When decorating any bedroom, the first thing you need to ask is this:
What decor’ and colors do “I” really like that help set a relaxing and inviting atmosphere to this room?
I put the word “I” in quotation marks because something that I sometimes run into when helping a new client is this — she doesn’t think about what SHE really likes, but is looking at the ideas and decorations of her friends and copying what THEY like. Which, by the way, is so easy to do especially when “everyone you know” is going in a certain direction of decorating that is really just the trend. For example, I remember just not too long ago the huge trend was EVERYONE was wanting to put the sunburst mirrors above their beds or above console tables.
Not that trends are a bad thing, but it shows that so many homemakers see 1 thing and like a tsunami wave, it takes over the home decor’ of thousands.
I want you to know that colors and patterns work in pretty much any shade and hue you want to go with, but the one rule of thumb in decorating a room is — stay true to YOU! Stay true to what you like. I am working with a client now who I’m helping her see that the blues and greens that we are using in her room REALLY do work well together, as we add some soft beiges and whites. Here is what I’m talking about…the featured image for today’s blog post shows the walls painted a dusty green with a large throw pillow in blue on the bed. The botanical prints bring in even more color to the room, while staying with the greens…and YES, you can mix white and beige and creamy whites together, BUT use a color to settle the space with some warmth and with some of YOUR own personal tastes. A room completely empty of color communicates more of being “blah” than “sophisticated”, which is what some folks are trying for. They want their space to be classy, timeless, and sophisticated and try to use all neutrals to achieve that, but it ends up feeling more “stiff” and not warm and cozy….which are two words that most use in describing how they want to feel and how they want guests to feel in their home.
Here is how you can bring blues and greens together using patterns and textures.
When you go shopping for decorations here are 5 tips to keep in mind:
1. Stand back and look at what you are considering for your home and ask yourself, “But is this really me? Do I really like that, or am I wanting to buy it because it look so good in a Pintrest photo or it looked really great in So-N-So’s home?” You are the one who needs to like it and is it really a reflection of YOU?
2. Will these colors create the space I’m looking for? If you are wanting serenity and a place that encourages calmness, use blues, greens, yellows and neutrals together. If you are wanting a warm and cozy place, use a little deeper shades of greens and yellows and neutrals. Flax is a great color to use with white. And flax bed linens can be used two ways…formally or informally.
3. Is this trendy? Is this something that I’ll only end up giving to Goodwill or selling in a garage sale one day….soon?
4. Is this worth what it is priced? Rip and I are HUGE bargain hunters…and if what we are considering purchasing for our home is (in our opinion) over priced, we walk. Never fall for the expensive in thinking it will add value to your home, or prove to be longer lasting. Look at quality, not price. And so many times you can wait and what you like in that present moment, will be marked down very soon and you can purchase it at 25%, 50%, 75% mark down price.
5. Do I want this or do I need this? Granted, home decor’ is not necessarily something we tend to put into a “need” category, but if we are truthful…..the things we have in our home for seating, for lounging, for writing and reading, … the things we have as far as decorations and what Rip and I call “froo-frooing” a space, are all things that communicate HOME. The stud walls and sheetrock, the hard wood flooring, carpet or tile, the wall color and the angles and lines of a house do NOT make “Home Sweet Home.” But what makes a house a home is the love in the home, the memory making, the fun, the laughter, the traditions, and yes, the overall feel and inviting smells, touches, sights and sounds of a home.
So have fun making YOUR HOUSE YOUR HOME…it’s why God gave you the home He did. So that you, as the homemaker, can create the loving and warm and kind and colorful environment that is unique and special for you and your family.
So, what ARE you doing in your home?? I’d love to hear about it…painting? Decorating? Renovating? And has this post helped to inspire you in any way to – abandon the trends and embrace YOUR TASTES? I’d love to know…
Happy Homemaking,
lisa
Thank you for a thought provoking post and for the great tips. When you wrote of a tsunami wave of a home décor idea coming into a lot of homes, chalkboards and marquee letters came to my mind. Both can be beautiful, but it’s a great question to ask ourselves, “Is this really me?” I love, loved the video where you arranged the built in shelves and talked about how the different objects had meaning, like the clock reminding you that your times are in God’s hands. That was so beautiful. I called my 13 year old daughter in and played it for her, hoping it would be a godly seed planted to blossom later as she grows up. The way you speak of working to create “home sweet home” brings to mind how Jesus said He was going to prepare a place for us. I’m seeing that making a physical home is actually something Jesus does. I’m also thinking of how places on earth are important to God, the amazing, eternal God who is above all the universe, loves places on this tiny earth. He chose to put His great Name on the temple mount. I like thinking about how specific God was about the colors and fabrics and materials for His tabernacle and temple. The furniture and furnishings all represented something about Himself. These things encourage me, because my experience is that society does not value homemaking at all, and I have struggled greatly feeling it is “not enough.” I love how you have explained how everything we do can be “being about the Father’s business” as we seek to follow Him. I want to learn more of this. Thank you, Lisa!
Rebekah, thank you for such a sweet word of encouragement, and you are so right…as we make home, we are about our Father’s business, and let’s, together, learn more about honoring Him in our homemaking! Bless you girl!