What are you wearing today? You can use your closet as a useful resource when designing your home. The colors that make you feel good are most likely the one’s you will feel satisfied living in.

I thought it would be fun to do an exercise in selecting colors to live in based on people’s wardrobes. So I started with mine and took a look in my closet. Some of my favorite pieces were reminiscent of the colors and patterns I had chosen for our home.

Monochromatic with Texture

The color palette of our bed at the moment is beige and white. Beige linen headboard with polished nickel nail heads, a hand embroidered coverlet called a tenangos, a Mongolian lamb throw pillow and white cotton bedding with a beige hemstitch. Simple, calm and very restful to sleep in. The interest is in the textures like the nickel nail heads on the headboard and the throw pillow.

While not beige and white, this outfit illustrates the monochromatic textured look. The colors here consist of lots of navy and white and taupe making the palatte really simple with 3 colors. Layering patterns in the same color way gives an outfit texture. I mixed in the carved bone earrings to complement the polka dots on the dress shirt and to add texture like the nickel nail heads do for the bedroom.

Again, simple in color but rich in texture, this outfit is a mixture of white and ivory. The silk white top is a nice complement to cashmere. Imagine in a home some silk throw pillows on a sofa with a cashmere blanket thrown over the arm.

It is safe to say that my husband Peter was not thinking about monochromatic colors when he put on his corduroys but I realized that his outfit selection illustrates this concept! Chocolate Brown sweater and boots and lots of navy.

If you like to layer textures like mohair, silk, corduroy or cashmere which have minimal color variations, that may be a clue that you would like to live in a space that is monochromatic in color but has textures throughout.

Prints and color

Another part of me loves color especially blues, greens, shades of reds, mustard yellows, blacks, browns, pinks…the list goes on. And I love prints that incorporate all these colors. When designing a space, I often start with a great print. In this living room I used these throw pillows, which as luck would have it went great with this botanical print I had hung, and the porcelain green lamps.

In my closet, I have a lot of printed blouses. I love layering them with solid cardigans, jeans and a great piece of jewelry.

Do you have printed tops that you like to throw on? Do you like to wear outfits where the print is the main focus or maybe you are like me and prefer a small dose of a print? In the next room you do, incorporate a print somewhere onto a throw pillow, or a small bench. It will brighten up your room wonderfully.

Moving into a home or reinventing the one you have is one of the most exciting as well as daunting activities. Oh, all the choices! One of the best ways to stay in control of your plans is come up with a color and pattern palate. Look in your wardrobe for clues.

Stay tuned to the Design Lab for upcoming closet studies from other fashionable ladies in Boston!