Conquer Your Decorating Fears
It happens every now and then at the home decor shop where I work a day or two a week. Someone comes in, and on the surface, they appear to be perfectly competent and capable in most every aspect of their life. Then, they see me, standing there, looking oh-so-official behind the counter or putting away things on a shelf. Often then approach me and in a near whisper ask "Umm...do you think...this would look good..." then they go on to describe a room or a grouping in their home that they are working on. Sometimes, the people who ask look flustered, and some even confide their deep dark secret in me, saying "I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to decorating."
So I began to wonder: what is it about decorating that intimidates so many people? Some people believe they just don't have an eye for it, so they worry and they pace and fidget and proclaim "oh, I just can't decorate It's just no use! I give up!!" But I believe everyone can have a beautiful home. As with some other things in life, however, many people just need a little help. So I propose the following steps, so you can conquer your decorating fears and have the home you've always dreamed of having:
- Relax. There are few, if any, mistakes in decorating that you can make that can't be undone if you don't like the result. Take chances, mix patterns and colors, try a funky wall color--if something inspires you, go for it. It's not a lifetime commitment you're making, so experiment all you want.
- Research. Watch home decorating shows, browse through decorating magazines, scour the Internet for ideas. When you see a grouping or a room you like, take notes or keep a copy of it, then try to recreate the look (or something similar) in your own home.
- Get help. If you have the resources to hire a decorator, even for just a consultation for a few hours, then do it. If not, try asking a friend whose decorating taste you admire to help you. Sometimes all you need is some reassurance or someone to bounce ideas off of.
Comments
I totally know what you are talking about from personal expierence. My big thing? I've done great on several rooms in the house, and in friends, and now everyone thinks I have a great eye... don't want to disappoint, lol. Totally agree on relaxing and doing some research, never had the moola to hire help.
Posted by: Lyndsey | November 14, 2006 09:20 PM
You have a fantastic blog,
keep updating !
cya
Dion
ps: check mine =)
Posted by: Apartments and Living | November 16, 2006 10:21 AM
Great post, so true... too many people think they have to hire a professional to have a nice looking interior.
I dislike the idea of having a total stranger come in from the side and decorate your home. Shouldn't your home be a reflection of you and your personality? Browsing through magazines and saving clippings of "looks" and styles you like are a great way to go!
You can get the look you want, plus a touch of personality if you're willing to put a little effort and heart into your decorating. (besides, you can always paint over stuff you don't like)
Posted by: Pete | November 18, 2006 10:33 AM
Kathy Ireland says "unleash your personal style" We all have it and just have to find it within ourselves. I went to her web site and she has styleguides that make it easy to decorate you home. It's worth checking out.
Mark
Posted by: Mark Robbins | November 29, 2006 06:21 AM
How True!!! And How Timely ... I am just now "redoing" my bedroom! It's so scarry to cut into that expensive bolt of red silk-look fabric! But once you go ahead and DO IT, it's not so bad! Then the creativity kicks in and the ideas just seems to flow!
Posted by: Jolene | November 29, 2006 06:23 PM