Would you ever hire an interior designer to decorate your home?
A friend of mine gave me the January issue of Better Homes & Gardens for Christmas. It's awesome. It has lots of info about de-cluttering your home. And some really great pictures of fresh, new living room designs.
Here's the thing: my eye is drawn to the simple, clean, un-cluttered, neutrally-colored designs. But my house is full of richly-colored clutter. Whenever I decide that I'm going to make a new throw for my couch, I want it to be red, or blue, or green or brown. Not white and cream or gray. What would happen to all the needlework I've made? What about the things my friends and family have given to me that I have out "decorating" my home? My books, which I could never give up, even for the sake of home decorating, are all different sizes and colors. And where would Buttercup's toy box have to go?
I used to have a friend who moved from a regular, medium-sized, middle-class house into a mansion. Her old house had been decorated by her, and it was cute and funky and fun just like she was. Her new house, which was decorated by an interior designer was very beautiful and warm and expensive-looking. I never had the nerve to ask her which was the real her because it seemed like it might be a rude question.
But I wonder, if I hired an interior designer (which thing I cannot imagine myself doing in a million years) would my house turn into her house? Or would it still reflect me and my taste and my family?
I think my "taste" in home decorating is really more about what is comfortable, (no shin-busting coffee table, please) what is practical (no huge vases of fresh flowers dropping petals and pollen everywhere, please) and what is meaningful to me. I don't want some generic piece of art hanging on my wall just for the sake of having something there.
So it's something I'm trying to work out. We still need a new couch, but I don't see us buying one anytime in the near future. I'm truly okay with that, but duct tape will only take you so far.
Because it's tacky. I know that.
I agree with your color sensitivities. I, too, admire rooms done with light neutrals, but don't use them myself; I tend to do jewel tones. So, I guess it is what it is.
ReplyDeleteThe only room I ever saw done in light tones that I would actually do if I had the space is one done at a beach home, and it was done in shades of white with yellow contrasting accessories. Obviously, I never did it, but I still like it.
Totally agree with you about comfort and practicality. Add to that things you love. Houses should be full of the things and people you love, and essential functional things like toilets, which are just not beautiful ever.
ReplyDeleteIf my house is not popular or stylish, I could care less. People tell me my house is homey, not someplace where they are afraid to touch anything, like a museum. I think of your house the same way.
No white sofas for me. Takes just one bout of koolaid upchuck to ruin one of those. Then what?