We had some fun paging through the House Tour photos recently, trying to spot decorating themes we hadn’t noticed before. Some preferences are obvious: a light, airy aesthetic with neutral colors, touches of soft blue and grass green, white curtains, a mix of dark wood and painted white furniture, and yes—an embarrassing fondness for white ceramic animals. But beyond those clear choices, it’s interesting to see the subtler patterns that surface only when you view the rooms together.
Take bedding, for example. In each of our three bedrooms we’ve chosen patterned bedding. We don’t usually use bold graphic prints throughout the house—most of our rooms rely on layered textures rather than loud patterns—so it surprised us that every bedroom ended up with a distinct patterned look. The guest room features a high-contrast geometric set,…
…our master leans toward a softer graphic motif,…
…and the third bedroom shows a modern floral pattern. Even the sunroom daybed is dressed with small geometric pillows, so clearly we favor bedding with personality rather than plain white everywhere.
Another clear throughline is our love of natural materials. Bamboo blinds appear in several rooms, jute rugs show up in multiple spaces, and small accents often lean toward organic textures—woven baskets in the bathroom, cork used as vase filler, natural-fiber planters, and woven pillows in the den and third bedroom.
We also noticed a subtle animal motif running through the house. Beyond the ceramic animals we keep as decor, there’s a cow-print pillow in the den, a pair of ceramic horns on the mantel, a zebra pillow in the mudroom, and numerous portraits and photos of Burger, including a silhouette of his profile.
Alongside the natural and animal accents, there’s a beachy, sea-life thread too—botanical and ocean-inspired prints, a clam shell in the kitchen, starfish and faux coral scattered around. These pieces enhance the breezy, coastal vibe we favor.
We discovered we’re also a little obsessed with mirrors: there are mirrors in most rooms, often large and statement-making. Mirrors add light and depth, and we’ve used them repeatedly to amplify the airy feeling in our spaces.
Another habit is choosing one large, eye-catching object for nearly every room: a huge clock in the sunroom, an oversized hurricane by the den fireplace, large jars on a coffee table, a life-sized greyhound figure, oversized frames, and the big clam shell in the kitchen. These oversized pieces provide visual anchors when we don’t rely on bold color everywhere.
Lighting choices reveal another pattern: glass-based lamps are everywhere. We have a glass pendant above the kitchen sink, glass table lamps in the living room, and a large glass gourd lamp in the guest bedroom. In fact, nearly all our table lamps have glass bases, which quietly unifies the rooms.
We also prefer clean-lined drum shades on almost every lamp, a small but consistent detail that keeps the lighting cohesive and modern.
Finally, subtle tone-on-tone stripes appear in several places: painted on the porch floor, along the half-bath walls, and woven into jute rugs in the kitchen and third bedroom. These understated stripes add interest without competing with the overall calm palette.
So yes, we tend to stockpile patterned bedding, jute rugs, natural objects, animal accents, beachy pieces, mirrors, glass lamps, drum shades, and subtle stripes. It may sound predictable to some, but repeating certain materials, colors, and textures across rooms creates a cohesive flow—especially in a modestly sized home. We still enjoy unexpected pops—a bright quilted headboard here, a patterned yellow rug there—so we don’t go overly matchy. Instead, these recurring choices help define a signature style that feels like us. What patterns do you keep returning to in your home?