Living (and Loving) What You Have in Your Home . . .Right Now
Having patience in life is a practice. We all want what we want . . . when we want it, right?
Here are some of the benefits of taking the time to wait on overhauling the decor in your home:
Living with something (like ugly tile) for a longer period of time than what you would like can save you a lot of money and aggravation.
Believe me I know this – after I buy a home (that will always need work), I’m anxious to dig in right away. That’s not always possible for a variety of reasons. Difficult to find your crew, lack of funds, not knowing where to begin or having no idea how to make an affordable improvement.
If you have to do something (especially prior to moving in) I’d suggest you begin with paint. It makes the biggest difference and is the greatest bang for your buck. I’m a fan of neutrals to start and painting an entire home one or a very complimentary color palette.
Next, I’d focus on refinishing floors (if you’re lucky enough to have hardwood floors) and only if they need it. The biggest reason is the amount of dust this creates. I know this. Trust me.
Lighting makes a huge difference and swapping out dated light fixtures for ones that appeal to you more can also be a very cost effective way to upgrade your home for less money.
2. Waiting to purchase all new furnishings (or many new pieces).
Why? Because you may find that if you had jumped the gun and invested in THE perfect sofa, loveseat, side chair, dining table, etc. for your space. Only to learn later that the table is really too big/small given that you want to use your existing sideboard that was your grandmother’s.
Move the pieces you love into your new home and wait for it. Wait for ideas to percolate. I have also physically moved so many of my furniture pieces from one room to another until it feels just right. The exercise of seeing where your existing furniture pieces might live their best life has been a fruitful one. I’m happier now with the items I’ve had for a long time that have found their groove in my new home.
3. Prioritizing what needs to be done . . . and doing the most important job first.
Some projects will be more important than others. For me in this new (very old) condo, it was the kitchen. The electricity did not meet code requirements and would limit my ability to get new appliances (that were desperately needed) and was a safety concern. I did that while living through the renovation. Go to @nancymichaelsinteriors on Instagram to see the process of my kitchen renovation and an almost complete transformation. Still need a couple of cabinets that have been ordered, a window treatment and skirt under a counter/pantry area. It’s getting there.
Because of the budget, it made it (relatively) easy to NOT renovate my bathrooms. Truth be told, I would have loved to have a spa like bathrooms – at least one, mine – but we can’t do everything all at once. Or, most of us can’t. I can wait and have thought of a few ways to “upgrade” my bathroom on a budget. Details to follow.
There’s also something “charming” about the all yellow and black tile bathrooms. Thankfully, tile can be painted. Phew!
4. There are some amazing deals to be had out there . . . if you’re open to them and the work it might take to get them.
As you know if you’ve been following me, I love a bargain (and will splurge if I absolutely love something that I know – or are 99% sure – I can’t find elsewhere). The truth is it takes a lot of time and patience, but it can be so rewarding when you find the ideal item at a great price that will be perfect (or pretty close) in your home.
However (you knew there would be a “but wait . . .” moment), love takes time and patience. Worth saying again.
Most of my success in finding items I love has been on Facebook Marketplace. Few pointers (and maybe this warrants an entire series of blogs) is that you have to know what you’re looking for and be looking . . . a lot. Be sure to get details on the condition of pieces, the dimensions, and any specific instructions for pick up. That’s an entirely different and frustrating story, but it matters.
Moving in a space and seeing how you are living (or would like to live) in your home can chart the course of when, where and why you’ll invest in specific areas of your home. It also helps to identify what's the most important thing for you and your family.
Here’s the bottomline. A home takes time to become your home. It’s best not to rush it – similar to a relationship – as it will evolve and grow with time.
My hope for you is that you have a Home, Sweet Home and know that this is a process! Or, as my mentor Joan used to say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
Stylishly Yours
Nancy
Remember to keep up to date on what i’m doing on my Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/nancymichaelsinteriors/?hl=en and on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nancymichaelsinteriors/