Decorating your home doesn’t happen overnight. This can be frustrating especially when you see nothing but perfect homes online and in magazines. Chances are you may even feel sometimes like maybe you are doing something wrong or that your home could never look as nice as the images you see of others. The truth is that perfect homes and perfect rooms aren’t reality. The key is to focus on progress, not perfection and embrace your own journey.
Decorating your home, whether you are moving into a new home or you’ve lived there for years, is actually a process that happens slowly over time. At least I strongly believe it should. That’s a topic for another day though.
Decorating your home is never a one and done kind of thing. The key is finding ways of making each space work regardless of the stage it’s in. I think that’s why I tend to focus on the bones of a house; where the traffic flow is, where the doors and windows are, etc. but those types of changes aren’t always possible or easy.
While it’s great to seek inspiration and ideas from all those perfect photos, it’s also important to recognize your progress and enjoy the process instead of focussing on perfection. Remember, most of the time those perfect photos were staged that way to make them look perfect.
Embrace the Process, One Step at a Time
For me personally, I always recommend tackling one room at a time. Start with the spaces that are the most troublesome. Even if that room ties into or flows through to another space, working through your home one step at a time feels more manageable for most people and allows you to see progress more quickly than if you try to do your entire home at once.
Have a Big Picture Plan in Mind
Decorating your home one step at a time doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a big picture plan in mind. What I mean by this is taking a little time before starting in any room to plan out a few basic details that defines the overall look and feel you want your home to have as a whole. In fact, it doesn’t hurt to get a bit specific and define a few key elements like color palette, general style, etc. before starting in any room.
A little up front planning will actually make it much easier for you as you begin to tackle each space in your home.
Know your Tastes will Evolve
Another thing to keep in mind as you decorate your home is that your tastes and even your lifestyle will likely change over time. This means a space you loved five years ago, may be a problem space that needs attention now or in years to come.
This was a lesson I learned the hard way. When B and I first moved into our home, I was obsessed with traditional, more formal interiors with a modern twist. I decorated our family room in deep plum and lots of gold metallic finishes only to realize 6 months in that it totally didn’t fit our lifestyle or vibe. Yes, the room was pretty but it didn’t feel like home. That is the complete opposite of what I wanted to achieve. Don’t make the same mistakes I did.
Acknowledge Progress Big or Small
Finally, when you are feeling frustrated that you home isn’t done or still doesn’t feel right, do your best to take a step back and try to see the things that are done or that do feel right. Maybe it’s something as simple as your current pillow configuration on your sofa or maybe it’s the new drapes you hung in your master bedroom.
Big or small, try to see the improvements you have made and compare that to where you started. I promise it will encourage you and make you feel good about your home’s journey so far.
This is a topic I expect to be revisiting again and again this year. Now that B and I have completed the bulk of the major renovations to our home, I am finding that I’m now ready to address details and decor in spaces I haven’t given a lot of thought to which I hope will make our home feel even more like us.
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