Thoughts on Slow Decorating and Enjoying the Process

Right now I've got a million ideas swirling around in my head for our home. There's a running list of projects I'd like to do, furniture I'd like to purchase, spaces I'd like to organize...it's really hard to resist wanting to have it all done and done right now. 

Does anyone else feel this way? I know I can't be alone in this.

Embracing patience while putting together our new home is slightly maddening to me, yet I also know it's the right thing for us. This idea of "slow decorating" might not lead to a magazine-worthy (or Pinterest-worthy) home overnight, but you know what it does do? It gives me time to live in a space, understand how it works (and doesn't work) for our family, be creative about pieces I add or subtract, and learn to enjoy the process itself. The reality is that we don't have the time or budget to transform our house into something magnificent overnight à la HGTV, and I'm learning to be ok with that.

It's also important to remember how far we've come in the four months we've owned this place. Remember this real estate photo of the living room?

Here's where we are now (and actually, this room deserves an update post because things have even changed since this photo was taken!):

Or how about this photo of the previous owners' master bedroom?

It's seen a few happy changes since then as well:

People often ask how the reno/decorating process is going and if the house is done. My answer is usually something along the lines of, "Well, I'd say 'phase one' of the reno is done. We have new floors, paint and light fixtures, a wall came down, and we rearranged the kitchen...but we're planning a full kitchen reno, and I'm still on the hunt for a few key pieces of furniture like a dining room table. If you walked into our house now, you'd probably call it done, but really it's got a ways to go..." The reality is that sometimes I'm really happy with much we've accomplished and how the road ahead looks, and sometimes I'm frustrated at how much we still have to do.

For this home to truly become a place that we love - a place that's welcoming to others and reflects us - I want to be intentional and thoughtful about what we do. I want to be intentional about what I bring into it and how we decorate it. Embracing this idea does have the potential to devolve into plain old indecision, but I'm hoping to avoid that part :).

So what's your part in this? You, my friends, are along for that ride if you're regular readers here. I'll continue to brainstorm and obsess over ideas on the blog, post updates as they happen (if you've learned anything today, you'll know it'll happen slowly!), and hopefully inspire y'all to embrace some slow decorating principles into your own home.


*If you need help making your home into a place you love, take a look at my e-design services: Mix and Match Design Company. I'm passionate about helping folks make thoughtful, intentional decisions about choosing pieces for their spaces!

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