Design Trend Ruminations: What's Your Individual Style?

Thank you to all who responded to my dining room dilemma yesterday. I kind of threw it out there at a moment of design frustration, hoping to also get some good dialogue going about individual creativity and expression versus doing what we are told is trendy or in style.

Blogland is such a great source for ideas, but it can overexpose us to them. It's easy to get schizophrenic, chasing trends and wondering if we are dated or not. In fact Joni from Cote de Texas just wrote about it here.

I purposely mentioned Restoration Hardware to "stir the pot!" Although RH is a certain look, please know that I am no way going to go down that road!

My dining room above is a work in progress. Combining and layering patterns has always been my trademark. It is certainly not what is all over blogland, but it's me.

Here are some photos of holidays past in my dining room, as well as some very interesting comments from readers. I love the dialogue!

Christmas, years ago with toile. The rug hadn't been rolled up yet. Different brown floral and plaid drapes.

Lee said, "slap... slap... pull yourself together dear...you've been blogmotized!"

"Weighed down? I see come in sit down, put some color in your life!"

Rosie said this: "When I got the RH catalog, I was in shock. It DEPRESSED me, the lack of color. The downright depressing industrial feel......anyone can do neutral. Color is tougher, and more interesting."

Easter, also years ago with new brown floral.

Dianne said: "I am so tired of burlap/linen and sisal/seagrass and no one thinking individually....Everyone is doing the same thing."

I really like what Liz said: " I hate that we are a throw away society now. The trend to quickly change all the time has turned us into deco junkies. I think that's why I gravitate towards traditional. Timeless and Elegance."

Christmas last year

The Scribbler said: "I am getting really tired of the ubiquitous linen/burlap/seagrass look, because although it makes for some fetching eye candy in photos, I know that it would bore me to tears."

And finally, Liz sent me these quotes from my design hero, Bunny Williams:

"I just don't feel I serve my clients by slavishly following the latest trends."

"We need to get back to people developing their own sense of taste."

Last night, Mr. A and I sat in the dining room for dinner. We never eat in the dining room!

But for some reason, he wanted to. As we sat there, he said "I love this room, please don't change a thing!"

Let's keep the dialogue going! I think we all have a lot to say about trends, individual style and what we love. I would love to hear what you have to say!