When decorating your home, getting stuck is easy. Maybe you’re not sure what would look right, it’s something you’ve never done before, or you’re waiting for the “perfect” thing to come along. Maybe you’ve scrolled photo after photo of beautifully styled homes and think, “I could never pull that off.”
The reality is: most lovely homes, even those in magazines, on Pinterest or Instagram didn’t come together seamlessly in one perfect weekend. Each project or decor item wasn’t perfectly pre-measured and color-matched.
“The best homes are practiced into being.”
Just like anything else worth doing, creating a home is something you learn by doing. It’s a process of trying things, moving them around, repainting, repurposing, and sometimes even starting over. It takes a dash of bravery, a pinch of vision, and a cup of grace for those efforts along the way.
Near the end of my housecleaning days one of my customers was clearing out and this pair of lamps were in her donation pile. I asked if I could have them and she agreed. Funny to think I’d been dusting these lamps for nearly four years and now they were in my home! They were sad and in need of a face lift. To begin, a fresh coat of paint and thrifted, mismatched shades made a tremendous difference. Then, years later I learned about pleated lampshades… and decided to make my own! With some hand blocked fabric from India, a hot glue gun, scissors, and some time ~ this lamp took on a completely new life!
Here are the three iterations of the same lamp. This is a simple example of practicing in homemaking. A project like this is a great place to start. The stakes are low and it really doesn’t matter if your efforts are a complete flop!
A Home Isn’t a Performance
It can be easy to feel pressure to make our homes look like the ones online ~ effortlessly styled, always tidy, perfectly lit. But real homes are not photo shoots. You don’t stand in the doorway gazing at your room all the day, you live in your home! Your rooms are living, breathing, evolving spaces. For more thoughts on not decorating for the camera, read this post.
“In fact, the best homes are ones that have been lived into.“
You don’t have to get it “right” on the first try. Rooms reflect the journey of the people who inhabit them. That quirky antique you couldn’t resist at the flea market when you were on vacation, the paint color you weren’t sure about but now love ~ these things tell your story. And your story is allowed to unfold in real time, the timeline is your own.
Living Room 2023 ~ Working towards the English Country House look…
Living Room 2025 ~ Two years of slow tweaking…
Give Yourself Permission to Practice
Designing your home is not a pass/fail exam. It’s more like learning to cook: you try a recipe, adjust it, and eventually find your favorite version. You need not all the answers and expertise before beginning. Move that chair to a new spot. Hang the art. Mix those patterns. Light candles and enjoy your perfectly imperfect home. You might not love everything you try, but you’ll learn something with each step. Learning is the point and will get you closer to the home you’re imagining. Home is not built in a day. It’s made in layers, over seasons, with love and a whole lot of practice.
“Style is found in the combination. Pairing some of our favorites from years past, and a couple things that are maybe on trend, and a couple things that were handed down ~ that is what creates our unique style” Myquillyn Smith
“Practice makes a home—and your home for you & your family is worth the effort.”
1963 bathroom… this is the bathroom as we first saw it when moving into our home. That wallpaper felt like it was vibrating! We knew a change was in order, and an updated classic blue bath was what we were envisioning. The version on the right was round one. No wallpaper and a calm, serene blue paint color.
Here are versions three and four. This project was the first time we had chosen tile, and looked for things second-hand. There were moments of uncertainty and error, and if we were doing this bath today we would change some things, but we learned so much, and enjoy this lovely space!
The Courage to Risk
Sometimes, fear of messing up keeps us from ever getting started. But what if the “mistake” you’re worried about ends up being the boldest, most beloved choice you make? What if the sofa that doesn’t match makes the room? What if painting the wall a color you’re not sure about leads you to discover your true style? Taking creative risks, especially small, reversible ones, is part of building confidence in your design. Often, the best discoveries come from the boldest decisions.
“Your home doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to be practiced into being.”
Until next time,
Take care,
Rachel
