Between wedding planning and brainstorming to decorate a new home, Pinterest has been my best friend as of late! Because I'm moving from a 1-bedroom 1-bath apartment to a 3 bedroom home, I'm going to be needing some more furniture, rugs, window treatments, etc.
I'm definitely one of 'those people' that like to start a project and finish it... I don't like leaving things as 'works in progress' for too long. But, I know for my home, I'm definitely going to need to slow it down and focus on things space-by-space. I'm slowly accepting that not everything will be finished within the first few weeks or months.
I haven't ordered much for the new home because I want to be able to visually see everything I already own in the space before I order anything new.
In the meantime, though, I have been creating vision boards as you see above! This is one that I made for the living room area. This space will be the more formal/entertaining living room and we will use the finished basement for lounging/watching movies, etc.
Hence why I included the frame TV in the board above (bottom left). I just love the look- especially in a space where we won't be watching too much TV. I'm pretty loyal to my Vizio TVs, so we'll see. I have had several for years and they have never given me any problems, have a great picture and there are tons of apps so you can stream anything. Plus they are usually very affordable! If you have the frame TV, I'd love to hear about your experience!
In the vision board, I've also included things I already own. When I started decorating my current apartment, I was very adamant about buying classic, high-quality pieces that I absolutely love and will have forever. I'm excited to bring pretty much everything I already own to the new house and am hoping it all works well!
I'm prioritizing decorating the spaces that people will most likely see if I entertain. So, the entryway, living, dining, and kitchen will be the first spaces that I tackle. I'm going to put less focus on the basement and upstairs.
One thing to also note: interior decorating is not my thing. I'll be happy to share my decorating process but take my decorating tips with a grain of salt! I know what I like but when it comes to executing it, I never exactly get it exactly how I envision it! So, if you have any decorating tips, I'd love to hear them!
Right now, the most 'urgent' decor thing that I'm dealing with is window treatments. There are SO many options and the treatments are pretty necessary as soon as we move in. One of the things I love about the house is the abundance of natural light because of the many windows...but because of that, you can see right into pretty much every room in the house! Plus, there are so many different window sizes so it's hard to know what will work best! If you have a good window treatment source, I'd love if you would share (this is the Etsy shop I have been looking at that creates such beautiful things).
If you can't tell, this is all pretty overwhelming, but it's the good and exciting kind of overwhelming!
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I love those pillows! That would be my first hint, to make your major furnishings neutral and with an overarching color theme, particularly in any spaces that are visible from other spaces. You can change out things like pillows, throws, candles, and florals seasonally to add color, and to update and keep things fresh.
For windows, honestly, plantation shutters are the best investment. They are timeless and infinitely adjustable. Even if this is not your forever home, they add value and are totally worth the expense. Bonus: they lower your heating and cooling costs. If you like the look of draperies or window treatments, you can always add them, but they are not a good long term investment because there is almost zero chance they can be used in your next house, and almost zero chance that when you sell, the buyer will want them. To that end, save any builder grade fixtures such as lighting/ceiling fans and put them aside so when you go to sell your house, you can switch out any fixtures you want to take with you before listing.
With regard to investments, spend the larger part of your budget on pieces that will work in any future house, such as furniture and linens, and less on things like rugs or excessive custom built-ins (save those for your 'forever' home). It sounds like you have been given solid advice regarding resale value already! The thing with rugs is, something that works in this house may not be the right size for your next or forever house, like for example, you have end up with a much larger dining room in your next house, and have to replace your rug.
Get to know the staff at your favorite consignment shops. They will often call you when pieces that are your style come in before putting them out on the floor! Also scour other sources for pre-owned furniture, even ones you may not have considered in the past. I live in an area where there are many colleges, and while usually "college" furniture is kind of random, I came across a gorgeous Thomasville British colonial set on FB Marketplace for my guest bedroom--a queen canopy bed, two nightstands, and a tall boy dresser--for the grand total of $160! It was in excellent condition, and had only been used two years by a lovely young lady who was from NJ and moving to northern VA for her first job after graduating, and her parents didn't want the expense of moving it! Definitely my best score! I also got an antique wicker etagere with shelving on top and doors below for $25, and all it needed was a few coats of paint to transform it into the perfect accent piece/extra storage for my MBR. You are moving at nearly the perfect time to look for moving and yard sales!
The last hint I have is to measure, measure, measure! Keep a small notepad with you in case you are out and see something and aren't sure of the sizes you are looking for. Also, a large roll of brown kraft paper can be measured and cut and placed in a room or against a wall in order to help you visualize how big a piece of furniture or a rug will actually be.
Looking forward to following your journey as a new homeowner! I'm sure it will be lovely!
I was recently on the window treatment train myself, and here were my favorite resources!:
The Shade Store: Fantastic quality. They do collabs with great designers, and I went with their gorgeous One King's Lane "Starry Night" fabric for the Roman shades in our nursery
Select Blinds: For woven wood Roman shades, their prices and quality can't be beat. They essentially sell the same woven shades as The Shade Store, but they're less expensive. Their Romans are the easiest to install yourself, because once the screwed in to the window pane, you can pivot them to side to side until they're perfectly centered. Other brands don't have this "pivot" feature. I went with their Designer Series Woven Woods Shades in Antigua for two bedrooms
Etsy: I had a Roman shade made by JLL Home using a beautiful Schumacher fabric. I've heard Lynn Chalk does a fantastic job too!
Happy to send you photos if you'd like to see how they vary by source. Also, these two links might be helpful:
http://www.elementsofstyleblog.com/2016/03/the-what-when-and-why-of-window-treatments.html
https://www.studio-mcgee.com/studioblog/2017/2/7/best-of-the-shade-store
try using Houzz! You can visually arrange things, look through galleries of home projects and get input from the community if you need a neutral third party opinion on paint color, etc.
How exciting for you to be owning a home at your age!
I, too, am someone who will work until a project is finished. But furnishing a home is a process. It takes time. Styles change, your own taste evolves.
My biggest tip is to use color to fill blank spaces. And use big plants for the same purpose.
I painted my spare room a deep forest green, and grew a lemon tree in a big pot by the window. It stayed that way for months. It never felt empty and my cat loved going in there to sleep in the sun.
Good luck to you - enjoy this journey.
For window treatments, clean white plantation shutters are the best. They can be pricey but they last forever. Southern in feel, but very classic and modern as well. My sister-in-law who is an interior designer uses them exclusively in her own home.
The frame tv! I wanted one for a new guest apartment we were furnishing, I had seen them used by a designer. I goggled the reviews and there were many reasons why I decided against the frame. Do research before you buy. Good luck on your new home, it will be lovely.
Thanks for the awesome guide!
Roman Shades
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