Editor’s Note: This post, originally published October 2020, will help you get to the core of what matters most to you in terms of design… *before* you start Start redecorating your house. We recommend keeping it on hand as a handy reference the next time you want to redecorate!
For some people, the ability to redecorate your home sparks creativity and excitement. But I will say that for most of us, it can be daunting! Where do you start? How do you picture hundreds of different factors in your head before pulling out your credit card and praying that you’ll like the results?
Whether you’re frustrated with continuing with a new design or changing an existing look, there are always a few questions I like to ask myself before embarking on a redecoration project. Making these decisions involves being honest about how you’ll live in the space, understanding the budget you want to stick to, and deciding on the key design elements you’d most like to showcase.
Most importantly, redecorating your home doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
It’s about prioritizing, trusting your vision and remembering that there are no RIGHT answers, only choices.
1. Am I okay with slow travel, based on factors like budget, shipping schedule, etc.?
Very few people have the budget to remodel the guts, so you can take it a little slower which is usually part of the process. Having enough patience to extend the time can also save you some money in the long run. Another benefit of slowing down? There’s room to adjust as you go, and there’s not a lot of pressure to get everything “right” right away.
Try your best not to rush through the process. Once you answer the questions below and get to the root of your personal style, start making a list of what you want to tackle in the space and prioritize. One step at a time folks.
2. Am I honest with myself about how I really live?
Asking this question will help you consider the material, fabric, layout, and other design elements that work best for you. Let’s say you like the look of cement tiles but hate dirty floors. Know how Matters working over time sometimes mean letting go of something you love in favor of something you can live with. Specific case: cement tile Inner kitchen floor our first house. From the second it was installed, Joe hated cleaning it. We ended up spending a thousand times getting rid of itonly after spending thousands of dollars to put it in.
So be sure to consider the lifestyle you (and everyone else in your family) live. What factors will make your daily life easier? What are the things you can live without? This includes different types of furniture, fabrics and decorations. It is important to consider other elements of your lifestyle as a way to inform your interior design preferences.
Are you troubled about your clothes and shoes? It is best to choose a fabric for furniture that has the ability to hide stains and is resistant to heavy wear.
How often do you change your accessories for a new look? Spend your money on classic pieces of furniture (navy blue, navy blue, gray) and hunt for smaller decorative pieces at thrift shop.
When you know how you live and how you treat things, you can stop focusing on just what you want and instead focus on finding both things you love. and what suits your lifestyle.
3. What I really am can not stand about space?
I want you to pretend you just moved in. Or maybe you just did! The purpose of this exercise is to look at your space with fresh eyes. Often, we have preconceived ideas about what works and what doesn’t, and it starts as soon as we move in. Sometimes we decide that we hate something based solely on our initial reaction when we look it over and decide to sign that lease or mortgage.
But the thing is, if you just moved in, you’re just guessing what you like and don’t like. It takes time to understand what is working in a space and it is important to allow yourself time to get used to it (at least a month or so) and afterward Make a list of the things you absolutely cannot tolerate. I think you will be surprised how your views change. Or, how your perspective changes as you accept that there are certain things about your space that you will have to keep.
It takes time to understand what is working in a space and it is important to allow yourself time to get used to it (at least a month or so) and afterward Make a list of the things you absolutely cannot tolerate. I think you will be surprised how your views change.
For example, I think bathtub in the master bathroom would be the first thing I wanted to change when we moved in, but I hung a shower curtain instead and it was fine. Is that my favorite thing about the house? Far away from it. Do I like it? ARE NOT! Will I change it in the end? Right. But there are more pressing aspects of the home that need to be addressed.
It sure feels great to not be focused on how much I hate that tub every time I step in. I decided to accept it and deal with it later. And that, my friends, is a much more pleasant way of bathing!
The same thought process worked with our kitchen. I thought I wouldn’t be able to STAND cook there. BUT, for the most part, we’ve really learned to work with it over the past six months. Actually, there are many aspects of the composition that I am keeping in the long term because they work and work for our family. Why spend money to change something just because? All I’m saying is keep an open mind. You may be surprised to find yourself liking your home more than you initially realized.
4. What do I like about the design of other spaces?
This is when we can dream. Have you been in any space that impressed you? Think beyond color and design. Think FEELING. Memory. Think about your past travels, whether visiting friends and family or staying at a hotel. Ask yourself what you like about the rooms you’ve stayed in and what factors make them feel at home. You want to get rid of the Instagram algorithm that gives you the same content and think of real-life examples of spaces that you love.
This is when we can dream. Have you been in any space that impressed you? Think beyond color and design. Think FEELING. Memory. Think about past trips.
Through noticing what makes other places unique, I have learned more about what I want my own home to feel like. I find that I feel more at home in places that are a bit quirky and characterful, where antiques and historical objects draw me in. I still love modern spaces and I think if I ever build a cabin or vacation home, that would be visibly minimalist and serene.
I don’t think I would have noticed that difference if I hadn’t focused on the feel of the different spaces. Cultivating design elements that have stood out to you elsewhere will help you define what you want in your own home.
5. How would I implement elements of my personal style into this space?
Look at what you’ve saved on Pinterest and Instagram and ask yourself what you like about each of those images (take private with details and write them down!).
Like things and decide that they are suitable for your Home are two very different concepts. Choose wallpaper in the library as an example. If I choose a pattern in a vacuum, my selection will be very different from the wallpaper I actually selected, and the result will be far from the look I want to achieve in our home.
What do you like intuitive And how do you like the space? feel can be two separate things; Try to find a middle ground between the two and consider it a good place to start in your own home.
Designing a home is an organic, continuous process. It’s a series of decisions that produce a different outcome. Not available Mistake option; it is always a matter of preference. If you consider each decision (paint color, furniture, decor, etc.) as the be-all and end-all of the room, it can feel numb. The most important thing is that you are testing yourself as you go and taking the overall results lightly.
It’s really clear what you want your house to look like and feel like, move through the process slowly and trust that it will all come together in the end.
Kate is currently learning to play the ukulele, leaving her husband, children and dogs desperate. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.
