Disclaimer: I am not an interior designer. In no way, shape, or form am I an expert nor do I think that I am. On at least a weekly basis I am asked to help with people's potential design challenges and I share what has worked for me. I just wanted to share some of my thoughts on how to make your living space one that you love!
I have always loved designing and creating. I didn't always have the means to do it, but I could visualize spaces and how I wanted them to look. I often fell into the trap of thinking that if you wanted to design a space, you had to be able to do it all at once. I was really wrong! I would get frustrated that things didn't look how I wanted them even though I could picture it in my head. I fell into the trap of wanting an HGTV space on a recent college grad budget.
Enter in:
Secrets From a Stylist. If you can find the very first season to watch, I highly recommend it! Not every episode ended up with a space I would want, but the way Emily would explain things helped me slowly figure out what my style was. And that style rules were meant to be broken if it meant you were happy.
So, here is what has worked for me.
Layering. Texture. Patience. Tweaking.
I love mixing textures. Old and new. I also love having things in my home that are intentional. Quite a few of these things were handed down to me from family members. Some are special gifts. The tiny ceramic container is from a special trip. It represents careful collecting over a decent amount of time. It didn't all come together at once. The TV stand came with boring handles so I swapped them out for more interesting ones. I've spray painted lamp bases. Refinished hand me down bedside tables. Sometimes you look past what something is to what it could be.
I take inspiration pictures ALL THE TIME. Of something that evokes a certain feeling - that I want to recreate. I love the feeling of mixing old and new and creating cozy spaces. I think some people may call my style cluttered and eclectic. I'm ok with that.
Some of my inspiration has to be scaled back to fit in the space I have/ I live in reality.
Example:
Inspiration: Colorful collection of books packed on shelves.
Reality: 1 of several bookshelves around our home with my loosely organized, growing, book collection. I also like using books in unexpected places to show them off.
Inspiration: The Wall on Mental Floss. I love the random collection, but who has that much awesome stuff to fit into that big of a shelf.
Reality: My mom handed off an old shadow box to me a few years ago. As I was sorting through things, I realized I did have a nice collection of random objects for a slightly more tamed version of The Wall.
My biggest rule is that I have to love it. Don't buy something temporary to fill a space. Wait until you find something you truly love. Ben actually nailed it on the head while wandering around an antique shop this week - If you don't love it at the store, you're not going to love it in your home. Sometimes this means getting creative with how to make some of those things you fall in love with work in your space and not just add to the clutter.
This sugar/creamer set was two separate visits to the antique shop. I fell in love the first visit, but couldn't think of a use for a cream and sugar bowl. The second visit was to take them home as earring and bracelet holders!
This set is currently available at Brass Armadillo for anyone in need of some hobnail milk glass!
Another part of my design philosophy - don't be afraid to put some holes in your walls. Holes are fillable. You can always change your mind. Since we live in an apartment, we can't paint our walls. Being able to surround myself with artwork helps it feel a little more like home than just a space we are temporarily.
Gallery walls are a great way to incorporate a lot of things in one space. Clearly I use the mixing texture rule liberally. I also don't believe a gallery wall has to be just pictures/artwork. Adding mirrors brings light into our otherwise dark dining room. Having metallic accents does the same. Mixing woods helps keep things from getting too matchy matchy (which is totally ok if that is your style!) for me. Design rules are basically do what makes you happy. Mix metals. Mix woods. Coordinating is key. I'm usually a cool toned person, but keeping pops of warm here and there keeps our space from feeling cold.
I also love hanging things that have meaning or remind me of something/someone special.
If you're in Des Moines -
Domestica in the East Village is an awesome place to find unique prints and artwork. I have always loved trees. Of all the trees, birches are my favorite and they are found in various forms in my home. These prints also incorporate cardinals (symbols of loved ones you've lost) and also the changing seasons.
I used a whole lot of vintage handkerchiefs in our wedding decor and framed one and put it up on the wall.
This painting was entered in the fine arts category at the Iowa State Fair a few years ago. I spent the next few months tracking down a print.
Natalie Groves is an Iowa transplant and a phenomenal artist! Clearly, nature and animals (and of course birch trees) are a common theme throughout our home and this is a subtle nod to the State Fair which I love so much.
Your design aesthetic is probably going to change over time. In college, my dorm room had an India vibe. Pinks, purples, satins, gold, and even a netted canopy. I loved it, still do...but I don't feel the need to hold onto that because the space I want to live in now isn't really any of those things. I want to sleep in a space that almost feels boutique hotel. Clean. Light. 30 years from now, who know what I'll be sleeping in. Give yourself time to grow. Even now, my style is evolving. I've let go of certain things that I thought I had to have and have kept hold of the things that I love. My budget still isn't too much bigger than that of a recent college grad so I've had to have patience to get where I am at!
The last piece of advice I have is make spaces that make you happy. As I've slowly put together the spaces in our apartment (and really my living spaces over the past decade) the biggest thing I've loved is walking into a space that I've finally finished and smiling. I love hearing people say that my home feels "homey."
Alright, whose ready to hit up the antique stores and flea markets?!
