Aries Moon at 00 in the 1st house. I want brand new. The problem with brand new is that people of course, are not brand new, even if they reinvent themselves. Also, this is not financially feasible all the time. Slowly, over the course of about a year and a half, I have been been getting rid of stuff that was clearly picked out by my boyfriend’s exes. Of course, he won’t let me get rid of the expensive stuff – including this ugly oriental carpet we’re paying through the nose to clean – but I have been getting rid of ugly things. Cheesy wine stoppers. His ex-wife’s giant, inept paintings. Ornate table lamps. Things I find distasteful; things that look like the kind of furnishings that hillbillies buy when they win the lottery. Things that come in muted colors. Fake flowers, fake fruit.

Aries Moon likes bold design and color. We don’t like a lot of fussy stuff, and we HATE antiques. We think they belong in museums, not in homes. Second hand things are okay for some types if they can be re-purposed and the old owner is anonymous.

My boyfriend has better taste than his ex’s, I think, because he likes what I like, so hopefully, we can redecorate this place.

What are the tastemakers in the astrological chart? Not the moon per se; this is more about the home and what makes you feel secure and comfortable. Of course, Venus, but also, Jupiter. The planets on the cusps of the 2nd, 5th, and 8th houses? What about planets in these houses? How about the outer planets? Of course, the Sun must mean something, as well as the rising sign.

The problem with trying to delineate taste is that people often have contradictory expressions. They may like something a lot, but may not want to purchase it and have it in their home. My ex-husband was like this: he liked the way well-designed things looked, but as far as purchases for the home, he had to have the final say in home decor (yes, he was a beta male), and his taste was very, very bland. Beige, sage, and dusty blues. Fighting over taste, in fact, can be an issue when Venus is in a T-square, especially if it is at the apex of the T-square. I have this, too: I think I know best, even when I change my mind.

So, to figure out what a person likes, first go to the rising sign. A Capricorn rising tends to like structured things: well-tailored suits, well-designed furniture, classic pieces but not ornate, and especially not floral. Stripes. Things that are useful in some way, even if only to convey a message of power, wealth, or not being old yet (these folks are old when they are young and young when they are old; they actually become more youthful — and immature — the older they are). A Pisces rising on the other hand, will either like shimmery, flowing things with curves, or camouflaged items (a lamp that actually looks like an umbrella, for example), ombre, or multicolored patterns that swirl, like the reflection of light in oil. They will also dress comfortably, because they physically can’t stand rigid clothing and may look strange in it if they have curved, soft bodies.

On the other hand, both of these signs can augment their aesthetic to please others. Capricorn may cleave to another if it shows success (buy your gold digger that gaudy necklace she wants), and Pisces is easily influenced by people who may tell them they’re wrong (especially Cancer, who can be an even worse know-it-all than Virgo). Whether or not they are easily influenced depends on other factors, but even when giving into another, rising signs still show in some manner, if not in something very personal, like hairstyle, or whether or not they use or display any gifts given to them by people with differing tastes.

Leo rising tends to like trendy things, and may be prone to attention-getting styles, like big sunglasses, bleaching hair, getting tattoos, etc. For the home, the same. However, Leo rising isn’t a trendsetter. That’s Aquarius rising, which does it’s own thing because it has no choice, and moves on when that thing becomes the latest trend for everyone else. Gender-bending is also a possible style, and Aquarius rising likes electronics, industrial inspired design and futuristic stuff.

Aries rising doesn’t give a fuck about style so long as whatever it is is new, non-breakable, and doesn’t require a lot of fuss. And new. No hand-me-downs, antiques, or vintage, please. Virgo rising too doesn’t like a lot of fuss, and actually isn’t prone to collections, but tends to have the most pedestrian tastes and prefer solid, muted colors but things that are well-made with nice details, but not too many. Sagittarius rising tends to like oddities, foreign things, and sofabeds and reversible jackets and other multiple-use things. Libra rising likes pretty things in bright, warm colors and likes patterns, flowers, and trimmings. They’re also fond of candles and lipstick, especially dark lipstick, for some reason. Scorpio rising tends toward dark, bold, mysterious design. They like antiqued silver, velvet, old dark wood and stained-glass windows. They like colors that others may find unsettling, like poison green, mustard yellow, blood red, black, magenta, and day-glo purple. Taurus rising is the one most likely to have a house full of plants, and they prefer not to use credit cards, so when they finally have a home of comfy furniture, hold onto it forever. On the other hand, this is the sign probably most likely to enjoy shabby chic (Pisces just tends to wear things out until it’s all straight-up shabby), old houses, clogs, comfy sweaters, long skirts, scarves and purses – they accessorize well. Gemini, however, accessories extensively, and may be prone to too much because they can’t choose. They are always changing their hair, their look, their clothes to fit the latest trends with the kids, no matter how old they are. Aesthetically, there is usually too much, but not on purpose. Gemini isn’t dripping with jewels, but she may be wearing too much make-up, or she may have fried her hair from too much styling. Or, she has given up on all of it and looks like Peter Pan. They are prone to eclectic tastes when it comes to permanent things like a home and may have a different style for every room. Cancer rising tends to want to make home a home and may be the people actually buying stuff from the LL Bean catalog. Wreaths, nice kitchens, comfy polos and sneakers, sweatpants, and khakis. Gingham print, tiny floral designs, doilies, etc.

But not everyone is their rising sign. The sun will tell you about how they go about acquiring their looks and what they use it for. A Sagittarius sun with Pisces rising is not going to look like Stevie Nicks, as this person will probably have a love-hate relationship with shoes and may not have the patience to acquire all the things you might find in a mermaid’s home, as Sagittarius looks and likes but rarely commits. Either way, there will be clutter. An Aries rising with a Taurus Moon may be prone to shopping addiction and have a lot of junk.

Venus will tell you a few things. It will tell you what kinds of possessions the person likes and values. Jupiter will tell you what sorts of gifts they may like (Venus does too, but gifts are free, and Jupiter rules receiving from generosity). A person with Venus and Jupiter in the same element probably values the same types of things. If Venus is in Capricorn and Jupiter in Virgo, this person will like Earth-type gifts. A great one is cash or a gift card. Others may hate this, but this way, the person can get what they really want and not be disappointed (Capricorn) or have to figure out what to do with a useless item (Virgo). Let’s say this person also has the sun in Sagittarius. Perhaps he has a great sense of humor. He probably does. However, his ruling planet in Virgo doesn’t let him enjoy gag gifts, which are useless, and Capricorn knows that the joke is more for the giver than the receiver and ultimately ends up useless. This is where aesthetic gets confusing.

The moon tells you what this person likes to feel secure. It also tells you a lot about what they like to eat, though this can be confusing, especially if there are also planets in the 6th house and/or a strong Jupiter element. Some people aren’t that into food (empty 6th house, moon not strong, lack of Earth signs), and some people really have a strong relationship to food. This too, can be confusing. Someone with the moon in Aries may really appreciate spicy foods, meat, and power foods, but also, McDonald’s, because it is fast and filling. Sagittarius is similar there, in that it does want to eat exotic foods and enjoys all the trappings of shellfish and brightly colored dishes, but also has a fascination with packaged foods. Libra tends to like sweet foods, but also may really struggle with binging and purging. Virgo may like health foods and bland foods, but also eat things like Kale and bitter melon for health reasons. They may either hate or totally rely on coffee, little in between. Gemini is hungry now, wants it quick, and probably doesn’t cook. Cancer probably does cook, and cooks well, but would rather someone else do it or wishes that everyone else just stay the fuck out of the kitchen and let her do her thing.

How to feed someone: first, look at the moon sign to get a clue. Then, look at the Venus sign. If the moon is in Aries, a burger is good, but if Venus is in Capricorn, better make that a waygu burger with roquefort cheese and grilled anjou pears. If Venus is in Sagittarius, make it a mexican burger with salsa and guacamole. If Venus is in Aquarius, make it a Euro-Asian fusion burger in a restaurant with blue lighting. If Venus is in Pisces, make it a shrimp po-boy instead, and serve with cocktails. If Venus is in Aries, McDonald’s is just fine, but if you want a second date, add jalapenos. If Venus is Taurus, make it a veggie burger. If Venus is in Gemini, just insist the burger is the latest trend and she’ll eat it. If Venus is in Cancer, grill it yourself at home and smother it with cheese. If Venus is in Leo, it doesn’t matter what the burger looks or tastes like so long as it costs a lot of money. If Venus is in Libra, make it a cupcake burger.  If Venus is in Scorpio, make it rare and eat it in a dark hole in the wall that tourists never visit.

If the moon is in Leo, you better take her somewhere nice. Again, look to Venus. But also, look to Jupiter to see what she might order on your dime. If Jupiter is in Leo, the most expensive thing. If in Capricorn, the thing she is least likely to spill on herself. If in Virgo, the thing least likely to cause her indigestion. If in Pisces, whatever you’re getting, or something soupy or saucy. If in Scorpio, whatever seems sexy or dangerous, like raw oysters. If Libra, salad, but she will leave room for dessert. If Sagittarius, whatever is made of the strangest cut of meat or animal on the menu, or whatever has the biggest portion, or the most side dishes. If Aries, steak. If Taurus, whatever has the most vegetables. If Cancer, whatever is the most familiar. If Aquarius, the thing with the most complicated recipe (especially it involves freezing). If Gemini, the lightest meal possible.

Then, look to the sun. If the moon is in Leo and she has Venus in Scorpio and Jupiter in Virgo, you should take her somewhere since so she can order something sexy like raw oysters but only if they are the freshest. However, if she has the sun in Sagittarius, she may be patiently waiting to get through dinner so you two can go out and do something fun together, because Sagittarius finds small talk painfully boring and secretly fears her clumsiness will cause her to do something bad. Stumble on a rock on a couple’s hike = cute. Spill cocktail sauce on your white shirt = not so cute. This is the type of woman who really like to be comfortable enough with you already to skip the formalities, but not comfortable enough that she will fart in front of you (yet). A better choice to impress this Sagittarius sun with a Leo moon is to take her on a trip around a fabulous city, doing the driving, the buying, and the suggesting of things only those in the know have experienced.

When we think about the home, we do want to concentrate more on the moon, but also on the planet ruling the 4th house, planets in the 4th house, and whatever is going on with the 4th house ruler. Then, look to the placement of Venus. I have the moon in Aries at 00, the Aries Point, Venus at 00 Capricorn at the apex of my chart. Gemini on the cusp of the 4th house in the 8th house conjunct Uranus. I want brand new: out with the old and in with the new. And no junk! Now, with the moon in the 1st house, I appreciate nostalgia and history, but I hate living in old buildings where there hasn’t been some decent renovations. I don’t like hand-me-down anything.  I don’t like having antiques unless there is a very personal story attached to it, and it has to be my story, not someone else’s. And it needs to fit my aesthetic or else I will not feel as if it is my home. I also hate fake things. I would rather have none than something fake. I like bright, bold colors. I like daring forms. I like things that look like I probably can’t break them too easily. From there, you can integrate the other factors and see how they support that Aries need to be number one, the only one, wiping out the past and moving forward.