The Inspiration Behind My Design Style

By Lauren Rose Correa, December 30, 2019

Since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved design. It actually started with my childhood dollhouse. My first was a Playschool plastic dollhouse, which I received as a Christmas gift. My mom had staged some pretty pieces of furniture in it, and the first occupant was a Vanna White Barbie doll. Yes that’s right — Vanna from Wheel of Fortune was my first Barbie.

My second dollhouse was where the magic began. My grandfather had recently made a beautiful wooden dollhouse for my sister, Lisa. Shortly after, he surprised me with my own dollhouse – exactly the same, except mine had blue trim. This is where my love of design began. As you can see in the picture below, I’ve recently repainted the dollhouse to white and light grey.

I grew out of my Barbies, but I never grew out of decorating that house. I painted and wallpapered the walls and used tile samples to create flooring. I made miniature pictures and sewed tiny pillows and bedcovers. I even had my own made up word – plink. Plink was my word for when a room was decorated just right. It sounds a bit crazy, but when I added the finishing touches to a room and I felt completely satisfied with it, I would happily think, “Plink!”

When I finally got my own room, my focus shifted to decorating my space. I drew up elaborate plans for my first official design project. The main color was a steely pale blue with silver star accents, and the style was white shabby chic. Below is a design sketch from when I was planning that bedroom.

I’ve always been inspired by the Victorian-era boudoir. this developed when I was about ten years old and had a fascination with Anastasia Romanov. I checked out the book Anastasia’s Album from the school library over and over again, and was drawn into the story as well as the way they decorated. The pictures of her mother’s boudoir were my favorite part of the book. A luxurious and ornate room cluttered with photographs and knick knacks tells the story of the owner in a way that modern minimalism really does not.

The storied boudoir speaks to the art and mystery of what it means to be a woman, and this idea is the foundation of my personal style. But I’ve been influenced by so many other sources. I love Asian style with clean surfaces and brocade. I’m fascinated with the bright colors and exotic patterns of Moroccan decor. I have a love affair with New York City, and I’m inspired by urban architecture and the appeal of city living. I love the carefree, flow-y vibe of Bohemian and gypsy decor. And of course, I’ll always have a special place in my heart for that shabby chic bedroom I had as a teenager.

Often we just pick one theme or style as a basis for our home, but when I decorated my first apartment, I didn’t want it to reflect a specific style – I wanted it to reflect me. I wanted that rich boudoir that would tell the story of my life. Every design style that I have been inspired by is an important part of who I am – no matter how diverse they are.

So I stepped up to the challenge and created a style that combines everything that I love, and the result is this Boho-Boudoir. I hope that my blog inspires you, not to mimic my style, but to create your own style that tells your story. I hope it inspires you to step outside of the confines of what is already being done and to create something that has never been seen before.