I had ZERO idea when I woke up today that I would be writing this post.
If you’ve spent any time in my archives (when I was all alone here), you’d know about my frequent bouts of decorating paralysis…like here and here.
I know when I like something, but don’t always know how to choose something similar for myself. Wall color…fabric…style…(even shoes, sigh).
Yes, I can be creative and consider myself somewhat innovative…and I’m NOT afraid to tackle projects or make something. BUT I’ve always had difficulty (and I’m not afraid to say it) with color/pattern/fabric pairings.
I just spent the last two hours with a decorator from a furniture store we visited.
For the past five days, I dreaded that she was coming to visit…house not clean enough…style not anything enough.
But now that she’s gone…I am SO relieved (and not because she’s gone)!!
Ever since painting most of the rooms on our first floor, I haven’t known really, where to start to integrate the rooms.
We picked the colors for the walls and instead of going ahead with our plan to refurnish… we, ironically, blew our furniture budget on carpeting the entire upstairs.
So this year we rebooted our decorating plan by again setting aside a budget for furniture. We hope to purchase several pieces to update our home, and augment that with pieces we repurpose and/or add some other DIY accessories and furnishings.
Hence the “invitation” to my new friend, “Amanda.”
Okay, lets be honest…there was no invitation…just dread-filled resignation on my part.
Mr. Dust and Doghair said he was sorry, but thought it would be a good idea.
It’s not that I felt like a failure…but c’mon..I DIY, darn it! How could I not pick furniture?
I think the point is, I could… I just couldn’t do it all in the same decade….let alone within a month or so.
“Uncle!”
There, I said it.
SO…Amanda.
To my surprise, Amanda came in and has me totally reinvigorated. She hasn’t even done the room plans yet, but I feel like a HUGE weight has been removed from my shoulders.
AND she’s going to put me to work…painting (both walls/pictures/furniture), sewing (yay) and updating. It may be her job to sell me furniture, but she knows I like to upcycle and repurpose…so that has to be part of it and she gets that.
I get to be a very active part of this process and I have to tell you… I can’t wait!
I am thrilled to share the burden of choosing, and happy she will point me in directions where I can do my thing. And letting me break rules that I thought were rules…and correct mistakes I didn’t know I’d made.
You’re welcome to come along with me on these adventures, if you’re interested enough to pop by and read about them.
Not only are we goosing up the family room and (likely) completely redoing the living room. We’re also going to update part of the kitchen (glad I hadn’t started that window treatment yet) and play a little with the dining room.
SO… I’m going to get the equipment and supplies I need to finish my overmantel (which she really liked, by the way).
And the first (small) project on my list is “turning gold into silver”.
I’ll be sure to take “before” pictures and show you what I’m doing along the way! In the end, I hope to share some “afters” (because it feels like they will be big “reveals” for us:)
VERY. VERY. Excited!
