Tips for Timeless Design

I am so excited about my basement. We have finished painting. For those who haven't seen, we chose a mint color. You can see it in my part 2 of the basement. While you are at it, you should definitely read part 1 of finishing the basement too though!

now while I am waiting on the baseboards and carpet, I have been trying to think about where all of my wonderful picture frames and art work will go. I have been planning these things out in other rooms for many years and have made many mistakes. At this point, I have a good idea of what makes a successful and long lasting room and what really turns into a disaster. Here are my thoughts and pieces of advice for those who are wondering how to design and decorate their space to where it will last!

1. IS THIS ME? from the popular movie, "The Blind Side", I always remember Sandra Bullock's character, Leigh Ann saying something like, "you choose something think of yourself wearing it and say to yourself: Is this me?" lol. I try to think about that a lot when it comes to house design. The truth is their are millions of great ideas and tons that I like but many of those tons do not really fit my lifestyle, personality, and circumstances (not to mention my budget at times). I have tried to find the things that really are practical and creative for my life. Remember to ask yourself, "is this me?"

2. CAN I SEE IT IN THE ROOM? If you can't picture it in the room, it's probably not the right pick. Many times I have gone to the thrift store and found this amazing piece of furniture but I didn't bother to think about where it would go and how I would make it fit in my space. The truth is, you should already be able to see it in your mind when you are the store. You should know where it might go and why it will fit with your design pieces in that room. If you can't, it's best to move on.

3. WILL I WANT IT FOREVER? Oh boy, this is a tough one but really great. Their are a few things I have created in my house that I stare at and know that I  want it forever and just can never see myself getting rid of it no matter how much money I have. If I move, I will recreate it or take it with me. I just love it that much. Wouldn't it be great if everything in our home was like this? Well the truth is, we change and so do our priorities but I believe that finding timeless and meaningful pieces is the key to long lasting design.  You want to find those memories and pieces of beauty that remind you of your favorite vacation or earliest memory because those are the pieces that mean so much and you never want to throw away. Some tips on doing this would be making them or engraving them...discovering your style so it's not too trendy and goes out of style and then becomes an eye sore to you.

Now again, I DO NOT KNOW EVERYTHING! (don't tell my husband) but I do believe that if you can focus on these 3 tips, you will begin to create a longer lasting and better house design. You will find more beauty in the pieces you choose and discover ways to keep them in the family for years to come.