There are two kinds of homes that instantly feel a little off.

The first is the house that looks like it came straight out of a furniture catalog, where every piece appears to have arrived in the same truck on the same day.

The second is the house that’s trying very, very hard to be a specific style. French Country. Mid-Century Modern. Coastal Grandmother. English Cottage. Pick your label.

And while there’s nothing wrong with loving a particular aesthetic, legendary interior designer Bunny Williams believes that true personal style doesn’t come from committing to a single decorating tribe.

Instead, she compares it to making a salad.

Yes, a salad.

Speaking with House Beautiful‘s Director of Special Projects Carisha Swanson, Bunny Williams explained her approach:

“You make your own recipe for it and you pick something from here, and you don’t want to overdo anything.”

It’s such a simple analogy, but it perfectly captures why some interiors feel deeply personal while others feel like they’re wearing a costume.

Why a Single Style Can Feel Limiting

This light-filled sitting area by Williams Lawrence demonstrates Bunny Williams’ “Salad Method” of decorating, where antiques, artwork, botanical elements, and comfortable furnishings are thoughtfully mixed to create a room that feels collected rather than styled.

One of the most common mistakes people make when decorating is assuming they need to choose a design identity and stick to it religiously.

Suddenly they’re asking questions like:

• Can I mix modern lighting with antique furniture?
• Is this chair too traditional for my contemporary living room?
• Would this artwork work in a coastal house?

The answer is almost always yes.

Williams has long championed rooms that evolve naturally over time. The homes she designs rarely fit neatly into one category. Instead, they feel collected, layered, and lived in.

Not because they’re following a trend, but because they’re reflecting the people who live there.

A house filled exclusively with one style can sometimes feel like a movie set or a museum period room. Beautiful? Absolutely. Personal? Not always.

Think Like a Chef, Not a Decorator

This cozy corner in Ola Zwolenik‘s home perfectly illustrates the “Salad Method” of decorating, mixing bold wall color, vintage-inspired furniture, lush greenery, and playful textiles to create a space full of personality and warmth.

The genius of the Salad Method is that it shifts the conversation away from labels.

Instead of asking, “What style am I?”

Ask:

• What do I genuinely love?
• Which pieces have meaning to me?
• What colors make me feel comfortable?
• What objects have I collected over the years?

Just as a good salad isn’t made from twenty ingredients fighting for attention, a successful room isn’t about cramming in every trend you like.

A little vintage.
A little modern.
Something inherited.
Something handmade.
Something unexpected.

The magic happens in the mix.

Mixing Materials, Not Matching Them

One of the easiest ways to create a home that feels collected rather than predictable is to embrace material contrast. At the Ormond Residence by Alesi, the warmth of Dune oak flooring is paired with the bold veining of Calacatta Viola marble, creating a staircase that feels both grounded and dramatic. It’s a perfect example of Bunny Williams’ “Salad Method” in action: combining different elements that might not traditionally match but work beautifully together. The result is a space with more depth, character, and visual interest than any single material could achieve on its own.

The Takeaway: Stop Decorating by Category

If you’ve been struggling to define your decorating style, Bunny Williams offers a refreshingly liberating alternative:

Don’t.

Instead of chasing a label, start collecting ingredients.

Mix old with new.
Mix formal with casual.
Mix things that make you happy.

Just don’t overdo any one thing.

Because the most interesting homes aren’t the ones that perfectly represent a single aesthetic.

They’re the ones that tell the story of the people living inside them.

And according to Bunny Williams, that’s exactly what good decorating should do.