Hi Everyone! I’ve gotten the smaller details of our kitchen renovation finalized and I thought I’d take a few minutes to share them with you today! I also wanted to talk a little bit about how to shop with purpose and create a space you love.
But first, guess what? We had a snow day today! The winter’s been really mild here this winter in comparison to last year, and today was the kids very first snow day. We started the morning off with a family favorite – crepes! …and spent most of the day in our pj’s. I love quiet, uneventful days like today. We didn’t get anything measurable accomplished, but it was so nice to just hang out and hunker down together.
But, on to the kitchen. The countertops were installed this week, and I LOVE them, they’re sleek and modern, something similar you’d expect to find if you were to search into Granco Granite or likewise companies for new kitchen upgrades. It’s amazing how much they brighten up the kitchen! We also had a company who can fix appliances out to have a look at the oven, as we were sure there was something wrong with it, but thats all fixed now! We’re still waiting on the backsplash tile, unfortunately, but it looks like it will be arriving next week! I’m so excited for this space to come together, you guys. Remember how I mentioned that I wanted to install some roman shades to soften everything a bit, and add some color and pattern to the space? Well, I decided on what we’re going with!
Here’s what I’m thinking:
‘Number 4’ up there is the fabric that I plan to use for the shades. Isn’t it pretty? I love how soothing the colors are, and it has just the right amount of subtle pattern.
Don’t worry. I’m going to share all of the sources for this, but before I do, I wanted to let you all in on a little ‘trick’ that designers use to get you a space you love, even if you can’t afford to fully realize it right away.
I think that, often, we don’t decorate or create spaces that make us happy because we can’t afford to do everything we want to do in that moment.
When that happens, people usually fall into one of two camps. Some people decide that if they can’t afford to get exactly what they want, then they’d rather save up and live with nothing until they can. The next group of people don’t want to live in an empty space, so they decide to buy a few things here and there, hang up a few pictures every now and then, and create a space that’s collected over time.
I’ve fallen into both of these camps at one time or another over the course of the last 13 years, and in all honesty, both of these mentalities work at certain times – and they’re even important to creating a home you love. But I can honestly say, that if you fall into either of these camps 100% of the time, it’s unlikely you’re going to be happy in your space, and here’s why.
In scenario one, you end up living in a space that feels empty and void, and you spend loads of time dreaming of what it could be, but feeling defeated that it isn’t. In scenario two, you end up spending buckets of money over time, and in the end, you find yourself in a space that isn’t cohesive. But you’re certainly not about to redecorate now, because you’ve already spent so much.
So how do you create a home you love, that feels cohesive in the end, and feels cozy from the get go? You do what designers do, and you plan!
Before you tackle your next decorating project, sit down and copy and paste photos of all of the things you’d love to incorporate into your space. It’ll save you time in the end if you keep track of where you found them too. And then, put it all together on a design board. This can be as simple as a word document. That way you’ll be able to see what’s working and what’s not, and make changes. You can number yours like I did above, to reference where you found each item. Furthermore, get to know your space and what you can do with it. It may be a case that you dislike your living space and the idea of moving is appealing. There’s no point in filling a house that you don’t like. There are sites like Jim Garcia’s that will help you in your property search if it is needed.
So here’s what you do… Buy all of the essential items that you can afford to get. If you’re starting from scratch, this might be a sofa, rug, chair and tv. This is probably what you would have done, even if you didn’t have a plan, except in this situation, you’ve bought a rug and sofa with purpose. You know exactly what colors you’re going to bring into the living room next year, in the next six months, next month, etc. – to create a stunning space. You’re not just buying something because you think you like it, without knowing whether or not you’ll ever be able to find curtains or pillows to complement it!
I use this very same method for clients who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg all at once, but who also want to create a beautiful home that truly captures who they are and feels like “them.” I break the design into ‘phases’ to make the project doable, and there’s no reason why you can’t do the same thing in your home.
And as you can afford to add to your design, add to it! Here’s the living room from this year’s HGTV dream home. So pretty, right? If I were going to break this decorating project into phases, here’s how I’d do it.
Phase 1 : Sofa, 2 pillows, 1 slipper chair, one side table and lamp, one coffee table, curtains and hardware. (I’d also add a family photo or two)
Phase 2: Rug, Second Coffee table, last 4 pillows, 3 accessories
Phase 3: Last side table and lamp, last slipper chair, remainder of accessories
What happens when you plan, is this. You have a design plan from the beginning. You’ve measured, you know what you’ve chosen will fit in your space, you know what color pillows you’re going to need to create the space you want, and you’re not out there shopping willy nilly, not really remembering what you need or knowing if that side table will fit between your couch and closet.
It’ll take a little patience, but soon enough, you’ll be living in your dream space!
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t buy anything that deviates from your plan though, or that you shouldn’t wait to see if you can find a coffee table at an antique shop instead of at a big box store. If something unique speaks to you, and feels like you, get it! The most comfortable and beautiful spaces have a collected feel, so by all means go for those unique finds when you can. But have an overall plan. It’ll make a huge difference in the way you shop, and save you money in the end.
Ok, I hope I haven’t bored anyone to death and that that was actually helpful. Breaking projects into phases revolutionized design for me, and I hope it’ll help you create a space you love as well.
So how about those kitchen sources? Here’s the photo one more time, so you don’t have to scroll all the way to the top.
And the sources!
1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6.| 7. | 8. |
I LOVE the bistro counter stools, and between my birthday, Christmas, and some returns I made awhile back, two of them are already covered! Insert clapping hands emoji here π We bought the lighting a couple of months ago, are ordering the shades tonight, and I may wait a couple of months to get the runners, but I am S U P E R excited to see the space come together you guys. It’s going to be worth all the madness, and I can’t wait.
Wishing you all a fabulous weekend!
Laura ?
Laura says
I’m so glad the post was helpful, Kathryn! Well, it’s probably a good thing that you haven’t bought any large items yet, because now, when you’re ready, you can use this method, and I think it’ll really help you get the space you want. One thing I find to be helpful when accessories are starting to look out of control is to take everything out, and then bring them back in one by one, until things feel pretty, but not so busy. If there’s some leftover, use them in your bedroom, dining room, etc! Have a great Saturday! π
Melissa says
What a great, helpful post. I’ve been wanting to redecorate my living room for a long time but I’m kind of paralyzed because I don’t want to waste my money and I don’t know if I’ll like my choices. So I haven’t done anything! I love how you explained how you would break that living room into phases, but I’d never be able to afford to get so much. My budget will probably be in the $2000 range, including a sofa π Think it’s possible to decorate and plan an entire living room iwht a small budget like that? Melissa
Laura says
Hi Melissa! Yes! I think you could craft a lovely room with that budget. You have a couple of options. Our Ikea sofa was only $400, if you’re open to going that route. You can also get great deals on Overstock, Wayfair, etc., but you won’t get to try it out first. If you’re looking to get a really great quality couch, those can get pricey and might eat up a lot of your budget, but that’s exactly where doing your project in phases will help you tremendously! So it really depends on how much you spend on your sofa, but if you go the cheaper route, that’ll leave you lots of room for decorating right away, and a more expensive one might require more patience, but it’s doable π Good luck!
Beth says
Hi Laura, I follow you on Instagram, and I’ve been loving looking through all your posts today! I love your arrow tutorial! How cute is that! Thank you for sharing how you did it. I might try making one this weekend π
Laura says
Thank you so much, Beth! The arrow was so simple to make, and it’s adorable up on the wall ? tag me on Instagram if you make it! I’d love to see it!