What exactly is my design style?!

Recently my husband and I have been out and about looking at model homes.

During this process I have realized that I am NOT liking the typical styling in most of these models even though everything is new and shiny.

I prefer warm and cozy to new and shiny... any day.

Part of the process, for me, in figuring our whether I like a certain layout or not is to try and picture my husband and I actually living there.  I know that I have to get past whatever decor is currently occupying the space and just look at the bare bones of the layout.  This is sometimes difficult to do, at least in the maybe ten minutes that you have to really examine the space.

We are currently looking at townhomes, which means the spaces in most cases are very long and narrow with no natural light coming from two of the four sides of the house.

In model houses they tend to arrange what little furniture they include in the best way to try and show how big the space is.

  

BUT 

for the most part they end up with a "dinning room" table too close to the "breakfast table" or the couches and chairs of the living room are spread out too far for anyone to actually sit and converse with company.  

I have also noticed that with the challenges of a townhome space most builders have been going in the "open concept" direction, which can sometimes work well...mostly in larger spaces though.

With a smaller narrow space you just end up feeling like your living room is in your kitchen.

But its a fine balance that has to be made. If you close of all three spaces it feels quite cramped.

Before I end up making this post way too text-heavy, I will get to the point :)

My husband is quite practical when shopping for a house.  

Almost too much at times.

Where as I am more emotional with my decision making.

Almost too much at times.

I like to go with my gut on things... but we're going to have to find a good balance between 

head and heart.

During this whole process of me picturing us living in these houses I have started to think... what exactly will our house look like?

We have decorated apartments before but with owning a house, you have no limitations.

So what is our style?

As I have said before, I looooove vintage kitchens.

BUT

With our first house I don't know that I will have the resources necessary for creating the perfect 

AQUA and RED vintage kitchen....

So I am thinking that I would love touches of red and aqua along with whites and woods....still keeping a vintage eclectic feel.

I think the ultimate combination for me is vintage, modern, rustic and eclectic.

Within those perimeters, I like neutral colours with pops of light blues and greens and a splash of vintagy poppy red.

A mixture of rustic and new finishes is also key.

I really want an island or a table made from a rustic slab of wood.

AND I will definitely be creating a feature wall in the kitchen for some vintage pretty plates.

I LOVE how the above example is in a cluster in an unexpectedly small space!

The same overall aesthetics would be carried over into the living room.

I LOVE the colours in the above room.  The pops of yellow make a big impact.

To me, a fireplace is extremely desirable to have in a livingroom.  

It anchors the space and is so warm and inviting.

I love the the mantel in this (above) pic!

As far as bedrooms are concerned, I would love to keep them quite light and airy.

Where as in the living room I would gravitate to warmer tones, I think in the bedrooms I would keep it cooler.

OH and I am in loooooove with those beautiful birdcage mirrors!

I am also loving this huge rustic wood headboard that wraps all the way up onto the ceiling!!!

It is so simple yet unexpected!

OK so there you have it.

My style in a nut shell, I guess.

I apologize for not having links for each picture.  

I had been collecting them for myself and didn't originally intend on using them for a post.

So is there a name that I can attach to my design style?

Vintage?

Modern?

Rustic?

Eclectic?

I can't use any ONE of those words because I truly love a mixture of all of them.

So for now I guess I'll just have to call it 

Melissa's Style ;)