Finding Your Voice A No Rules Guide to Discovering Your Homes True Style in Anchorage
Before I opened Let’s Stay Home, I spent 13 years as a business consultant, helping organizations across Alaska find their unique voice and build a strategy for growth. A huge part of that work was communication and storytelling—clarifying who they were and what they stood for. I’ve come to realize that our homes need that same clarity. Just like a brand, your home has a voice. My passion is to help you hear it.
But I see so many people get stuck on one overwhelming question: “What’s my style?” They feel paralyzed, believing they need to choose a label—Modern, Farmhouse, Mid-Century, Boho—before they can even begin. This guide is your permission to let all of that go. This is a no-rules guide to discovering your home’s true style.
Step 1: Forget the Rules (A Note from a Recovering Perfectionist)
I’ll let you in on a little secret: I’m a recovering perfectionist. For years, I thought every choice had to be “right.” I was so afraid of making a mistake that I often did nothing at all. What I’ve learned is that there are no style police. The only rule you need to follow is this: If you love it, it belongs.
Your home is for you, not for a magazine or for your neighbor. The first step to finding your voice is to give yourself the freedom to choose things simply because they bring you joy. Let go of the pressure to be perfect and embrace the process of discovery.
Step 2: Look in Your Closet—A Brand Strategist’s Trick
When I led Alaska Business Concepts, one of the first things we’d do with a new client is a “brand audit” to understand their existing identity. You can do the same thing with your personal style, and the easiest place to start is your closet.
Look at the clothes you genuinely love to wear. What colors do you gravitate towards? Are you drawn to soft, natural fabrics like cotton and linen, or do you love the feel of leather and silk? Do you prefer clean, simple lines or bold, expressive patterns? Your personal style is a powerful clue to your design voice. The same elements that make you feel comfortable and confident in your clothes will often make you feel the same way in your home.
Step 3: Define Your “Feeling” Keywords
Now, let’s move from the visual to the emotional. How do you want your home to feel? This is another exercise I used with my consulting clients, and it’s incredibly powerful. Forget about style labels for a moment and choose three to five words that describe the atmosphere you want to create.
Do you want your home to feel:
Calm, airy, and serene?
Warm, cozy, and inviting?
Creative, energetic, and vibrant?
Sophisticated, elegant, and timeless?
Write these words down. They will become your compass. When you’re considering a new piece of furniture or decor, you can ask yourself: “Does this align with my feeling keywords?” This simple question will help you make choices that are deeply authentic to you.
Step 4: Get a Complimentary Style Consultation
Sometimes, you just need a friendly, objective sounding board to help you connect the dots. That’s what we’re here for. We genuinely believe that helping people find their voice is the most rewarding part of what we do. We invite you to bring your ideas, your Pinterest boards, and your “feeling” keywords into our Anchorage store. We’ll spend 15 minutes with you—no charge, no pressure—to help you find the common threads.
We know that taking this step can feel intimidating, but our promise is to make it a positive, supportive experience. As our wonderful customer Sheena said:
“The owner is also so lovely and helpful.”
Our goal is simply to help you feel more confident and excited about your home.
Click here to schedule your free design consultation.
Step 5: Customer Spotlight: How a Wasilla Homeowner Found Her Voice
We recently worked with a client from Palmer who felt completely lost. She loved both the clean lines of modern design and the warmth of rustic cabins, and she was afraid the two couldn’t coexist. Her “feeling” keywords were “inviting, calm, and connected to nature.”
Together, we realized her voice wasn’t one or the other—it was a beautiful blend. We helped her choose a modern sofa with clean lines but upholstered it in a warm, textured fabric. We paired it with a rustic, live-edge coffee table made by a local Alaskan artisan. By focusing on her feeling keywords instead of strict style rules, she was able to create a space that was uniquely hers—a perfect example of “Modern Alaskan” style.
Your style isn’t something you find; it’s something you uncover. It’s a journey of self-discovery, and it should be a joyful one. If you’re ready to find your voice, let’s talk. Bring your ideas to Let’s Stay Home, and we’ll help you find the pieces that speak your language.
