4 Steps to Match Your Home To Your Style
Katie’s special aunt name is Winnie (though I have one who pronounces it Weenie and…it fits, too) and she was swimming with my kids and trying to teach them to chill. Haha! She was trying to teach them “No big deal!” Someone kicked your shin on accident? No big deal! Someone splashed your cheezits? No big deal! Someone didn’t want to race you in the pool? No big deal! However, one kid learned it as “nothing matters!” So now he says “Remember Winnie taught us nothing matters, guys!” Definitely NOT the lesson we were aiming for but we’ll get it over time. I’m here to remind you to chill on your interior design and say to yourself “No big deal!” So my house doesn’t fit my style? No big deal! So everything I like costs 1 million dollars? No big deal! Haha! Here are the 4 steps to match your home to your style:
1. Pause
Take a breath. Don’t panic. So your house looks like Southern Living but your style map results were modern minimalist. Breathe! I’ve got you! With a serious eye take stock of what you’ve got that you LOVE. Let’s make SURE our style map results were correct! Do you collect and display vintage china but got minimalist results? Let’s double check and re-tour the map! Do you love your dad’s old tools and got industrial or farmhouse results? We’re in business. That could work! Also, just because you don’t “get it” or see how your current things could work in a future style—don’t lose hope yet!
2. Purge
Now that we’re sure we’re on the right track go through your home room-by-room or even vignette-by-vignette and remove the things that (a.) you don’t LOVE and (b.) don’t fit your style. I had a collection of antique menswear collars and bowties that I had custom framed. Though they were cool and fun they ultimately weren’t ME. I also collect vintage wedding cake toppers—the thought of getting rid of those just feels wrong! So even though my aesthetic is New Traditional, I’ll be keeping my vintage cake toppers. When I go through these steps in my own family room I’m left with a pink sofa, a cow hide rug, a star chart, some beautiful family photo frames, and a spruce green built-in with brass library lamps. Does it make sense, yet? No! But it will! Is it “complete”? No! But it will be!
3. Dream
DON’T BUY YET! :) I know you’re antsy and you’re getting those targeted ads for furniture, art, and accessories! No big deal! First we have to dream and scheme. Get on Pinterest, dig through instagram, scope our portfolio! Start to gather rooms and spaces that you LOVE, that inspire you, that are somewhere you’d like to live! This is where you can start to see “I’m drawn to colorful sofas” or “I love minimal neutrals with texture”. If you don’t know where to begin truly search Pinterest with “[Your Style Map Results] Living Room”. As you dream do your best to stay true to your style—just because it’s beautiful doesn’t mean it’s for you!
4. Buy in stages
It’s finally time…let the buying begin! But the biggest guide here is just buy one piece at a time. As Darby can attest to—sometimes you’ll buy a whole living room of furniture only to realize you were off track! That’s not the situation I want you to find yourself in! As you come to terms with your new style you’ll get more and more comfortable with purchasing and weeding out things that aren’t quite right! For my living room w/ the cow hide and the pink sofa I started by adding art. I wanted to see how I’d really use the room before going crazy with additional furniture. Now I know I want a little play table in there—it’s a good thing I didn’t buy custom chairs! They’d just be in the way now!
Ultimately, if you’re struggling with HOW to finish off your space, we’re opening up a special webinar, Design 101, for a limited time! We’ll teach you the design science and equip you with the tools to finish your home specifically to you aesthetic!
