Decorating or redesign in your future?  Maybe a new space, or just want a new look, but you’re hitting a wall. The design shows, social media, et al make it look so easy….but where, and how do *you* start?? 

Would about if I told you that you really do know how to do this?  Most people think its starts with finding the right product. Trust me, it doesn’t.

I’m with Glenda the Good Witch and Obi-Wan Kenobi : What gives you power is within. 

Not looking for your decorating or redesign project to be guided by fictional superhero characters? OK, then think about the last time you did a jigsaw puzzle.

Empty the box, it’s a jumble. Might be kind of what you’re feeling your space has morphed into because you know, you’ve been busy with things like family, career, and just living your life?

So first, you make sure everything you’re working with is known and seen, i.e., is on the table. After putting the box cover nearby so you don’t lose track of the goal, you turn the pieces over and one by one, take a really good look. Chances are you set aside the corner and perimeter pieces first, right?

These pieces define the puzzle. Your first being clear on all you have to work with, and on your priorities gives your project purpose, and gives you confidence. 

• Time and cost are just as valid parameters as using your mom’s DR table or having a BR you really like waking up to. But you’ll live with the results longer than you’ll wait for them, or pay for them. So TRH recommends knowing what’s in your heart first.
• Best to put anything that has ‘guilt’,  ‘should’ or ‘ought’ associated with it aside, at least for the moment. Just like the puzzle pieces you don’t quite know what to do with yet.

As you work through your decorating or redesign process remember:

• Sometimes you can get too close, and have to step away. Things can look very different with fresh eyes, even the next morning.
• Don’t force anything. It doesn’t work with puzzle pieces, and rarely works as part of good design choices
• Collaboration is good (even if it annoys the heck out of you :))
• Details are numerous. And sometimes they can blur together.  Also not as much fun as seeing big pieces come together but stick with it. They are necessary for a good, finished product.

Last, will share the biggest regret new decorating or redesign clients come to me with. Exuberant to ‘finally get SOMETHING done’ they pick a single something they see and just lovelovelove. Then they make other decisions because they love these elements too, and it goes with the first element.

But somewhere along the way, it goes south. They’ve shopped themselves into a corner. Things didn’t look, fit or work in the space like they thought they would, and they don’t know where to go next. Or worse, they spend more time, money and spirit trying to make these things work.

Steve Jobs-one of my favorite non-fictional superheroes-once said “Good design isn’t how something looks, it’s how it works”.  Thousands of projects over the years, The Refreshed Home counsels clients that while guidance will be helpful, but know that once you’re pointed in the right direction, you will choose well.