Beyond Trends: Creating Spaces that Represent You
- Jennifer DeWitt
- Aug 4
- 4 min read
I had this moment this summer—you know the kind where everything suddenly clicks into place? I was scrolling through Instagram (mistake number one), looking at what felt like the hundredth influencer in an oversized blazer, neutral linen pants, and those chunky gold hoops. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very editorial and easily replicated. But when everyone is wearing the exact same “effortless” uniform, how unique does it really feel?
That’s when it hit me: we’re doing to personal style exactly what happened to interiors in the late 2010s. Remember when every single living room looked like it was copy-pasted from the same Pinterest board? Gray couches, white walls, that one fiddle leaf fig in the corner desperately trying to add personality to what was essentially a beautiful, soulless void.
We got so caught up in what looked “right” that we forgot to ask what felt right.
The Great Homogenization
Somewhere along the way, both fashion and interior design became less about self-expression and more about getting the formula correct. We started optimizing for likes instead of character, for approval instead of authenticity. The result? A world where everyone’s living room could belong to anyone, and everyone’s outfit could too.
But here’s what I’ve learned after spending this summer really paying attention to my own style choices: the most magnetic people and the most memorable spaces have one thing in common. They’re not trying to be anyone else.
When I work with design clients, I can always tell the difference between someone who wants their home to look like a magazine spread and someone who wants their home to feel like them. The magazine people are easy to please initially—we follow the current design trends, check all the boxes, and deliver something undeniably beautiful. But the magic happens with the second group, the ones brave enough to say, “I know everyone loves white kitchens, but I’ve always dreamed of pink cabinets.”
Those are the homes that stop you in your tracks. Those are the people you remember.
The Relentless Pursuit of Originality
This summer taught me that getting dressed should feel like designing a space—it should be intentional, personal, and completely, unapologetically you. Not the you that looks good in photos, but the you that feels electric when you catch yourself in the mirror.
I started asking myself the same questions I ask my design clients: What makes you feel most like yourself? What would you choose if no one else’s opinion mattered? What’s the one thing about your style that you’d never want to change, even if magazines declared it “out”?
The answers surprised me. I realized I’d been dressing for an imaginary audience instead of for myself, choosing pieces that felt safe instead of pieces that felt true. Sound familiar?
Your Style, Your Space, Your Story
Whether I’m choosing throw pillows or choosing shoes, the same principle applies: trends are suggestions, not rules. The goal isn’t to create something that everyone will love—it’s to create something that you can’t imagine living without.
The most beautiful spaces I’ve designed weren’t the ones that followed every current trend. They were the ones where the client’s personality was so evident that you could feel their presence even when they weren’t home. Their favorite books were actually on the shelves. Their grandmother’s vintage vase held fresh flowers. Their art collection told the story of places they’d been and dreams they were chasing.
Your personal style deserves the same level of intention. The clothes that make you feel most yourself probably aren’t the ones everyone else is wearing—and that’s exactly the point.
The Anti-Trend Trend
I’m not suggesting we all become contrarians, wearing neon just because everyone else chose beige. I’m suggesting something much more radical: what if we all chose to look like our best selves?
What if getting dressed became an act of self-respect instead of self-consciousness? What if our homes became sanctuaries that actually reflected our souls instead of our Pinterest boards?
The most stylish people I know—in fashion and in interiors—aren’t following trends. They’re setting them, simply by being uncompromisingly themselves. They understand that true style isn’t about wearing what everyone else is wearing perfectly. It’s about wearing what makes you feel like the most interesting version of yourself.
Your Turn
So here’s my challenge to you: the next time you’re getting dressed or choosing paint colors or rearranging furniture, ask yourself one question. Not “What would look good?” but “What would feel like me?”
Because in a world full of beautiful copies, the most revolutionary thing you can be is an original.
Trust me on this one. After all, I’ve been in the business of making people fall in love with their spaces for years. Now I’m just expanding the definition of what those spaces can be.
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