Sometimes in your design journey you are able to plow through a room, and the thrill of watching your house move quickly towards the home you imagine is thrilling! Then there is what I call the slow burn. Just finding a chair for a certain room is taking ages, and the two-toned blue color scheme you found inspiring on Pinterest is on its third set of paint samples… Both scenarios are likely to happen in your design journey (these are real-life examples of mine!). While flying ahead can be exciting there are benefits to both cases ~ with the right mindset.
The Sprint:
There will be chapters in your design journey when everything seems to fall into place. The ideas are flowing, the budget is there, the pieces are coming together—and it’s thrilling right down to your toes. Walls are painted, the perfect furniture finds its perfect place, and suddenly your home begins to look and feel much more like the one you’ve imagined. It’s an energizing, creative rush that makes you feel like you’re finally getting somewhere.
This was the case with our cottage kitchen remodel. This entire transformation took place relatively quickly over the space of a few months. It was very exciting!
The Slow Burn:
But then there are the slow seasons… Progress comes inch by inch. Maybe you’re saving for the next project. Maybe you’re learning a DIY skill for the first time. Or maybe life is full, and home projects have to wait. The slow burn can feel discouraging, but it’s just as much a part of the process as the sprint. In fact, the snail’s pace often brings a clarity that the fast track doesn’t tend to offer.
This was/is the case of our living room. We have remodeled it in phases. First, removing wallpaper and popcorn. Then, painting and finding the perfect replacement sofa after fourteen months of searching. Even this very week, I’ve found a floor lamp that has been on the list for months. But I must say that the fact that this room has had time to simmer has made each decision so much more fitting to this space!
Here is a side-by-side comparison of how the living room has changed over the years. These pictures always amaze me. Sometimes we don’t realize how far we’ve come until we see where we started from!
Both of these rhythms, fast and slow, are completely normal. They’re shaped by three main things: your cash flow, your abilities, and your time. These rhythms will impact your journey, and more importantly, how to work with them instead of against them.
1. Cash Flow: Letting Budget Guide Your Pace
For most of us, the biggest factor in moving forward with designing and decorating our homes is budget. Whether you’re waiting to buy a vintage chandelier, dreaming of new countertops, or hoping to tackle a full room makeover, money plays a role in how quickly we can take action.
This is a limitation. But it is also a prime factor for creating great spaces! The limits of a budget will force creativity and refine your design choices in ways like nothing else can. Sometimes I think the restraints of cash flow are the best interior design course you can take! Consider it an invitation to design with intention.
“If you’re not rushing to buy something, you can wait to buy the right thing.”
I’ve been hunting a comfy reading chair with cottage-y lines for our master bedroom for many months now… This gorgeous antique chair is the perfect example of waiting for the perfect thing. It popped up on Marketplace for just $75. Before I could check with Matt to make arrangements for pick-up, it sold. Sad day! The point is, this chair checked all the boxes for me ~ including great fabric that I wouldn’t have to replace! No, I didn’t get this chair, but I’m learning to embrace the abundance mentality ~ there will be more great chairs that check all the boxes!
If you’re in a slower season because of budget, try this: start gathering inspiration and creating mood boards, hunt for secondhand treasures, or focus on the free or nearly-free projects ~ like rearranging furniture, deep cleaning, or updating a space with paint. These small changes can still move the needle forward and breathe new life into your home.
Here’s an example of how gathering inspiration over time will influence your design. I’ve admired this office set up by Tessa of tessafoleyinteriors.com for a while. I love the blue and white lamp, the pine desk, the fabrics, and the comfy chair. I found this pine desk on MP for $40 or $50 (I don’t remember which), then added the small blue and white lamp I already had with the handmade pleated lampshade from a DIY a few years ago. When setting up this area, I didn’t have Tessa’s picture in mind, but after snapping a photo, I saw the resemblance. It’s exciting to see your home moving in the direction you love without even realizing it!
2. Abilities: Growing Into the Work
Not every home project is about money—sometimes the holdup is confidence or skill. Maybe you’ve never tiled a backsplash, installed wainscoting, or refinished a piece of furniture (I haven’t either ~ yet!). Each new skill is an opportunity to learn and grow, and it’s okay if that growth takes time.
Your design journey is also a craftsmanship journey. Some of the most meaningful spaces are built with our own two hands, slowly and imperfectly. As you gain experience, you may be surprised at what you’re capable of—and that sense of pride makes the finished product even more meaningful.
Don’t be afraid to start small. Try one new skill, and give yourself grace to learn as you go. Over time, those small steps will build confidence.
3. Time: Honoring the Season You’re In
Even if you have the budget and the skill, time can be the biggest barrier of all. Family life, jobs, parenting, health—these things can crowd out even our best-laid design plans. And that’s not a failure. That’s real life. If you’re in a busy season, consider re-framing your expectations. Is there one small thing you can do this month that moves you forward? Could you sketch out a plan, de-clutter one room, or hang that art that’s been leaning against the wall?
The best homes grow in layers like the rings of a tree. And when you look back, you’ll see those slow-moving layers are part of something beautiful.
Recap:
Your home doesn’t have to come together all at once. The home you are creating is for you & your family ~ not Instagram. Fast or slow, each step is progress. Enjoy the exhilaration of the sprint. Savor the rewards of the slow burn. The slow ones—transformational. Refine your taste, build your skills, learn intention patience, and resourcefulness. These things build the best homes! Until next time,
Here’s to the sprint and the slow burn.
Take care,
Rachel
