I was in the Super Bowl of home renovation decision making AKA a kitchen remodel with two little kids crawling around sub flooring littered with rusty nails and I was paralyzed with the fear of making a mistake in the design process. “So how high do you want the subway tile to go,” my contractor asked me. Behind my vacant stare, I had 100 what ifs and possible fears of how a few inches could equate to a Leaning Tower of Piza situation, costing me money, time and oh gosh..ugliness. Gasp!
You move into your new home or start a design project and BAM you want to get every detail right. You want to make sure every dollar is spent on forever upgrades and customizations just one time. I admire you! High achievers feel like they need to get things perfect from the start but here is a mindset shift for you: consider your initial design decisions to be what I call the “First Draft.”
A first draft is a permission slip to take the pressure off. I promise you, the most beloved homes are not in their first draft. They had to start somewhere. Design is a process and even your own tastes evolve over time. Give yourself room to grow as a creative person in your own space.
By the end of this article you are going to be able to improve your home without the fear of making mistakes and expand into the beauty of creative expression that is design.
Take on One Space or Small Project at a Time
Oh I made the worst mistake for myself, as a mom of little kids, in a home where I took on bathrooms, bedrooms, a kitchen, paint and flooring all at once. WHY! Not only did it take a year for everyone to “be out of our home,” it was too many decisions and it didn’t allow for any evolution over time.
The real kicker was that the contractor demolished everything but only worked on one space at a time. That’s a whole other blog post. HA!
Break up the projects if you can. Take time to focus on one area at a time.
Choose to paint a room or one large space at a time. When you make changes over time, you have flexibility and it’s more fun.
Where to Invest your Attention and get Pro Help
I want you to get the most for your money and time while also not losing a part of your soul in the process. Here are some places you want to invest your energy but when you hire a professional, they prevent a lot of the common mistakes from happening.
Built ins and cabinetry. These are mega expensive and they set the architectural backbone of your designs. Spend time on getting these right (and good quality) but remember, they can be painted another color years down the line if you can’t handle the original choice.
Kitchen sinks and layout of the faucet. Basically anything that has to do with countertop fabrication. Those holes need to be made once. The parts of a kitchen in general are intricately dependent on one another, time consuming and expensive so get a designer’s help with this one. Make sure the functionality works for your needs.
Keep in mind that you really can change something down the line. Kitchen faucets really affect the style and can be swapped in an afternoon. Lighting is easy and that’s the jewelry. Trims like shiplap or casing can totally transform and are not gigantic commitments. Styling is also a super powerful design tool.
Where not to Invest your Stress
When choosing lighting, invest if you’re sure. If not, get something cute for less and embrace it. Our current laundry room had a tacked on paper lantern over a lightbulb in the ceiling. I changed it to an Amazon flush mount knowing I could customize that later.
In our current kitchen, instead of tearing everything out, we kept the boxes, took the risk of trying new cabinet doors and drawers and loved the result. I said that I could always do a full remodel down the line if we decided to stay for many more years.
Honestly, things like backsplash or small areas of flooring are often not a huge thing (compared to a full kitchen gut and reno) to re-do if you end up hating it down the line. As in, they won’t take months to complete.
I have a paint story for you but in general, paint is the easiest and cheapest change. I love to get a fresh coat all over when I move in to make a place feel new.
If you are feeling apprehensive about taking on a kitchen renovation, do floors and paint first.
Real First Draft Energy: Let it Breathe
I once tortured my husband once by having us paint and then repaint a bedroom 3 different shades of white in a weekend. CRINGE!
Sometimes you have to let a renovation breathe like a fine wine. Walk away from it and let yourself soak it in before jumping for the next change. Trust me, time is magic in allowing you to ride the rollercoaster of renovation emotions and when you’re done with the ride, you’ll know the right way to go.
Embrace Design and Creativity as an Evolving Art
The true magic of the most beautiful homes is that they weave a story. Each space isn’t telling the same story.
You get to have a boquet of flowers where every space is a beautiful addition to the rest. You love trends, classics and personal connections with design that will evolve over time. Leave some room in your space for that evolution. That way, you’ll never feel stuck.
You can even make more subtle renovation type of decisions and that allows for even more flexibility with decor.
Final takeaway/conclusion
Designing your home doesn’t have to be a daunting, pressure-filled experience. By embracing the concept of a first draft, knowing where to invest your focus, letting it breathe and allowing yourself to grow with your space, you’ll create a home that is not only beautiful but truly yours. Let go of the pressure to be perfect, and enjoy the journey of bringing your vision to life. Heck, make a mistake even. Creating a home is a process, not a one time event. Happy designing!
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