Balancing trends, facing lifestyle shifts, and expanding tastes, ... all these affect your decor and art decisions.
Toss in personal preferences, and your partner's favorites ... well ... home decor becomes challenging.
Styling your home is not as clear-cut as hiring a plumber to fix a leaky faucet. With the plumber, when he leaves, your level of satisfaction is measured by if the faucet no longer leaks.
Simple and straightforward.
Whereas, home décor satisfaction cannot be measured quite so easily!
Primarily because your individual style in interior decorating is always growing and evolving.
Why?
Two reasons
1. The power of trends.
You respond to trends by what captivates your attention and fits your needs at the time, be it wall words, sponge-painted walls, or matching floral couch and drape sets. At first you think, "how cool" and incorporate the fad into your home.
Then you start noticing the craze more often, and before long you see it everywhere. A couple of years down the road, it's one reason you're ready to redecorate.
2. The function of your home adds to the evolution of your decor style.
As your children grow, or your personal hobbies broaden or change, the function of your home will shift.
Physically uprooting and moving to new home will push you to switch things up, too.
When you don't respond to these lifestyle changes, your home becomes outdated as things are no longer useful or supportive of your needs.
The goal is for your home decor and art to grow and change as your life evolves.
To let your personal style soar, you're seeking the middle ground between tiring of trends, and the practicality of replacing something outdated.
How do you know what to keep?
3-step simple decision maker:
You still love it
You still use it
The item has sentimental meaning
Remember to allow yourself to replace things that you’ve enjoyed, even though these items are in good condition, like art. I know letting go of the fact that: “it-still-looks-like-the-day-we-bought-it,” is difficult for practical individuals to accept.
But go along with me here for a moment.
Consider you want to replace an original barn painting, primarily because you now live along the coast and the comfort of water soothes you. Although you once lived inland, you have no sentimental attachment to the rural landscape.
However, the art is still appealing, just not to you.
Can you justify giving it away?
Let's break down this decision. You’ve enjoyed the art for seven years and paid $800. That’s 31 cents a day. Don’t you think you spent your money wisely, enjoyed it's tranquility?
Still not confident to let go?
Give yourself permission to let your home decor and art style change and evolve.
The plumber may be able to fix that leak on the first house call, but don't forget he may have to return when the pipe becomes rusty, or your family of two has grown to six, and the bathroom needs to be expanded.
Measure your decor style happiness on the mood, color, and themes that bring you joy and make your heart sing!
Finding your personal style is a journey.
Not a destination.
One that takes a lifetime of involvement with no end in sight.
Only new beginnings!
So if you find your style evolving, but you’re afraid to take the next step my advice is: follow your heart.
Start small with the change, be it color or patterns, maybe new throw pillows or an area rug. Something that is easy to switch out if you change your mind. Then move on to bigger things.
Eventually, you may find yourself surrounded by a new style, one that speaks to you.
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