3 Lessons I’ve Learned in 36 Years as an Interior Designer

In 36 years of being a professional interior designer, I've never stopped learning. In fact, that's one of the things I love most about my profession. There are, however, 3 lessons that stand the test of time and remain constant in their importance as we remodel, furnish, and decorate our beloved spaces…

Splurge on What You Truly Love

I am personally a very budget-conscious consumer, so I completely understand a client's desire to keep the budget in line. But I'm here to tell you, there is something worse than going slightly over budget, and that is REGRET. The pain of paying for something drastically dissipates once we begin to enjoy the benefits of said item, while regret can be a long-lasting burden to bear if we let our perceived budget dictate every decision.   

Now, I'm not saying to ignore a carefully outlined budget or to splurge on everything. Simply put, if the "dream" rug is 25% more than the "okay" rug, then it may be the perfect time to throw caution to the wind and purchase the favorite item. If the most beautiful entry chest you've ever seen is available, but it's twice what you had budgeted for, consider making that purchase in lieu of something less important that you can collect at a later time.

Done is Better Than Perfect 

I have written tons about this over the years, but here it is in a nutshell:  Stop. Searching. For. Perfect. You will be sentencing yourself to a never-ending exercise in drudgery that will drain your joy, energy, and patience. I once met a woman who had been looking for the perfect shade of blue velvet to reupholster a chair in…for 3 years. THREE YEARS, PEOPLE!  Do you think she was experiencing peace and happiness?  

Some more relatable examples of things I hear regularly would be, "I love the lamp, but I don't like the square finial", or "The dining table is gorgeous, the right style/size/budget, but I wish it had a slightly more sloped edge–too bad, it was almost perfect."

Do yourself a huge favor and release yourself from the impossible binds of perfection-focused design. You'll find yourself enjoying the peace and happiness that comes from (finally) enjoying a finished project you'll love. Remember this: "Done is better than perfect".

Start Now

We find ourselves waiting to make improvements in our homes. We say to ourselves, "I'll get to it when...the kids are older, or when I find the right piece (see the previous paragraph :), or when I make more money, etc." Ask yourself these 3 questions: 1. What is the cost to you and your family for putting off living in an organized and uplifting environment? 2. What if the environment you live in actually has more influence over your life than you ever knew? 3. What could you change in your home today that could change how you feel about your home? 

The good news is that there are so many ways to make huge improvements in our homes without significant costs or time requirements. For example, get a hammer and hang those pictures you've been putting off hanging. Take one surface in your home (chest, table, counter) and create an interesting arrangement using some of your favorite items.

Try editing out those dust-collecting, over-populated accents that don't really mean anything to you but contribute to the feel of clutter in your lives. Update your lamps or artwork. These seemingly small steps can make a huge difference in how we feel in our homes.

I love working with my clients to create beautiful homes that they can be comfortable in for years to come. If you're ready to stop overthinking and start designing, I can help!

Which of these was most helpful? I'd love to hear! Reach out to chat anytime!

Warmly,
Kelly