Design Unscripted

How to Find Your Interior Design Style: The 4-Step Process to Design a Home That Reflects Who You Are

• Manuella Moreira

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You’ve probably asked yourself, What’s my interior design style?—and if you haven’t yet, your Pinterest board definitely has.

But with so many options out there, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or unsure where to even begin. Do you love clean lines and warm neutrals, or bold color and layered textures? Should you go modern, traditional, or somewhere in between? And how do you even start when you like a little bit of everything?

In this premiere episode of Design Unscripted, I’m sharing the same 4-step process I use with my private clients to help them uncover their unique style—and design spaces that feel effortless, functional, and fully them.

Spoiler: It’s not about choosing a label or following trends. It’s about clarity, intention, and creating a space that reflects who you are and how you live.

Inside this episode, I’ll walk you through: • The most important questions to ask before making any design decisions
• Why your favorite hotel or outfit might hold the key to your aesthetic
• How to gather inspiration (without falling down a Pinterest rabbit hole)
• Why function is the unsung hero of good design
• A mindset shift that will make experimenting way less intimidating

If you’ve ever felt stuck or second-guessed your taste, this episode will give you a clear path forward—and the confidence to trust your instincts.

Click >>PLAY<< to hear all of this and: [00:01] Welcome to Design Unscripted—and what to expect from the show
[01:03] Why asking “What’s your style?” is the wrong question
[01:44] Step 1: How to take inventory of what you like (and don’t like)
[02:45] Step 2: Gathering inspiration—and what to actually do with it
[03:36] Step 3: Consider your lifestyle before you pick a look
[04:33] Step 4: Experiment, play, and let your personality lead
[06:41] A quiz to uncover your personal Design Archetype

✨ Take the free quiz: manuellamoreira.com/design-archetype/


 Discover your Design Archetype and get curated tips and inspiration based on your results!

🎥 Want the visuals? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes footage from real projects, design inspiration, and a closer look at the process—plus the occasional cameo from my dog, Chloe. 

📧 Subscribe to my newsletter for design tips, project reveals, and more inspiration.  📧

 

 Welcome to Design Unscripted. I am your host, Manuella, and I am so excited you're here. This podcast has been a passion project of mine for a very long time, and I'm so excited to finally be able to share it. We have a lot of exciting things planned for the show, but we're gonna keep the episodes short, fun, and most importantly inspiring.

Now, if you're only listening to the audio version, be sure to check out our YouTube channel where we'll share. Lots of inspiration visuals behind the scenes from our projects, and you might even get to see my sweet Dog, Chloe. We'll include the link to the channel in the show notes. You can always go back and reference to other shows, and you'll have access to the entire library.

Now, if you know me or if you've worked with me through my design business, you know how much I love design. I truly believe that a well designed space can really change how you live. So to kick off our very first episode of Design Unscripted. What better topic to discuss than how to find your interior design style?

Whenever I get a call from a potential client, a lot of the times they'll ask, what's your style? But honestly, that's just the wrong question to ask. I don't want your home to be reflective of my style. I want it to be reflective of yours. I know that there are so many options out there, and it can truly get overwhelming.

So my job is to use my knowledge and experience with color scale lighting flow to help you create a space that feels cohesive, functions beautifully, and you avoid costly mistakes during the process. So today, I'm sharing the same four step process that we use with our very own clients to help them find their interior design style.

And number one is to take inventory. At the beginning of each project, we'll ask some key questions that will help us get started. The very first question that we ask, which is, so telling is simply, what do you like? And the second question equally as important is, what don't you like? Those two questions alone can say a lot and help us get started with the process.

For example, do you prefer a space that feels more casual or a space that's more formal? Do you prefer bold jewel tones or do you prefer more calming neutrals? We even talk about texture. You might love that. Buttery leather, and just the thought of a velvet makes you cringe. Then we take a look at your current space.

What about the space is working for you and what's not? This gives us a really good starting point and it helps us understand what areas need the most attention. So once you've taken inventory and you have a better idea of what you like and what you don't like, the next step is to gather inspiration.

This is where you get to have some fun. This is where you start to dream a little and you start to visualize a space that really speaks to you. Keep in mind, inspiration can really come from anywhere. It could be that space that you saw and loved. It could be that art that brings you so much joy. It could be that hotel that you stayed in years ago, but you can still remember it vividly.

It could just be a simple photograph that brings back so many memories. What speaks to you is key to help us hone in your style. And sharing the visuals is very important because a client might say to us, oh, I love modern, and they should start sharing some images, and it's really not modern, and that's totally okay.

Our goal is to simply hone in on these images and have clarity on what you actually like. So now that you're feeling super inspired, it's important that we take a sip back. We take a look at how the space needs to function for your everyday life, and that's where the third step comes in, which is considering your lifestyle.

Your space and furniture should reflect you. Whether you're designing a super luxurious bedroom or a true chef's kitchen, the function of that space will largely depend on who's using it. For example, if we're designing a living room for a family of four with pets, it will look very different than if we're designing a living room for a bachelor or bachelorette who loves to entertain. Everything from fabric selection, to colors, to flow, all of these things will get taken into consideration during the design process. Every space should be a reflection of who you are. It's important to tailor the experience of the space to how you actually live. Now that you have the foundation set, the final step is to experiment and have fun.

There are many layers to consider when designing a space when it comes to. Texture, color, wood tones, metals. Don't be afraid to mix it all and have fun. Break the rules. Also, take a look at your closet. What do you love to wear? If you feel comfortable in something, most likely you'll wanna be surrounded by things that are familiar.

For example, if you love that tailored suit, perhaps you love pieces that are a bit more formal, tight upholstery, or if you love that flowy dress, perhaps you like pieces that may be. A little more casual and relaxed color can actually have a very big impact on your mood. Now, it doesn't mean if you wear all black that you're gonna want an entirely black space. You might. That's really cool. However, it might just mean that you prefer a space that's more monochromatic, very similar tones- nothing that's too bold or contrasting. So these are things to keep in mind. Most importantly, just have fun. I've said it before, I'll say it again. I always encourage my clients just to experiment.

Try unexpected patterns or colors that you haven't experimented with in the past. You might surprise yourself. You might love something that you didn't necessarily think you would, or you can always try something for a certain period of time and then always change it. Design should be fun. The design process should never be stressful.

The more fun you have throughout the process, the better the outcome you'll get and the more you're gonna love your space, I can guarantee you. So to recap, finding your interior design style comes down to these four steps. First is take inventory. Second is gather inspiration and start to have some fun.

Third is consider your lifestyle. Remember, function is extremely important. And last is experiment. Don't be afraid to try different things. Your home should feel personal, functional, and completely you. We created a quiz on my website called What's Your Design Archetype. You'll go through a curated selection of materials, colors, textures, and get immediate results that reveal your unique design personality.

Then I'll send you a follow-up email with tips on how to design a space around your results, including inspiration, layout, ideas, and some of my favorite styling strategies. We'll include the link to that quiz in the show notes. Check it out and let me know what you get. Thanks so much for listening to the very first episode of Design Unscripted.

We will be back next week with lots more inspiration. If you've enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us at review. It would mean the world to me, and whether you're listening or watching, thank you so much for being here. See you next time.