I've always love to
decorate. Growing up my mom decorated my room, usually giving it a theme of my choice. As a little girl I went through a pink/kitten phase, so she painted the room pink and gave it a kitty cat wallpaper boarder. As I matured, my favorite flower was the sunflower {middle school I think}, so I graduated to white furnishings, cheery yellow walls and a boarder of sunflowers, complete with {I think handmade} poofy, yellow and white checked window coverings.
Then came high school - my parents built a home and gave me free reign to design my quarters as I chose. {I wish I had pics...but sadly, I couldn't find any.} I went sea foam on the walls, painted a thick dark brown stripe that ran along the top of the walls and finished it off with a hot pink bathroom! In the bedroom, I had a beautiful west elm pendant light that hung in the corner above a little brown corner chair and floating shelves that graced my walls filled with tchotchkes and picture frames. I loved that room.
As I've grown into my 20's, it's been fun developing my own sense of design style. I struggled a little with it in our first home, as we didn't have much money for decorating, and what extra we did have went to buying essentials these newlyweds lacked {such as a couch and dining room table}. But I made do with what we did have - hand-me-downs from friends and family, handmade wreaths and artwork, TJMaxx goodies and rare craigslist finds. Moving across the country forced us to sell all that we had accumulated and start completely from ground zero. While this was a little heartbreaking in the thick of the move, it actually gave me the opportunity to start fresh. New apartment + ZERO furnishings = a blank canvas!
The second time around, setting up home has given me more insight into my own sense of style. I used to think I was rustic meets girly {think anthropologie - don't get me wrong, I adore me some anthro, but I have a more glamorous side to me that I just can't resist}, then I thought it was cottage meets modern {think west elm & pottery barn....love these too} but now I've realized {as of late} that my heart beats to bold bright colors, shiny metallics, geometric patters, repetitive shapes, and crisp designs {think hollywood regency}.
That's what's so fun about decor and design - as you change, your style and personal taste changes - a space can always be recreated. Change is an important part of growth {in life and in decor}. Make sure to allow yourself moments and opportunities to change it up every once in a while, as a well manicured space tailored to your specific style can bring about so many great things - inspiration & creativity, peace & rest, discipline & productivity, the list goes on. I encourage you to take a look at your surroundings and ask yourself, "Does the space I live in inspire me? Calm me? Help me be productive?" It is important to define what your space is supposed to evoke and then figure out what you need to get it there! {Or ask a friend who has a good eye for design - sometimes we need a little help.}
Happy decorating!
