Magnolia Network Star Katie Saro's Best Tips For Identifying Your Unique Design Style - Exclusive

Taking time to decorate and design your home is more than just a trivial activity or a way to make your space look nice — it's also a reflection of your personality. Even the most minimalist of spaces says a lot about the person who put it together. That means that when you're considering updating your home decor, the pieces you choose can serve as symbolic representations of who you are and what you value.

Translating that concept into something that fits you can be a little difficult, though, especially as a beginner — how can a couch express your personality? Especially when you're shopping secondhand or for vintage furniture and decor, it can be hard to pinpoint what is most reflective of who you are. It can easily become even more overwhelming and hard to navigate if you're new to secondhand home shopping. But Katie Saro from Magnolia Network's "The Art of Vintage" knows all about how to use vintage furniture to design a personality-filled home, and in an exclusive interview with House Digest, she shared her top tips on the subject.

Katie Saro's personal design style is very unique and reflective of her own personality, but she's also skilled at identifying that uniqueness and personality in clients. First, Saro learns what they love. "I try to spend time with them and get to know who they are and what they love," she said. Next, she watches them shop, when possible. "It could be that they pick out one bowl, and from that one bowl, I could pick out what their style is and build an entire room around that one bowl."

But how do you identify that for yourself? "Only buy things that really make you excited," Saro emphasized. "You don't need to worry about adding personality to a room, because you are the personality."

To create a home reflective of your tastes and values, then, pick items that are authentically you. A simple trick from Saro is to "pick things that make you gasp when you see them." Over time, as you fill your home with more things you love and resonate with, you'll fill it with your personality. "Everybody who comes and visits your house will be able to see your personality and those things that you love," she said.

All episodes of "The Art of Vintage" are available to stream on discovery+ and the Magnolia app.