Personal Style, Defined: High-Heeled Foot in the Door

This week's installment of Personal Style, Defined features the lovely Camila of High-Heeled Foot in the Door. I found her blog sometime in the last year and it has quickly become a favorite. Camila focuses on approachable, attainable design and frequently shares her fabulous do-it-yourself projects with readers. She has great style and her sweet personality comes through in every post.

When Paloma asked me to participate in her Personal Style Series I had a flood of emotions. I was honored that she grouped me with such a great group of women. It made me feel like I had inched my high-heeled foot one more step into the design field. Happiness and honor quickly turned into panic and stressed.

{Yours truly in my Tory Burch like alike dress, but cost me $4.90 at Kmart! Stylish and thrifty!}

What was my personal style? Tough question to answer. When it comes to helping clients bring out their personal style I’m your gal, but turn it around on myself and I freeze.

{ All time, hands-down favorite room, by Miles Redd that sums my design style perfectly. A bit traditional with the bird/floral wallpaper, whimsical with the canopy bed modern with the zig-xag rug and blue side tables, feminine with the ruffle in the curtains, preppy with the color combo. Perfection}

Why? Because I tend to love a little bit of everything. I love modern, traditional, coastal, cottage, shabby chic, hollywood regency, chinoiserie,etc. Name a style and I’ll love some aspect of it and will most likely combine some of them in a room.

{Fabulous foyer by Amanda Nisbet, which has a mix of preppy with the stripes, a dash of modern with the lamp, traditional with the table and a bit country with the lantern yet it all works and isn’t done over the top.}

Instead of losing my cool I decided to do what I would do with a client and head straight to my closet. In my opinion the way that we dress ourselves is our most honest expression of our personal style. When we step out into the world everyday the clothes on our back completely paint a picture to outsiders.

{When Michelle posted pictures of her friends new shop, Lady Bird I immediately feel in love with their bold use of color,additon of traditional wallpaper and unique art gallery. }

Looking at my things I realized that a lot of my closet looked like they came out of Charlotte York's with a tiny dash of Carrie (Sorry for the S&TC references, but I’m getting excited for the sequel) without the price tag. It’s a mix of classic pieces with some modern preppy aspects for good measure and a touch of what is trendy at the moment. So, in defining my style I would say it’s Kate Spade (modern, color, pattern, fun) meets Audrey Hephurn (classic, timeless, elegant)

{Adore this room from Sara Story. I wouldn’t change a thing from the bold orange patterned wallpaper, to the hermes throw this room is ready for me!}

Like your clothing picks that go in and out with the trends as seasons go by I think a room needs to go through the same maintence, which is why In my eyes a room is never finished.

{Another favorite from Palmer Weiss. I spy orange, x benches, chinoiserie accents, zebra rug, neutral sofas. Love that she kept it real and didn’t hide or remove the flat screen or ceiling fan.}

Since I love color I tend to go big on color for the walls. After all it’s just paint! If you tire of it you just need a quick trip to the paint store and a couple of hours and voila new room.

{Love, love, love the traditional built ins matched with high-gloss black walls. It great when a designer like Nancy Boszhardt isn’t afraid to paint it black.}

Due to my love of bold color I tend to go neutral on furniture choices and window treatments and then introduce pattern and additonal color in my accessories. Since furniture is normally one of the most expensive pieces in a room keeping it neutral allows you to play with color and switch it up when you see fit.

{Another perfect blend of styles and color. Designer Summer Thornton mix traditional elements like the floral wallpaper and chandelier with a modern sofa and Imperial Trellis clad ottoman that just speaks to me!}

I have turquoise walls in one of my rooms. Last year the room had accents of brown. I got tired of that and with a few minor inexpensive changes it is now a wonderful mix of yellow and blue with the help of accessories and it makes the preppy girl in me very happy.

{My new preppy yellow and white striped curtains that have my room moving in a new direction! Can’t wait for it to be finished so that I can share it with all.}

In defining my style I also realized that what is most important is what you like. Not what is in this month’s shelter magazine. If you love the color orange paint the town with it, if elephants make you weak in the knees go for it, if zebra print makes your heart skip a beat then answer the call of the wild.

{Designer Erin Valencich's office has a great mix with the stripes, zebra and wallpaper and is currently my background image on my computer}

Your rooms should look cool and effortless. Don’t worry yourself with rules and what has always been done. Trust yourself and I’m certain it will all start coming together. Plus if you need any help along the way you can always reach out to professionals in the field like me!