Our move to our new house was hectic and felt overwhelming at times. As I am sure many can relate, from experience, the first few weeks feel as if there are not enough hours to unpack and organize while continuing the day-to-day activities. For me, it was no different, and now that I am starting to come out on the other side of the move, I have finally looked around to determine how this home will be decorated to suit our evolving tastes.
From the moment we saw the house plans and lot, I knew that I wanted to decorate in a way that I had not before and incorporate plenty of color, warmth, and softness in each room. As a lifelong planner, I created design sketches, floorplans, and renderings for almost every room in the house, down to the millwork that will make each space feel distinctive.
Social media has produced an environment where people often think that rooms at home are transformed in days, if not weeks. However, I find that in reality completely changing or upgrading any room in your home can sometimes take years. Whether it is because choosing a wall color is difficult, finding the right furniture piece is challenging, or simply saving for each item, time is always the most important factor. Today, I would like to share what I think of decorating at your own pace and how I plan for projects.
When it comes to transforming my home, understanding the overall costs for each project well in advance allows me to determine which spaces can be renovated first or if there is a way to do a little in each area to have them come together. I need to know precisely what a room will look like at the end so that it does not feel discouraging as I slowly add all the elements and avoid straying from my budget. The reality is that, like many of you, I have a limited amount of funds that I choose to dedicate at any one time to decorating my house. In the beginning, most of those funds go towards addressing the main large items like a longer sofa or a new dining set (absolutely necessary for us). Still, after a time, I cannot help but turn my attention to the accessories that for me can truly alter a room’s ambiance.
Inspiration: Sherry HarT Designs / Angela Wheeler design
A prime example is our kitchen. Of all the rooms in our home, this is the one that has almost reached its first milestone, but my list of the projects remaining for this space feels a bit long (I plan on adding legs, trim, and corbels to the island, painting it a new color, and adding contrasting counter stools). This does not include the accessories I want to add over time that really will make it feel lived in, like a set of potted herbs in the window, more artwork above upgraded light switches, and a tall rustic vase for the island top.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the projects I am not yet ready to take on in this room (currently prepping and saving for some outdoor work), I instead review my project list and pick an item that will make an impact and for which there is a budget. That brings us to this lovely Etsy find.
When I walked through our kitchen (when this kitchen window was just an opening), I knew that I wanted to eventually hang a beautiful café curtain on a thin curtain rod with pinch rings. So last year, I started setting aside the budget for this small project, and finally, all the pieces arrived. The café curtain hardware set is from Rejuvenation in an oil-rubbed bronze finish that will go well with the French curtain rods we plan to add elsewhere to this open-concept space. I purchased the pinch rings from them as well, but I may need to order more as this curtain is a bit wider than I imagined.
The café curtain itself is from the DankinDecor Etsy shop, and I love everything about it. This off-white linen fabric looks and feels so soft, and light filters through so that this corner stays bright and breezy. My favorite part? The double pleats! Usually, windows use two panels, but I do not need privacy, just the softness, and I want to keep the other half of the window available for potted plants this summer.
The total cost for this window update was $157.00, and although that is not exorbitantly expensive, when you have many rooms that require some version of this AFTER the furniture is purchased, the totals add up. So, I will be patient and decorate with pieces that truly speak to me, add value, and inspire and bring joy each day. I hope that this post helps to encourage you to make decisions with patience while you assess and transform your home. All good things take time!
Leave a Reply