For anyone struggling to create a space they love, needing some design inspiration, or anyone who just loves home design and decor, I highly recommend Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave by Joanna Gaines. It is the perfect guide on how to love your home! I also recommend buying the hard copy because the paper liner comes off and it makes for a super cute coffee table book/decor piece. Of course Joanna’s book would double as a staple decor item!
Use things that mean something to you
“… surround yourself with items that mean something tot you, and choose furnishings and detail that make you happy or inspired or contented.” – Joanna Gaines
Now these are words I live by when decorating my home. It’s my number one rule! If you need or want something even as simple as a vase, buy one that you love! Hold off for the item that makes you think ‘I need this’ or the one that you love because it looks like one your grandma used to have. It doesn’t need to be that specific. But if you have an idea in your head or an image on pinterest that inspires you, hold off for exactly what you were envisioning! For example, our kitchen island stools, we wanted stools with no back, a cushion top in a linen color, turned wood legs in a light stain. It took us months of searching before we found the ones that were exactly what we’d been looking for (and in the right price point). It’s easy when you’re done installing your new island to run out and buy the first stools you see that look half decent, and maybe you’ll be lucky and find what you want right away, but so worth it to wait for the perfect ones!
Take your time
This has been the hardest thing for me. Once we moved into our home I was in such a rush to get it filled with furniture and decor and get rid of those ’empty home’ vibes, but by doing this I was just filling each room with ‘things’, and began to look that way. Nothing looked or felt finished. It didn’t looked cohesive. Nothing felt like us. Everything was generic, bought just to ‘fill that corner’ or ‘go on that table’ and it wasn’t working. Once I ditched the generic stuff and replaced it with pieces that we loved, everything started coming together. The problem with buying things you love is that it takes time. Like I mentioned already, we went months without kitchen island stools to hold off for the perfect ones. Decor pieces take time too. It might be years before you have the perfect collection of decor pieces that you love. It might even be ongoing forever! So take your time building your collection and finding the right pieces!
Dealing with items you don't love
I think this is super relevant because sometimes we can’t afford to get the thing we really want or it wasn’t what we thought it would be or we used to love the item at one time but something better has come along! I’ve dealt with all of these scenarios time after time, as I’m sure we all have! Here are some of my solutions:
1. Get rid of what you don’t love
First solution is just to return it (if recently purchased) or get rid of it! Sell it and make some money or donate it so someone else can get use out of it. To all my thrifters out there, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure right!?
2. Make it something you love
Second solution is to get creative! Refinish it, make it your next DIY project and turn it into something you love! When we moved in, we were given my in-laws old dining room table. It had a very orange/yellow finish to it which I didn’t like. I sanded the entire thing down and ended up loving the look of the natural wood, so I sealed it up and now I love our dining room table! The impact of changing the color of something is amazing! If you don’t like the look of something and you’re ambitious, I always recommend trying to re-finish it before getting rid of it!
“… you try and fail and then try again, and eventually you figure out what works for you.” – Joanna Gaines
3. Find a more affordable way to get what you love
For those pricey items we’d love to have but can’t afford, there are always cheaper options! The best finds are cheaper lookalikes! Keep your eyes peeled and do some browsing online to find them! If you’re crafty, another option is to make it yourself which will almost always be cheaper! Or, hold off for a sale! I rarely every buy anything unless it’s on sale, I’m super cheap. But with that said, I’m okay to splurge on a good quality item that’s on sale! Anyways, bookmark items you love and subscribe to mail lists at your favorite stores to keep on top of when the sales are on.
Rearrange, rearrange, rearrange
Move things around, be daring and creative! The most outrageous idea might end up being just what your space was missing! Move things around over and over until you get it right! This doesn’t mean you have to move your couches and large furniture if you don’t want to, rearranging could be as simple as switching up throw pillows between rooms or the artwork on the walls. I like to start with a blank slate, empty out as many decor items and clutter as you can to start fresh! Gather up all your items, even things from other rooms, and play around with all the decor you have. What looks good together? What doesn’t? The smallest changes can make the biggest difference!
“…never stop rearranging. It helps keep your home alive and evolving.” – Joanna Gaines
A little inspiration and words of wisdom from Joanna Gaines made all the difference for me. Hopefully you will have some fun creating spaces that make you love your home too.
