Your home should be a fun place to be – and it’s important to create an interior that reflects your lifestyle, personality and outlook on life in general. Interior design is about more than just personal tastes,it’s also about you as a person.

To help you create your perfect interior, we’ve put together this guide of the most-wanted interior design styles.

Shabby chic: Interior design for hopeless romantics

[gallery size="slider" ids="15153"]

“Shabby” isn’t usually a word we’d associate with something positive – unless it’s shabby chic, that is. This vintage-inspired interior design style combines old and new furnishings with one-of-a-kind accessories to create an interior design that tells a unique story. The fine scratches and imperfections in antique furniture, the chipped paint on family heirlooms and the distressed look of bargain pieces snapped up at yardsales are all part and parcel of the shabby chic look. It’s all about the imperfections that give an object a history,whether it's the natural wear on that well-lovedvintage desk, or the second-hand stool sanded down and painted to create a more worn look.

Delicate accessories – think chandeliers, silver vases or sequin cushions – add a chic and sophisticated tone. Matt pastel and cream shades, combined with light materials, create a relaxed and homely feeling. The perfect shabby chic interior strikes an elegant balance between rustic antiquity and playful romanticism.

A natural look: Bringing the outdoors in

[gallery size="slider" ids="15154"]

If you love outdoors, why not make it a part of your interior design style? Natural interiors use natural materials, colours and accessories to create harmony in the home. Choose warm, earthy base colours for yourflooringand furniture to transform your home into a nature-inspired haven. Light natural colours on the wall inject life into your interior landscape.

Vivid dashes of colour and creative plant arrangements work well with this style. Add natural objects you collect on woodland walks or on the beach for a personal touch:

The organic textures and shapes of these unique finds will help you create your own unique homage to nature. Interesting stones, shells, twigs and reeds can be nestledamongwicker baskets, or combined with wooden pieces that show off the distinctive grain of the natural material; loosely woven textiles and hides act as an authentic finishing touch to the nature-inspired interior design style. And you could even grow your walls green.

Contemporary urban: Experimental and practical

[gallery size="slider" ids="15155"]

“Contemporary” can mean different things to different people. In the interior design world, it usually refers to streamlined designs, with a muted colour palette and simple, pure materials. In the contemporary urban interior design style, the concept is interpreted a little more loosely: Often seen in city-centre lofts, contemporary urban styling is a fusion of room concepts and living styles, with minimalist design sitting comfortably alongside industrial-inspired furniture and elegant accessories, with individualcollectors’items and experimental materials as the finishing touches.

A statement piece of furniture, such as a couch or large rustic dining table, can take centre-stage. Free-standing interior units provide a framework for you to get creative with this style; neutral colours, ranging from white to grey to black, set the tone. Mix up the colour scheme by adding splashes of colour with cushions, curtains or other decorative accessories. This interior design style is the perfect homage to the many facets of city living – familiar, yet always unexpected.

Ethnic style: A bold mix for those who like to be different

[gallery size="slider" ids="15156"]

A brightly coloured iguana nestles among African wall plates; woven bamboo lamps illuminate vases with oriental and tribal patterns: The ethnic look is an interior design style for modern-day explorers who do not shy away from bold colours and daring combinations. The look draws inspiration from across the continents, with furniture, patterns and textiles from all corners of the globe.

Geometric zig-zags are combined with zebra and giraffe patterns, alongside warm earthy tones and deep spice reds, providing a backdrop for metallic accessories in bronze, copper and silver. Complete the look with floor cushions, patchwork throws and leather footstools scattered randomly around rustic wooden furniture and oriental rugs. This is a style that inspires exploration – and it’s all the more special if you can add pieces that you’ve brought back from your own journeys of cultural discovery.

Minimalism: A modest style with a clear aesthetic

[gallery size="slider" ids="15157"]

The trend for streamlining, stripping back and removing things we don’t need has gained ground in recent years. The art of minimalism is the art of leaving things out,the puristic culmination of contemporary interior design. With clean lines, smooth surfaces and neutral colours, the minimalist style first appeared in the Eighties as a direct contrast to post-modernism. The muted colour palette is dominated by white, black and shades of grey, or matt neutral tones to create a clean monochrome look. This interior design style is subtle, calming and modest.

Sterile materials like glass, metal and plastics are offset by dynamic natural light. Don’t add any accessories – they would only detract from the minimalist look. This style is about functionality and a pure, high-quality aesthetic; a design philosophy that is reflected in the minimalist Gira E2 switch range.

Whatever style you want to create in your home, personality and creativity are essential ingredients. Yes, your home should be fun – but creating it should be fun too. As long as you stick to a few basic rules, you can let your imagination run wild when designing your interior.

Which interior design style best matches your personality? Let us know which design is your favourite.

Lifestyle

Smart Living

Back to basics: Life in a yurt

Architecture

Underwater buildings: Dive into a different world

Interior Design

Classic design revival: The style icons making a comeback

Architecture

London Chelsea Flower Show 2019: A bouquet of British inspiration

Smart Living

Cabin One Minimal House: A smart micro-home for flexible living

Interior Design

Wild exotics & defined patterns: Five wallpaper trends for 2019

Interior Design

Colourful and courageous: Colourblocking in interior design

Smart Living

Smart technology for everyday use: The latest gadgets for 2019

Smart Living

Mini mobile homes – maximum comfort, minimum space

Smart Living

Not just for professionals: The latest kitchen gadgets to whet your appetite

Smart Living

The ultimate getaway: Five hotels for your next trip

Interior Design

Design, mon amour: A Paris Design Week preview

Architecture

Design-agency creates beautiful outdoor jungle office for hot summer days