# Home Style — a reference doc for curating design inspiration

A running record of taste preferences, written so an assistant (or a
friend, or a future you) can filter and recommend without re-explaining
everything each time. Started for a home remodel; the format works for
any visual-taste problem where you want curated options instead of an
endless scroll.

## Color palette
- Neutral and earthy tones overall.
- Medium depth, not too light/pale, not too dark either. Sweet spot is a
  medium warm tone (e.g. cognac, rust, camel, warm tan/brown).
- Reasoning: two young kids in the house, so very light/pale upholstery
  is impractical (shows dirt/stains easily) and very dark reads too
  heavy. A mid-tone earthy color hides wear better while staying warm.

## Furniture style
- Mid-century modern: clean lines, square/track arms, simple tufting,
  low-profile frames.

## Materials
- Natural finishes (wood, stone) over fabricated/synthetic materials
  when there's a choice. Applies across furniture, surfaces, and
  finishes generally.

## Wood tones & finishes
- Lighter tones for wood specifically, not dark. This is the opposite
  direction from the upholstery/fabric rule above: medium warm tones
  for fabric, but light natural oak/honey tones for wood.
- Matte/raw finish only. No shiny/glossy lacquered wood.

## What to filter out
- Anything that doesn't match the palette or material rules above,
  even if it's a popular/trending pin.
- Specific product placements or brand combos that don't fit the
  aesthetic, even if the overall photo style is right.
- Rejected examples so far: light grey/mauve velvet, off-white/cream,
  and beige-on-the-lighter-end pieces (too light given kids in the
  house).

## How this gets used
Paired with a repeatable search-and-filter pass: search for the style
terms above, pull candidate images, and keep only the ones that match
every rule, not just the vibe. The point isn't "browse Pinterest," it's
"end up with a short, curated list without falling into the scroll."