How does your living space inform your Enneagram type?

Thanks to Marlen Komar for a look at how the different Enneagram personality types arrange their space. This was such a fun article to do with my fabulous 'Leadership and the Enneagram' group. They never disappoint. 

The Home Decor Style You Need, Based on Your Enneagram Type

Based on nine distinct numbers, the Enneagram is a tool to help you understand your strengths and challenges. Your Enneagram can be used to guide everything from growing your career and avoiding trouble in relationships to even creating your ideal home environment. Although we have traces of all nine types within us, usually there is one that’s most dominant, and once you identify it, your type will help you understand your preferences and reactions.

Type Twos, Threes, and Fours lead from the heart, while Type Fives, Sixes, and Sevens lead from the head. Type Eights, Nines, and Ones lead from the body, meaning they’re more intuitive and gut-oriented. Want to build a home where you can thrive, according to your Enneagram? We talked to a personality pro to see what decor style is right for each Enneagram type.  

Type 1: The Reformer

Type 1 personalities often get lost in the details, so the less in their houses, the better. Mid-century modern or minimal decor is often a good choice for this reason. “They like to be in control of their immediate environment, and they like things minimalistic because they like to keep things clean,” said Dr. Katherine Jeffery, an Enneagram expert and CEO of KJ Consulting. “The majority of Ones I know also don’t like a lot of color—they like neutral tones with a flash of color here and there.” 

The source of their decor is an additional design concern for this personality type. “Ethics are also often very important to Ones, so they might be conscious consumers, thinking, ‘Buying this is the right thing to do,’” says Jeffery. Perhaps a Type 1 Jeffery works with sums it up best: “I have things linked to justice and equality in my house,” she says. Whether that’s ethically sourced items, fair trade certified linens, or eco-conscious bamboo furniture, Ones want goods that reflect what they stand for.

Type 2: The Helper

“Type 2s are all about needing to be needed, and they feel like they have never met someone that didn’t like them,” says Jeffery. “So when I imagine their houses, the focus is making other people feel welcome.” That’s why a warm, rustic aesthetic is particularly fitting for Twos. Think fluffy blankets, cups of tea, plenty of pillows, and lots of plants.

“Twos tend to forget about their own needs and are often not aware of their needs because they’re busy taking care of people,” says Jeffery. That’s why they also gravitate towards lots of framed photos and sentimental touches—they’re at their best when surrounded by things that remind them of their loved ones.

Type 3: The Achiever

The Achiever is all about image, so their aesthetic would be about impressing visitors—think big name designers and high-end brands. “They’re the people that adapt to look good no matter what environment they’re in,” Jeffery says. “They’re all about setting goals and achieving them.”

That said, what’s considered “impressive” to a Type 3 depends on what community they belong to. For example, an artist might have high-end art hanging on their walls, an athlete might have rare memorabilia on their shelves, and a writer might have an impressive floor to ceiling bookcase. But the one common trait is that whatever their space looks like, it definitely has to make an impression.

Type 4: The Artist/Individualist

Type 4 Artists are very non-conformist and unique. “They don’t want their space to look like anyone else’s—because that’s death to a Four,” says Jeffery. For that reason, colorful maximalism is a good decorating style for these trailblazers. Think flea market finds, one-of-a-kind Etsy decor, and IKEA pieces that have been customized and changed to the point you would never know they came from the big box store. 

Art is also very important to these types. Whether it’s a sculpture, painting, or framed textile, Type 4s always manage to have something no one else has—long before everyone else has it.

Type 5: The Investigator

The Investigators are the ones that are most in their heads, sometimes finding it difficult to really connecting with others. “Fives are all about conserving their resources,” says Jeffery. “They realize they only have so much to give to other people, so when that’s maxed out, they have to withdraw and recharge.” For that reason, Jeffery says they don’t put a lot of time and energy into how they decorate.

That doesn’t mean their houses are bare or at all lacking in style though. Type 5s just prioritize function over form, so practical, traditional decor is what they gravitate towards. A Five would buy a desk because they need a desk—not because it’s an expression of their personality.

Type Six: The Loyalist

The Six often has a lot of anxiety, and they’re constantly searching for security. They often decorate in a way that makes them feel safe once they walk through the door—which is why a sunny style like farmhouse modern feels apropos, especially when you add family heirlooms to the equation. “Sixes have things that make them happy, comfy, and cozy—things that remind them that the world is a good place,” says Jeffery.

“Curated but not contrived” is how a Six that Jeffery works with describes this type’s environment: “Each item, even my plates and coffee mug, have a meaning that reminds me of something I love. I definitely see my home as a retreat from the world, and I have plenty of blankets to cuddle up in.

Type 7: The Enthusiast

“Sevens are the joy bringers and lives of the party,” says Jeffery. “These are the people that veer towards adventure and travel—they are the total FOMO type. They hate to be boxed in, and they have to have choices.”

Because of that, Sevens tend to veer towards an eclectic bohemian aesthetic, decorating with things from their world travels and tokens from outdoor adventures. No bulky antiques for sevens—think easy-to-move-pieces from IKEA, which can be packed up in a pinch if a relationship ends, a job is lost, or if a new adventure is right around the corner.

Type 8: The Challenger

The Eight is very go big or go home—everything is done with intensity and vigor. “The Eight focuses on the big picture and is all about efficiency,” says Jeffery. “They think, ‘I don’t want to waste my time on the little stuff, but when it comes together, I want it to be awesome.’” Because of that, Eights would be prone to hiring designers to execute their grand visions.

But there’s a big difference between the Eight and the Three. The Three is obsessed with design because they want it to look good for visitors, but the Eight wants to truly excellent and cutting edge. That’s why modern decor is a good fit for them.

Type 9: The Peacemaker

The Type 9 is the peacemaker and the mediator; they don’t like conflict, and they want everything to go well and to go smoothly. “Nines don’t assert super strong opinions, and because of that, they take on parts of other people,” says Jeffery. For that reason, if the Nine has a spouse or a roommate, they will probably let them dictate how things look. They wouldn’t want to argue about decor and disrupt the peace, and they have a tendency to copy those around them. 

But even if the Nine lives alone, they often let friends and family dictate their style. “Lots of my furniture and decor was given to me, either hand-me-downs or gifts from my friends or family—almost like I don’t want to assert my own style,” says a Nine that Jeffery works with. Style-wise, something that’s a hybrid, such as shabby chic decor, feels appropriate.

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/home-decor-style-enneagram-36714668

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Katherine Jeffery, PhD.
Generational expert