We moved into our new home in the middle of winter — a winter in Minnesota. Home projects are emerging quickly as a fun way to get in the snow and keep us busy with the adventure of shopping for new items to fill our new spaces.
While some of my favorite pieces from past lives and spaces have quickly found new homes, I’ve found countless vacancies — walls await. new artwork, spare bedroom waiting to become a dreamy guest oasis, green patches on the lower floor that never should have started. I quickly began to feel overwhelmed, thinking, a lot of work needs to be done, like now, but, on what budget?
After a few weeks of asking myself the same questions, I decided to pause and map out a more possible and enjoyable path to redecorating our new space.
I share some of my humble knowledge with you below so you too can enjoy a more peaceful journey in your own new space.
Sometimes it pays to wait to paint.
One of our first house guests said, the week we moved in, “You know, paint colors look different in every light and every season.” While it’s hard to see the pale green downstairs during those long winter months, I realize that when spring comes, that a) the pale green isn’t as bad as I thought and b) The warmer months and brighter light leave me more open to a larger vision to our lower level rather than a new paint color as a temporary solution.
From the decor, to the carpet, to the floors, to the artwork, I find myself enjoying the process of visualizing a whole new space through the plethora of online and Pinterest inspirations. Now, a year later, we have a clear picture of what we want for the space and a better approach to our budget to slowly put together a larger plan that we know. will result in longer-term satisfaction.
Live in a space for a while to discover what you really want from it.
“Oh, this would be the perfect room for a home office.” Yes, the “home office” is now our beloved gym that we use every day. Why? Because the nearby location is perfect — right next to our bedroom and bathroom, so it fits into our daily routine and is a “no excuse” space to get rid of a quick sweat. fast. This interesting change happened to a few rooms in our house. And in retrospect, it was silly for me to want to bring specific ideas into certain spaces, without first living in them.
We can all agree that the arrangement of a proper living space, bedroom and dining place (kitchen) is quite practical and necessary regardless of space or area. Those other rooms and spaces can often be a great opportunity to see how your everyday nature creates places that really fit into your everyday life. For example, if you enjoy reading and playing games, consider an ideal space for those activities with your partner or hosting your guests. It can even be a small area within a larger space.
This filter has given me the patience to hold tight before decorating certain spaces in our home because I know it’s time to fill them up, an approach that will be appropriate and long-lasting for me. our lifestyle.
At the end of the day, this filter gave me the patience to decorate certain spaces in our home because I knew it was time to fill them up, an approach that would be just right and lasting for me. our lifestyle.
Don’t say goodbye too quickly for “new” reasons.
Old things can feel new in a new space. We brought some traditional but very beautiful artwork into our new home and I immediately put it in the back closet, thinking I would sell it all and find something shiny and new. After collecting dust for several months, I broke into the closet one fall day and had an “aha” moment, realizing the perfect pieces for our entryway. I did not make the connection when we first moved in because they are pre-existing images in the living/dining space.
Just because something you brought has got a place in an old space, doesn’t mean it can’t feel new in a new place. All in all, I find what I really love is the approach of mixing and matching in some new finds to complement my old favorites.
Brooke is an everyday freelance marketing consultant and creative soul — maybe she’s figuring out a new recipe or homemade beauty routine right now. She’s passionate about finding healthier alternatives to makeup products and cosmetics that many women use every day, and bringing a balanced approach to everyday life.
