Let Your Home Reflect Your Personality
I have an artist friend. I love to visit her home. It’s ever changing. There are always surprises. It’s bright, it’s
colorful, it’s energetic There is no question about who lives there. I love that!
Your home tells the story of who you are. What’s
your home saying about you? Do you see reflections of who you are through the pictures and accessories and colors you’ve chosen?
Or are you buried by clutter and surrounded by a mish-mash of things collected over the years?
Sometimes decorating (or lack of decorating)
just happens. It could be a lack of thought or effort. It could be that you remodeled years ago and you never got around to updating.
It could be a fear of making mistakes. It could be a lack of money. None of those excuses have
to slow you down.
There are great options at many price points. Target is one source of good retail pricing IKEA is another. They offer
merchandise that’s
on trend at affordable prices. I am a big believer in buying the best furniture you can afford. Quality lasts. However, accessories like
pillows, lamps, throws and picture frames don’t always have to be the most expensive. Mixing items from different stores and different
price points keeps it interesting and unique.
If you’re afraid of making mistakes, start slowly and let your confidence build. If
you haven’t updated in awhile, remember
that we are ever evolving creatures You’re not the same person who decorated your home ten years ago and you no longer have the
same needs. If you find yourself buried in clutter, take steps to eliminate it. Keep only the best. Honor your possessions, give them
a proper place. Show off your treasures.
Here are a few ways to personalize your home:
- Isolate your style: Identify colors that you are drawn to. Are they warm or cool tones?
Think warm and inviting vs. cool and calm. There are so many style possibilities. It might be easiest to think in terms of stores that
you are drawn to. Do you like Pier One or Cost Plus
World Market? Then you like the global style If you are a world traveler, it would be very easy to incorporate treasures from your travels.
If you are drawn to Room and Board or IKEA, it may be because of the modern furniture and graphic prints. Companies like Ballard Design
and Room and Board’s Retrospect offer traditional furnishings with a twist. Once you’ve figured out your style, shopping will
be much more efficient. You will learn which stores and sites offer your style and you won’t feel as overwhelmed by the choices.
- Use
color. Paint is one of the cheapest fixes available. You get so much drama for so little money. Selecting paint from a paint
chip is difficult. The paint industry realizes this and they’ve taken steps to make it easier for you. Narrow down your choices
and then buy small sample containers and paint a sample or two on your wall. Look at the paint at different times of day and in different
lights.
If you see a paint color that you like on a wall at a furniture store or in a model home, ask for the paint number. They are often happy
to tell you the number and the vendor.
- Use what you have. You may already own what you need. Gather your accessories in one place. Start
playing around with different arrangements. Group items that are of a similar color. Cluster small items together. Changing things around
makes them feel fresh.
- Showcase your treasures. Get them out of boxes and put them on display. If these items are important enough to
keep, they are important enough to display. Create a memory wall. Enlarge and frame your favorite family photos and create a home gallery.
- Display
your travel treasures. Pull out the antique quilt your Grandmother made. This is where your personality will shine through.
The things that surround
you are the things that will tell your story to your guests.
KAREN HENKE is a professional organizer and the owner of Come2Order. With a collection of 17 years work experience in design, space planning and organization, she now helps others come to order. |
SIGN UP
