This is a Question of Regional Decor

Oh man, I was so hoping to get a bigger response to my post yesterday! (EEWW!!  Hate it!  Love it!  What's with the fake plants? I want those fancy swags in my house!)  But I have to say the ones I got made me think a bit.  One commenter said she really liked the decor from the Palm Beach house but "maybe that's the Northerner in me".  Huh!  Is it completely silly that I really never thought about regional tastes in interior design?

Well, I shouldn't say I've never thought about it...but really very little.  And not in a sweeping geographical sense at all.  For instance, I'm from the South and I kind of know that my house was decorated similarly to most of my friend's homes, you know no huge differences that shocked me when I visited.  

Very Southern look to me, lots of florals, plaids, very traditional...via here

And I definitely noticed when I moved to South Florida that people decorate their homes VERY differently from where I grew up.  But I really chalked that up to a Florida thing (and lets face it, everyone in South Florida is a Northerner.  Yes, everyone, I'm dealing in generalities here).  I remember for years (and really still feel this way) visiting furniture stores here and not liking a thing in them.  There seem to be two distinct design aesthetics here: everything is beachy~ think wicker, blue and white, seashells and sailboats, white wood furniture. 

via Cottage and Bungalow 

At the other end of the spectrum furniture is very ornate, dark woods, and over the top window dressings and fancy silk/satin brocade bedding. Heavy on the antiques, light on the rustic and linen.

In the last couple of years as I've become heavily interested in interior design and a LOVER of decorating blogs, I have noticed some other regional "looks".  It is pretty common knowledge in the blogosphere that there is a pervasive style of decorating coming out of Houston, Texas.  Now there are a LOT of great bloggers out there from Houston, and a lot of great designers, so that could really be swaying this discussion, and I'm super crazy about the 'look' that many of them seem to flock too.  Think linen, seagrass, distressed wood (but not shabby chic, per se), lots of grey paint, with a thoughtful touch of French antiques...I like to call it Comfortably Formal.  

Above pics are Houston designer Lisa Epley's home via La Dolce Vita (a wonderful Houston blogger!)

Another Lisa Epley design, via Cote de Texas (the queen of linen and seagrass, for sure)

via Cote de Texas

via Cote de Texas

via Cote de Texas and YES I will post this picture a hundred more times on this blog because I'm NUTS about this room!

Okay, so I think you got it!  Clearly I'm very partial to this design.  Now I really don't know what other 'looks' can be attributed to other regions.  I think you can find a lot more modern decor in places like New York and LA and all across America...but I'm talking about distinct decor that you can find in house after house after house in certain areas of the country.  

Where do you live?  What style or look do you consider to be pretty typical of your area?

Baylor said something the other day and I told him I was about to die I was laughing so hard.  Now he says "I'm about to die!" all. the. time.  Yesterday I said "you didn't say that to Ms. Tracie (his teacher) did you??" and he said "Yeah I did!!"  The things that sweet lady must hear from him.