How to Pick Your Place and Your Style

by Jamie Moesser on June 27th, 2012 | No Comments »

It's safe to say that the way one decorates one's living space is as much an expression of one's personality as the way one dresses. We decorate our living spaces and bodies to differentiate ourselves from one another, to express ourselves, and to make ourselves comfortable. Bright colors, for instance, make some people happy, while others prefer them only in small amounts. The types of places people live in are also manifestations of their identify, whether they be estates or apartments. We are perhaps a unique species, if not in our tendency to "mark our territories," then in the ways we do it. And there are definitely many resources out there these days to help those striving to develop their own styles. YourPicksYourPlace.com is one such place.

YourPicksYourPlace.com is primarily, over the next month and a half, a sweepstakes. It will feature four different design compilations for four different rooms, selected by four prominent home decor bloggers. Right now, for instance, you can view ideas for the living room of any living space. Specific layouts are not given, only collages of couches, arm chairs, curtains, and various accent pieces. You can choose between a "Coastal Escape" theme, by Maryann Caballero of Domestically-Speaking.com, "Southern Bungalow" by Jaimelyn Nye of IHeartNaptime.com, "Rustic Hideaway" by Michael Wurm, Jr. of InspiredByCharm.com, and "Industrial Loft" by Diane Henkler of InMyOwnStyle.com. Voting for living room ideas is open until July 3rd, after which voting for dining room ideas will open up until July 17th, then voting for home office ideas until the 31st, and for bedrooms until August 14th. Voters are entered for a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize or one of eight $250 weekly prizes to go towards the decoration of their own space. YourPicksYourPlace is hosted by Apartment Guide, which is a website that provides apartment search resources and listings, as well as décor tips. This year, Apartment Guide partnered with former winner of HGTV’s "Design Star," host of her own show "Myles of Style," designer and décor expert Kim Myles to share decorating advice on the Your Picks. Your Place. design Inspiration blog (http://www.yourpicksyourplace.com/blog/).

Now, if you've kept abreast of how everyone else is decorating their spaces, you would know that neutrals, accented by green and embellished with mirrors, are the way to go these days, according to HGTV. Most people, says Vicki Payne of ForYourHome.com, are turning to comforting, natural elements in their homes to offset the turmoils of recession economics. And, if the popularity of Pinterest, Etsy, and various home decor DIY blogs is any indication, elements that people make themselves, whether out of necessity or creativity, are all the rage.

But your vote, like your style, is an expression of you. Will your vote line up with what other people are choosing, or will you try to be as individualistic as possible. I, for instance, like woodsy browns and olive greens, and need lots of open, uncluttered surfaces, so I would vote for the "Coastal Escape" living room. My home, not coincidentally, is furnished and decorated (minimally) in woodsy browns and olive greens. That makes me happy. That says "me." What says "you" in home decor at YourPicksYourPlace?