DECORATING YOUR HOME and LOVING IT

Your home.  It is your castle, your safe haven, the one place you can be yourself. 

Does your home reflect  you and your idea of a sanctuary?  Are you having difficulty making decisions when it comes to decorating?

 

Below, I will share my tips for making this process as painless as possible.   

 

First, let me tell you, I struggled too, and I found a lot of my answers several years ago in the book,"Simple Abundance" by Sarah Ban Breathnach.  This book helps with  much more than  decorating skills.  It  shows how your daily life can be an expression of your authentic self.  It is a day-by-day guide.  I have given it to several of my closest girl friends. Even though this book is several years old, it is still very relevant today.  I highly recommend it.

 

 As for this post, I will just be focusing on how to DECORATE YOUR HOME and LOVE IT.

 

 Some commonly asked questions and my suggestions:

 

1.  How do I make my home inviting to others, if I have a lot of stuff? 

Use items that you love to decorate your home.  Remember to keep it simple.

Just because you own it doesn't mean you have to display it or keep it. 

Keep only the items you LOVE, or if they fill a necessity.

Down Size (at least visually, if not literally).  If you have a lot of stuff that you love, keep most of it BOXED away (out of sight) and "cycle" displays of your favorite items according to season. Anything you don't love or need, consider donating, selling it at a yard sale, or throwing it away.

Nothing looks messier than a cluttered house.

 

Even hand-me-downs can look nice if kept uncluttered and tidy.

Keep counters cleaned off and choose a simple bowl of fruit or favorite item to make a statement.

If buying a high ticket item like furniture go with a solid color unless you absolutely LOVE the pattern and can live with it for years to come.

Group pictures on the wall with a similar theme, matte color or frame colors.  One picture on a wall looks lonely, especially if it's too small for the wall space. 

 2. What if I don't know what my style is?  There's so much to choose from.
Ever visit some body's home and wish it was your own?  Then go into a furniture store and see a "put together" room you love just as much? Look through a magazine and find a picture that has the most georgeous thing and you want to rip out the page and keep it? (do it by the way!)  Don't be overwhelmed.  It can take a little while to discover your own style.
If that is you, believe it or not, you are half way there.  You are attracted to certain items.  That's good!  Go through some magazines and rip out those pages that appeal to you.  Keep them in a folder or book (you will also find this suggested in the "Simple Abundance" book above). Before you know it, you will have a visual collection of items that appeal to you.  You begin to uncover your inner style.  Your subconsciense knows what you like, even if you think you don't!
Now, go window shopping.  Go look at the department stores and take your camera phone, snap pictures of items you like.
3.  What if I don't have a lot of money to spend?
Try checking out your local Goodwill; second hand shops and garage sales.  As they say "One man's trash is another man's treasure."
Only spend money on items you LOVE.  Don't worry what others will think of your purchase.  This is YOUR home.  You want it to reflect you...and you have GREAT taste!
If you don't have ANY money to spend, set aside a little at a time, make it a treat to finally go out and spend your hard earned money. In the mean time, remember less is more, it's OK to not have much.  We're in the day and age of "we want it now" but sometimes that results in bad purchases.  Take your time.  Build your collection of loved items through out the years.

4. I have some collections and I want to display them.  What is the best way to do this?

Make a statement. Group items together.  

Do you have a rock collection? Stack or place them on a table or in a bowl. 

Have a grouping of plates from Aunt Ruth?  Hang them in a wall grouping instead of pictures. Collect ceramic pigs?  Show them off on a pretty shelf. 

Love coffee?  Create a special coffee bar  (see my earlier post).

Did you inherit dishes from an ancestor?  Display them in a cabinet or on a shelf.

Any grouping of similar items looks better together than apart. 

 

ITEMS TO MAKE YOUR HOME COMFORTABLE:

Pillows

Throws

Vase of Flowers

Plants

Lamps (table, floor and uplighting) & Shades

Bowl of Fruit

Draperies

Fragrance (candles, fragrance outlets, oil diffusers, etc.)

(all of the above items can be changed for each season, spice up with different patterns, textures, fragrances, fruits and flowers)

 

5.  What if my spouse, partner or roommate's taste differs than mine?

Don't worry.  Most people can find a compromise when it comes to decor.  But if you simply have to agree to disagree, try designating certain rooms or areas for each person.  Who's the cook?  Maybe that person can be the decision maker on dishes and kitchen items.  Who spends the most time in the living room? etc...

Or, you can always go for the "eclectic" style - a mix of two or more styles....try it out, it just might work.  After all, this is your space together.  There is a reason the two (or more) of you are sharing the same living space.  Most likely your styles will make a great collage.

Just remember..... keep it simple and UNCLUTTERED.

6. What about my bedroom?

Best advice I can give here is: Keep the bedroom simple, it should be a place to relax....not study, or watching television. One of the best things I did to get a better night sleep, was to remove the television from my bedroom.
Balance the bed with side tables.  Choose matching or similar tables on either side with lamps. 
There's nothing more appealing (or romantic) than to have a made up bed with comfy clean sheets, blankets, comforters and pillows. 
Keeping clutter to a minimum is a must for peaceful sleep, your eyes may be closed, but your mind knows it's there - so pick it up.

Last of all, don't forget your outside curb appeal.  It is the first impression people get of your home.  Keep your lawn nice.  Live in an apartment building?  Pick up around the hallway or walk leading to your door.  Decorate the door and doorstep with seasonal wreaths, plants or other decor.  

  

  We welcome visitors with a Swedish Dala Horse from Lindsborg, KS...close to my hometown. When they approach our house it states our last name (so they know they're at the right house!) and when leaving, it says "Come Again" in Swedish.

 

Hope this helps.  Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions.

Thank you! ~ Kerri

Keep Calm and Kerri On