musings: i. want. perfect.
Fantasy Home :
You’ll never need a decorating budget. You’ll tear out the pages of your favorite home decor rag and recreate the exact same look with here and there minor adjustments. You’ll create a living space without the influence or the opinions of your kids, your pets, your partner or your aging grandparents. Meals magically appear and friends wonder if you’re the June Cleaver incarnate. Conveniently mail never piles high, shoes are always in their rightful place, and important documents are stored away to perfection. Your one dimensional kids will have two to three toys in their rooms,(like in the mag) and the spines in your home library are envy inducing. You’ll live clutter free for an eternity. You.want.perfect.
Reality Check:
Home decor mags and models homes are inspiring; but are designed to sell a dream through the mastery of staging. Think: mini-Hollywood sets. Showrooms begin with a clean slate of a vanilla box and a ginormous Master Closet with four perfectly polished size 6 outfits. Interior Designers have cart blanche budgets. and they don’t have to argue with a partner who doesn’t care about the subtle differences between Robin’s Egg Blue and Tiffany Turquoise. In real life there’s mail, NetFlix envelopes, a budget, recycling, and your kids interests change and shift like the wind. The real reality is that creating a living space that you love takes time and that most people have the three heebie jeebees of no time. no money. and no courage. It’s called having a heartbeat and a pulse. It’s called living.
20 Second Solution: There are no short cuts to getting what you want cause it takes time to develop your own unique brand of style. When I didn’t have a visualized idea or plan of how I wanted to live I would dupe myself into buying what I thought would make me look good in the eyes of other people. Edit your space ruthlessly, case blog and magazine joints and incorporate what you love…some sort of design aesthetic should emerge.
Posted by gt on February 11, 2009
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First L8dy — February 11, 2009 @ 3:09 pm
“When I didn’t have a visualized idea or plan of how I wanted to live I would dupe myself into buying what I thought would make me look good in the eyes of other people.”……………”incorporate what you love…”
Whoo Hallelujia! Yes Lord!
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ChocolateOrchid — February 11, 2009 @ 3:17 pm
Great info. and advice!! I needed this!
Thanks!
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TJ — February 11, 2009 @ 5:35 pm
Staging is a mug, isn’t it? LOL. IKEA are the masters. They can sell water to a mermaid. LOLOL.
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its better than drugs — February 11, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
Decorating is an ever involving project. I’m “perfecting” my bedroom now. It’s blue; don’t know if it’s Robin’s egg or Tiffany but it sure is relaxing.
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Nerd Girl — February 12, 2009 @ 11:20 am
So true! I have to constantly remind myself that our home is just that – our home – and it will never be as lovely and perfect as a magazine or showroom. Thanks for this.
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