all homeowners is that as you mature, so too will your surroundings.”