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I have enjoyed decorating every inch of the homes I have lived in for the past 40 years. Through all this time I learned a few things about the decorating process through design education, research, trial and error and DIY resourcefulness.
Through all the hours spent decorating my spaces, one thing I always try to keep in mind as I decorate is the decorating advice my mother gave me many years ago.
Her advice was to take your time when decorating your home, have patience and don’t buy the first thing that catches your eye or buy something simply to fill a space or to get a room done. Let the room evolve and build upon it with only items you truly love.
I have kept this advice foremost in my mind whenever I decorate my home or make changes.
Waiting for just the right piece of decor may take time and be hard as most of us like instant gratification, including me. But that feeling can be fleeting especially if something was bought or added on a whim or to keep up with decorating trends.
I have been guilty of this in my early days of decorating my house, but learned firsthand that by waiting I was able to get a look I truly wanted.
For instance in my previous house, the kitchen had two open shelves that were not tall enough to fit much.
At the time, square and rectangular baskets on shelves was a popular decorating trend in kitchen design and I wanted the look, but not the cost of having to get a kitchen remodel.
I knew I loved baskets and they would be a good investment as I could use and decorate with the baskets in other ways if I tired of how they looked in the kitchen.
To get the look I went in search of a set of identical baskets that would fit into the shelves. This was not an easy feat. I went to IKEA, but none of the many baskets they sold fit.
After searching for weeks, I found a basket that would fit at TJ Maxx. They had 3 and I bought them hoping I would find 3 more eventually to fill the shelves since TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods do sell some of the same items.
It took 9 months for me to find 3 more of the baskets for the shelves at TJ Maxx. By waiting, I got exactly what I wanted, it was almost as if finding the baskets that fit perfectly into the shelves was meant to be.
When we moved from that house to live in my current home, the baskets got a new color and home. I use them in a wall cubby in the garage so they are still being used in a very visual way making them a good investment.
More recently when I needed a side table in my living room, I couldn’t find a table in the style I had in mind. On a whim I bought a round metal table thinking it would fit into my decor vision. It didn’t. Money wasted.
I vowed that I would temporarily use a TV tray table I had until I found the table that I envisioned for the room. It took a while and then one day not intending to find or buy anything while browsing in a furniture showroom I came upon a huge basket sitting in the clearance section. I knew immediately that I had just found my table.
Yes, it took time and willingness to live with the TV tray table until I found what I wanted, but worth the wait. I like the big basket so much that a few years later I found a smaller one that I placed next to it to hold throw blankets.
Seeing both the TJ Maxx set of baskets and the basket table on a daily basis reminds me that by being patient, I was rewarded, not only getting the look I wanted for my home, but a great price and decor that fits my personal style of decorating perfectly.
In the Influencer society we live in today, it’s easy to want what we see online and in decorating magazines and want it now. FOMO is real.
I have challenged myself to become better at making the decision to wait before I buy anything especially on a whim. Waiting gives you the time to think if you really want or need it. Most of the time you will find, you don’t after thinking about it.
I followed this “wait it out advice” recently when I saw candle sconces from Magnolia Home on Pinterest. I envisioned them on the stacked stone wallpapered wall in my kitchen.
But they were sold out. At first I was sad I missed out, but reminded myself that if I truly want to add sconces to the wall to hold battery operated candles, I will find something similar.
When out and about and browsing online, I kept searching and found Pottery Barn had an identical sconce, but again it was a popular item that sold out fast. I also found candle sconces that held pillar candles. I liked these but didn’t love them, so I just kept looking.
After about 2 months of searching I found something better while at Hobby Lobby buying fabric.
I didn’t even think about looking for candle sconces there, but on my way up to the front of the store to check out, I walked through an aisle filled with them and stopped in my tracks when I saw a pair of taper candle sconces with wrapped cord hanging on the display.
I didn’t even hesitate knowing that I just came upon a set of even better sconces for the style of decor I like. I loved that they were unique and also cost a whole lot less than the Magnolia Home sconces.
These inexpensive sconces have reinforced my mother’s decorating advice to take my time when decorating. Doing so allowed me to think, “Do I really want or need this and does it truly fit my style?“
I found out that by waiting, that yes I did want them and eventually found something better suited to my decor.
I now call my mom’s advice “the decorating waiting game.” It has saved me from making mistake purchases that end up being given away or donated since the items were never right for me and my personal style in decorating my home.
Learning to take the time to think before purchasing anything can be a very good thing when decorating so that the decor in your home truly reflects your overall vision and style. Waiting when decorating really does pay off.