As a home stylist & sharing my love for styling Country Chic Homes, my number one question is, "what is your style?" My answer to that question is French Chic Rustic Boho Romance set in the rural part of France. If you close your eyes, you can imagine it, just like I do.
Several years ago, my style was very different when I started my journey as a content creator on Instagram. I was coming into a platform I needed to learn about & what I would be doing on such a massive space. I had just moved into my apartment & had a blank slate to work with. I honestly didn't plan on decorating as I didn't want the hassle of cleaning every nook & cranny of this tiny apartment. But as I created Country Chic Homes on IG, I knew I needed to share something. Eventually, the apartment began to feel cold & not at all cozy. I started seeing what was out there & did the typical Hobby Lobby, Michaels, & Home Goods farmhouse style. Everything had a name; every sign, every entry into a room told you what room you were entering, the bathroom even had a sign to wash your hands, we get the gist of it LOL. I did that for almost two years. The last year, I started adding vintage pieces. I was drawn to wood & metals. After a while, I had a ton of crates & my home looked very manly, haha! I was missing the feminine touches that I had previously in my other houses. But before I started to add any special touches that would define my style. Like soft textiles, mirrors, flowers, candles & sparkly chandeliers. I got rid of every "new" decor item that I had. I wanted to start all over again. I didn't have the space I needed, so I did what I could, as my apartment would also be my storage space. After gathering what I needed & wanted, I learned very quickly that I would have to shop my home vs. buying as my space was small. That's when I realized the magic of baskets. This was the time when my love for baskets was born. I had baskets everywhere; they replaced all the farmhouse signs. I still have many baskets, but back then, they held so much more than just throw blankets. I used anything that I could use for storage. When I moved a few years ago into our current home, I gained about a 1200sq ft home & a garage. I could share the style I had wanted for so long. I had storage space & was able to style CCH & not have to worry about it looking or feeling cluttered.
I styled our home slowly as I wanted many of our pieces to be in their permanent space. I didn't want to be moving things around all the time. I tried to focus on creating tablescapes, mantels & occasionally room shots. I have always gone with heavy furniture pieces. My son's friends that have helped us move asked me once if I would walk into a store & ask for the heaviest pieces that they had. Besides loving heavy pieces, they set the stage for any space, it's like the foundation of a home. I can then soften it with textiles, candles, chandeliers & flowers. I don't have nick-nacks; I don't have the time to dust them off or really need them. I need pieces that I can quickly dust off & one-of-a-kind items. If you look at my home, you'll see many of the decor items casually moving around a few times before they get placed in my storage space. But they're always accessible & ready to be brought back in.
The mirrors are grand & ornate; they give the vibe of elegance & whimsical. Textiles are seen throughout, in layers of fur, faux fur, vintage crochet tablecloths, grain sacks & soft chenille. Flowers are a must in every room, in containers that one may not usually use. I like to bring the outdoors in. Rustic French buckets or pickle jars to an ironstone pitcher are my go-to's for holding my flowers. Books are used a lot; vintage leather books cover the mantel, hiding the T.V. cords. Home decor inspiration books are on our side table at arm's reach. Books are used as risers in my styling.
We have many vintage & new mirrors throughout. Our home is made up predominantly of vintage pieces. I focus on gathering items that are European. Vintage frames can be seen too. They match our mirrors from the ornate framing. Some hold pictures that capture you. Others have been converted into chalkboards. Ironstone / Stoneware is huge here at CCH, as you may already know. What can I say, I create many tablescapes.
I no longer jump to buy just because it is a thing of the moment, I haven't done that in a very long time & it feels so free to do what fits us & our home. I want each room to have its own core but where they all dance gracefully together.
I get told that I have a unique style, & what I see is our home exactly how I wanted it for so long. I see cozy; I see our home.
If you had to describe your style, how would you describe it? Add it below in the comment section. There's no one way.
Thank you for inspiring me every day & for encouraging me to share. I appreciate each & every one of you!
XO ~ Ali
P.S. I've been working this week on new collaborations head on over to Country Chic Homes Links to see who I am working with & some great discounts!
