Can We Guess Your Decorating Style Based on Your Favorite Book Genre? See If We Got It Right
How someone spends their free time can say a lot about them. From their comfort TV show to the song they have on repeat, there’s a lot to learn about someone based on their go-to movies, hobbies, and books. Since the pandemic, there has been a resurgence of reading (hello, BookTok and academia decor) as more people turn to the hobby as a way to relax and unwind.
As with other hobbies, the books you read can reveal a lot about you and your personal style—and we’re taking our best guess at your personal home style based on your favorite book genre. Ranging from timeless classics to modern fantasy, find your go-to book genre and see if we guessed your style correctly.
Romance: Warm, Cozy, and Inviting
Carson Downing
Rosy hues, scalloped edges, and floral patterns are synonymous with romance books because of the warm, fluttery feeling a good love story leaves the reader with. If classic romance is your favorite book genre, we think you want your home to be a warm and inviting space to enjoy with loved ones or by yourself for a self-care night. With lots of natural light, soft edges, vintage pieces collected over time, your home aesthetic will look like the setting of your favorite rom-com.
Mystery: Moody Hues and Expertly Curated Decor
Annie Schlechter
Reminiscent of the famous Clue board game, if mystery books are your favorite, your home most likely includes moody-colored walls, vintage floral patterns, and pops of green. As you would piece together the clues to solve a mystery, you’ve pieced together items in your home over time to create a beautifully, curated home. While nothing exactly matches, all of the colors, patterns, and textures blend together seamlessly to tell a unique design story.
Historical Fiction: Original Elements
Brie Williams | Prop Styling: Frances Bailey
Because historical fiction is based on history, your home should, too. If you prefer to read historical fiction, we think you put your home’s history on display. From keeping original wood floors and brick fireplaces to highlighting architectural details unique to when the home was built, we think your home is likely bursting with character and stories to tell for years to come.
The Classics: Modern Traditional
Matt Dutile
Few color combinations are as classic as black and white. If your favorite book genre includes tried-and-true classics like Little Women, The Great Gatsby, and To Kill a Mockingbird, we think your decor style sticks to the basics with a few modern touches. With a black and white color palette, this style elevates minimalism by adding greenery and natural wood.
Thrillers: Rustic Cabin Aesthetic
Kimberly Gavin
A remote cabin in the woods makes the perfect backdrop for some of the most well-known thrillers. If you love books that keep you on the edge of your seat or up at night (we’re looking at you, Stephen King), you probably love the atmosphere of a rustic cabin. Not only do cabins make for great settings in books, but they also offer plenty of cozy spots to cuddle up with a book and read by the fire. With creaky wood floors, piles of throw blankets, and natural stone focal points, cabins are the quintessential thriller location.
Young Adult: Playful and Colorful
Donna Dotan
Mixing sophisticated themes with playful colors and patterns is right up your alley if your favorite book genre is young adult. To achieve these ideas in your home, maybe you covered a formal dining room with pastel paint or an accent wall with bold, floral wallpaper. Inspired by the mixing of themes in young adult books, we bet you love pairing older, thrifted items with on-trend decor pieces to create a personally curated space.
Beach Reads: Coastal Cottage
James Nathan Schroder
After a sun-soaked day of laying on the beach and reading Emily Henry or Elin Hilderbrand books, you’re coming home to a cozy, coastal cottage for the rest of your night. If your favorite books are beach reads, we expect your home style to be straight from a Nancy Meyers movie. Built around shades of blue and cream, vintage patterns, and woven textures, your home style is cozy and welcoming.
Fantasy: Antique Decor and Quirky Spaces
Nathan Schroder
One thing readers love about fantasy books is that you’re transported to a new, magical world. Like the detailed world-building in your favorite books, if you’re favorite genre is fantasy, your home style is all about paying attention to detail to create a one-of-a-kind getaway. Incorporating antique finds, greenery, and utilizing your home’s quirky features, like alcoves and nooks, are just a few of the ways your home is set apart from the rest on the block.
Children’s Books: Colorful Maximalism
Sian Richards
If your favorite book genre is children’s books, your home is your happy place—an ever-changing space to express your creativity and push design boundaries. We think your home aesthetic embraces the playful nature of the maximalist trend and includes lots of curve motifs, patterns, knick-knacks, and, of course, tons of color. Your home might also include a designated hobby space to practice music, sewing, or crafting.
Nonfiction: Functional Decor
Noah Webb
Nonfiction is arguably the most widespread and all-encompassing book genre. It includes memoirs, religious texts, and historical, political, and self-help books. If you love to read nonfiction, you need a space that’s just as versatile as the genre. We bet you love functional spaces that serve multiple purposes, like a library that doubles as an office or a multi-purpose room. No matter the room, we’re sure it includes a comfy chair set aside for reading.
