A Little Bit Of You
In A Whole Lot Of Design
by Lois Alter Mark

We all want our homes to make a statement. Whether we do the decorating ourselves or hire professionals to help, we strive for our rooms to be unique, to have personality. Ideally, though, the personality that shines through should be our own.

“That’s really what decorating is all about,” says La Jolla-based designer Andrea May. “The most effective rooms, the ones that not only look good but feel the most comfortable to their owners, are the ones that truly reflect their individual personalities.”

Hannah Keeley, formerly a behavior therapist and author of the newly released Hannah’s Art of Home: How to Manage a Home Around Your Personality, agrees. She wrote her book after noticing that almost all household organization and decorating advice was geared strictly toward one personality: someone to whom it was second nature. Because of this, it can be very difficult for most people to figure out where to begin and how to make sure their home truly feels personal.

“Different personality types have different approaches to decorating,” says Keeley. “If you can understand who you are and learn to work with the way you’re already wired, decorating becomes a joy.”

Following traditional psychology models, Keeley came up with four distinct decorating personality types. Although she says people can definitely have traits from more than one type, overall they’ll recognize themselves as either: a mastermind, creative spirit, mother hen, or starry-eyed dreamer.

We asked three top San Diego designers to match these four personality types with the design approach that would best suit them. As Keeley stresses, any decorating style — whether it’s cottage, Mediterranean, country, or Japanese — can work for any personality type. It’s the approach to style that must be geared toward personality to make a specific décor work individually.

Take Keeley’s revealing personality test (below) to discover your type. Then read the suggestions from Jeannie Brown of Diva Interiors and Sandra Flood of Designs of the Interior on how to best complement your type. And check out Andrea May’s suggestions for specific pieces to whet your appetite.

You know you have personality. Now your home can be a reflection of it.

If your answers are mostly 1s, you are a mastermind. Although you love beautiful things, you are more interested in function than aesthetics. You are more cerebral than emotional, and are very practical. Your home is your laboratory.

Jeannie Brown admits to being a mastermind, and says most of her clientele also falls into this category. “Maybe they come to me,” she says, “because they relate to the fact that no matter what decorating style I’m working on, the lines are always clean and simple.” Masterminds are minimalists who are happiest when everything is neat and tidy. They don’t feel comfortable with shelves full of tchotchkes, layers of fabric, or lots of design details, and look for a logical place for everything. As one of Brown’s mastermind clients told her, “I want my kitchen so organized that even if I were blind, I’d know exactly which drawer or cupboard to open to find whatever I needed.”

Check out: Cleverly designed, well-crafted contemporary furniture from makers like Cassina and MADE, as well as modern classics from Herman Miller.

If your answers are mostly 2s, you are a creative spirit. You are playful and eccentric, and enjoy being the center of attention. You are a risk taker who lives for the moment. Your home is your stage.

“Creative spirits have a great sense of style,” says Sandra Flood. “They instinctively know how to pull together a variety of styles and make them work together.” It’s not unusual for creative spirits to incorporate an African tribal mask, a piece that was passed down from their mother, and a great flea market find all in the same space. It’s a very eclectic look, and it works. Paint can be a creative spirit’s best decorating tool — it’s inexpensive and can be easily changed to fit the latest decorating whim.

Check out: Stylized pieces from Roche Bobois or Ligne Roset — in Tang Orange, of course. The Orlando Diaz-Azcuy and Robert Kuo collections from McGuire Furniture will appeal to exotically inspired spirits, as will Asian looks from BeiMoDian. More whimsical creative spirits will love lighting from Lampa.

If your answers are mostly 3s, you are a mother hen. You have a more traditional bent, and like things that are tried and true. You feel most comfortable with systems and looks that are coordinated. Your home is your feathered nest.

According to Brown, mother hens are those who literally want their homes to be “homey.” To them, the emphasis is on comfort. They gravitate toward looks that are sold in sets and high-quality pieces that will last a long time. Mother hens will often base their decorating style on their childhood home, copying it if they have good memories, going in an entirely different direction if they don’t.

Check out: Mariette Himes Gomez’s collection for Hickory Chair, which is designed as a suite concept but not as a matched set. Also, the Mark Hampton collection from Hickory Chair and Jacques Garcia, Thomas Pheasant, and English Classics collections from Baker Furniture.

If your answers are mostly 4s, you are a starry-eyed dreamer. You make decisions based on instinct rather than reason. You’re imaginative and intuitive, like creative spirits. What makes you different is that if an object “speaks” to you, you’ll drag it home, even if it doesn’t fit. Your home is your dream world.

“About 99 percent of our client-base fits into this category,” laughs Flood. “It’s so much fun to work with people who get excited about new pieces and new ideas.” Starry-eyed dreamers are constantly revamping and rearranging — even changing their favorite color. Because they often buy items on a whim, they may need to find ways to pull their look together. Finding new uses for some of these pieces — ottomans as coffee tables, benches as cocktail tables — helps starry-eyed dreamers rationalize their purchases.

Check out: Barbara Barry’s collection for Baker Furniture and Thomas O’Brien’s collection for Hickory Chair — both feature great foundation pieces to unify unique finds and create a sense of continuity. The eclectic Atelier collection from Hickory Chair also offers inspired personality pieces.

Decorating Personality Quiz:

If I were traveling down the yellow brick road I would be:
1. The Scarecrow — what is life without a brain?
2. The Lion — courage is all that really matters.
3. Dorothy — there’s no place like home.
4. The Tin Man — you’ve got to follow your heart.

When I implement a new design scheme in my home, it is usually because:
1. The old one no longer functions adequately for me.
2. I just follow an impulse and try something different.
3. It’s featured on one of my favorite home shows.
4. I just feel like it needs a change.

If I were an outfit, I would be:
1. A tailored jacket with clean cut pants.
2. Snazzy overalls with a banana yellow T-shirt.
3. An oxford shirt and khakis.
4. Soft blouse and bohemian skirt.

Everyone has needs, I need:
1. Mastery over my field and an understanding of how things operate.
2. Freedom to do what I want and make an impact on my world.
3. To know my place in the world and fulfill my responsibilities.
4. A sense of purpose and knowledge that I’m working for a greater good.

Nothing gets me going like:
1. A new project around the house.
2. A new activity in my life.
3. A new membership in something.
4. A new cause that I undertake.

My friends come to me for:
1. Information.
2. Excitement.
3. Assistance.
4. Inspiration.

The qualities that I most admire in people are:
1. Will power and genius.
2. Skill and courage.
3. Hard work and discipline.
4. Integrity and passion.

When I pick out new furniture for the house, I go with:
1. The highest rating and performance warranty.
2. The coolest design that catches my eye.
3. The pieces that coordinate best with my home.
4. The pieces that feel the best.

I work best when my home is:
1. Innovative. I’m always trying to analyze and improve on some procedure.
2. Stimulating. I like to be surrounded by activity on various levels.
3. Organized. I need structure in order to feel secure and perform at my best.
4. Expressive. To me, it’s all about creating a personal atmosphere.

The motto that I live by is:
1. Be excellent in all things.
2. Carpe diem (seize the day).
3. Success is 1 percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration.
4. To thine own self be true.