Movement…what movement? There’s a ‘movement’? Intentionally decorating
slowly—was that what I was unconsciously doing in our house?
From the point our offer on the house was accepted last
December, I've mulled over every decorating, renovating, gardening and financing decision
day in and day out and have genuinely enjoyed contemplating each detail. After
all, this property is all ours! But, had I been unknowingly embracing
this supposed 'slow decorating movement' all along?
Maybe so. Maybe I am. I think I’m okay with that. By some
metrics, we are decorating our house at a snail’s pace; but we're working at our own pace. I’m trying something new for me: thoroughly considering everything
that enters our house. Here are the questions I ask myself when I encounter something I think I can’t live without:
-Will I love it in a day, in a week, in a month, in a year?
-After factoring in any fabric/upholstery/repair costs, is it
still worth it? Is it still a good price?
-Is it real wood/sturdy/well-made?
-Does it complement elements we already have in our home?
(all via Meet Me in Philadelphia)
If an item doesn't pass at least a couple of these
guidelines, I don’t buy it. Buy once; buy right—that’s my new motto. The result
(I hope) is a home comprised of pieces that feel special to me, that have
longevity and can be reworked over time. It also means that most of our rooms
are incomplete or entirely empty...as the photos above show. I guess I am ‘slow decorating’—I just
didn't realize it before that Craigslist sale.
I hope the result is a house filled with rooms that I love
as much as our den, which is the lone room in our house that’s fully done…and we've lived
here almost 10 months! It’s all taking time but you know what they say: you
can’t hurry love.
Now I turn to you, readers: what are your thoughts on ‘slow
decorating’? Did you have the vision to furnish your space quickly or are you
taking your sweet time like me? If you could do it all over again, would you
have slowed down your decorating process? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I wish I would be more slow. I do take forever to finish a room but I often buy things impulsively and I usually end up with things that aren't that great. You should just hang out in your den everyday anyway!
ReplyDeleteI'm part of the slow decorating club, too!! Haha.
ReplyDeleteAnd your motto is perfect. I've been known to make an impulse purchase or three. Luckily most are vintage and cheap, but still, why do I want to collect all this stuff? So my new plan is purge, then finish decorating... one of these days ;)
I will always be a part of the slow decorating movement basically because of circumstances. I once read unless you have a large budget, you won't be able to afford to decorate quickly. I fall in that boat. Both my husband and I much rather throw our excess cash into college savings and any leftovers will then be applied to the 'nice' to have things.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of 'slow decorating'!! I want the decisions I make about my home to be thoughtful so I won't hate them in a few months :)
ReplyDeleteBrittany
www.classicallyb.com
I think its just smart. It ensures that you are picking things that you are going to love for the long haul and it also prevents your home from looking like every trend from the past 3 years threw up in your living room. :) You are on the right track my friend.
ReplyDeleteIve been in my old home for 13 years and I am just putting the finishing touches on it!! I think sometimes you have to live in a space for a while to know how you want it to function and feel! If you rush you amy make costly mistakes and that would be a bummer!
ReplyDeleteKarolyn
YES to slow decorating! There are only so many hours in a day (and dollars in the bank) that can be devoted to house stuff at any given time. I thought the slow process would bother me more, but I think reading about how long it actually takes on other people's blogs has helped me get over that "need to be done" feeling.
ReplyDeleteWe should all decorate and furnish at our own pace. I'm all for slow......and fast. I've made mistakes rushing. But I also regret not enjoying some of the rooms because they sat empty. Your den is beautiful and so cozy. I imagine even more so in person. Enjoy it!
ReplyDeletex L
Glad to have a name for it. I've had walls without pictures, floors without rugs, corners without furniture for up to a decade at a time.
ReplyDeleteI think you're being so smart, and I so think this is the way to go to achieve a home that is something you'll love today and stylish for the long term. That said, I am so impulsive and like to just have things done and would have a really hard time doing this, I think. Not to say I couldn't ever, but I know I'm not happy in an undecorated space, so just to get something livable and then add/change is more my style. Which means mistakes at times. As I get older though, I am cultivating a bit of patience. So some smarter (delayed) purchases are entering the picture more and more...
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. It can get easy to get carried away with quick and easy buys that are cheap and frankly not well made. I love the idea of holding out until the right piece comes along. We've been in our place for almost two years now and it still doesn't feel finished. But, I'm fine with waiting.
ReplyDeleteI am part of the the slow as shit renovation movement.... I havent even got to the decorating. Every single day I am humbled to how expensive it is renovate/decorate when you do it right. If a pile of $$$ fell on my lap I could get on on the warp speed decorating movement but alas I live in reality...
ReplyDelete