How Does this “Decorating” Thing Work?
It’s hard to believe, actually it’s near impossible to believe, but after almost two years of remodeling, Joey and I are ready to start decorating a few rooms. And we don’t know how to do this.
Our 30 years of life have included the rules and restrictions of dormitories and apartments, where walls had to remain stark white and hole-free. While living with my parents, the greatest decorating feat I accomplished was plastering my bedroom walls with images of Sebastian Bach, Axl Rose and other big-haired 90s rock bands. And I just don’t feel it would be appropriate to duplicate that effort at this age.
Now we’re surrounded by unadorned walls, windows and floors and we’re free to do whatever we want to them. You’d think we’d have years of pent-up decorating ideas just waiting to burst forth and splatter the room with gorgeous color and perfectly-placed furniture, but instead we’re like two clueless kids stumbling through a shadowy forest of ottomans, bedroom sets, drapes and menacing sales people.
You see, we’ve never bought a piece of furniture before. Every single thing in our house is a hand-me-down. And I mean Every. Single. Thing. For example, the contents of our living room once sat in my in-law’s den. 
And this dining room set?
It previously filled my in-law’s kitchen.
And the table in our kitchen?
It once resided in my in-law’s garage.
I swear, we did not rob Joey’s parents of all their furniture. They very graciously gave it to us when they moved and purchased a few new items.
Joey and I have racked up hours wandering through furniture stores looking for a bedroom and living room set. Nothing screams “That’s the one” to us. In part, I think it’s because I’m not a “set” kinda gal. They seem so matchy and grown-up. I’d rather stumble upon interesting pieces as I wander through life and buy only what I truly fall in love with. But that would result in me being 50 and probably only owning one chair and perhaps a handmade Moroccan blanket.
Right now, I’m trying to take baby steps and focus on buying bedding for the Master Bedroom. Or I suppose we could just sleep under the pile of clothes sitting on the bed.
By the way, that dresser was my grandparents.
I’m trying to find bedding that matches one of the few pieces of artwork we purchased (from IKEA).
I adore the colors in this machine-made, mass-produced painting. They remind me of fall.
You know what the saddest part is? The Master Bedroom is ready and waiting for us to move in, but since we don’t have bedding for it, we’re still sleeping in the Guest Bedroom. I’m starting to think it’s time for me to just let go of finding “The Perfect Comforter/Duvet Cover” and settle for finding something I can live with and spruce up with throw pillows and blankets.
Or is that wrong? Are you not supposed to buy things (bedding, furniture, art, knick-knacks) unless you love them – unless they speak to you and insist that you own them? Or is it okay to buy things that are “good enough” and then try to enhance them with other items you discover later?
Also, if anyone knows of any websites, stores or other blogs that could inspire us, I’d love to hear what they are. Otherwise, I might just move into a department store where mock bedrooms and living rooms are already set up for me and I can burrow into a new 10-piece bedding set every night of the week. Ah, who am I kidding? I’d totally just spend all my time in the food court or setting up the mannequins in really inappropriate places.
Anyways, please help us if you can! Thank you!
I am no decorator by any stretch — that’s the mother’s department — but I’m learning.
My first recommendations are to put that set in your DR in your kitchen. It’s nice and unless you absolutely HATE it, leaves more money for other stuff. I also like the coffee table in the LR.
I’d say first to browse some showrooms. Find pieces you LIKE that obviously will fit in your house. (This is an issue with the mother. I am the voice of reality in these matters.)
Then, what colors/styles blend with the pieces you like?
This is probably not much help, but hey, I just work at This D*mn House. I don’t decorate it. 🙂
So, maybe that’s some advice. What things would you mind not reusing? Will they fit into any overall design scheme you might be munchin’ on?
I am DEFINITELY from the school of “good enough” until something better comes along. (Could explain why I’m still single, no?)
I have a different philosophy than Nicole – I’m a firm believer in doing without until the right thing shows up. The “right thing” is a little bit like the Supreme Court’s definition of pornography – i.e., I’ll know it when I see it. I think it helps to have a general idea of the kind of shapes, colors, and surfaces you like, rather than walking through a showroom as a blank slate.
Check out the photo galleries on http://www.ambungalow.com and the house tours on http://www.apartmenttherapy.com, for example. Very different styles, one of which appeals to me and one of which appeals to my wife.
(All that said, I think an eclectic, hand-me-down style is pretty darn cool. It definitely makes a better-looking house, in my mind, that dropping $5K at a big-box furniture store.)
Hi Nicole! Your advice is definitely helpful. I think we are going to hold on to the dinning room set and the living room table. We’re planning on turning our walk-up attic into a rec room (someday) and that table will look great up there. I spent more time wandering dept. stores today for bedding…came home empty handed but I’m shopping with a much more open mind!
Jason – First of all, you comment cracked me up (as did Nicole’s last note in hers). Thank you for sharing those sites! I can’t wait to check them out. Because we’re desperate, I think we’re going to bite the bullet and just buy ‘something’ to put on the bed in the Master. We’re going to shop around a bit more before taking the plunge on buying “sets” of any kind though.
I have “gotten by” with stuff until the right one comes along. In doing so, I have 2 rooms in our house done and those are the bathrooms that we redid earlier this year. It doesn’t sound like much but I smile everytime I walk in those rooms.
I found an “inspiration room” in a magazine. Then, I actually made a board for each room just like designers do. I found it extremely helpful as I walked through life. It put into perspective what color my woodwork actually was and how the floor was going to go with that and what colors to put on the wall etc.