EDITED TO ADD! I have added some fun things to my house (it has been almost three years now! Head HERE to see them!)
Guys…I am having such a hard time with this house!!!!! (I moved 4 months ago..you can go HERE to see the move in pictures)
Don’t get me wrong. i love it. so much. i could go on and on and on and on. soft water….water and ice in the door of the fridge…having a garage to park in….the space…oh the space.
but this house just leaves me….overwhelmed. I can’t make any real decision about which direction to go in decorating. I think I find something I like…
then ten pins later i’m like…scratch that…let’s go….
I can’t make any choices….
my husband is all….hey kim, do you want to actually hang up this pile of pictures…
and i say yup. sure will. as soon as i decided how and were to put them.
There is a chair in my living room that has been moved 4 times.
i have moved every picture about 3 times…
i had a great idea…and then scratched it.
i keep bouncing from in between making it fun…
i’m not afraid of color…but i feel like i’m walking a fine line between
making it look like an adult lives here and not like a disney tv show apartment.
and then on top of that my husband is a big fat chicken with no vision.
the MAIN problem:
the wall color.
don’t get me wrong. it’s BEautiful. it’s a Taupe/ beige.. a very pretty taupe…
but as i lay out all my decorations and color schemes…i realize. i’m a cool person.
super cool.
no. i mean cool tones. i like grays and whites…
and this taupe is very warm.
and then sometimes i think, Kim, let’s repaint this sucka.
then i turn around and see this…..
all the doors are painted taupe too…and i’m totally not that into painting….(who is?)
not to mention that this house is not even a year old. so basically i would be painting over brand new paint….
but then i see pins like this….
argh! i know eventually i will paint…but that is down the road.
and to make matters worse…PINTEREST
pinterest is like hey “kim, don’t you want fun coral in your bedroom.” “kim, this green is the perfect shade,” “no, kim, you need to go BLUE. dark blue, light blue. all blue.”
But to make matters better…PINTEREST
There are just so many fun ideas and i love organizing them all.
(i have a home decor one that is basically living rooms
not to mention decorating crap
and paint colors
I need a pintervention.
what i’m trying to say is. I’m lost. i need a decorator.
I was all excited to decorate my fireplace (so many fun mantels ideas out there…..
and husband stuck the world’s largest tv up there. candlesticks thingies aren’t staying…but i don’t know what to put up there…its just so cold with that tv only. I wanted a couple fun vases with sticks..but the ledge isn’t large enough (ideas? anyone? anyone? bueller?)
this giant wall in my living room is giving me fits…
it’s HUGE..that arch kills me…and i have ideas…but we are buying new couches and i don’t know what color..or if it’s going to be a sectional or what…so i don’t want to do anything permanent until I have them…
here’s another really random shot of the wall…
I originally wanted to go BOLD…
but then i was so nervous that you would walk in be like…holy blue walllllllll.
(and husband has told me heck no. but that won’t stop me. he leaves for work and that will leave me 12 hours to get it done before he gets back.)
and then i thought it would look super fun with grasscloth wallpaper and board and batten.
maybe a fun fake sofa table behind the couch….
i want some kind of shelf in there…
or maybe even a shelf with a pop of color…
the cuckoo clock is getting a makeover (i’m so excited…but i can’t finish it until i know the wall color that is going on behind it…)
and i need a rug…no ideas for that yet…
and a coffee table..
i also have these two windows that flank my fireplace.
house pic from mls listing
i can’t really decide if i should do curtains or not. (or just frame the windows out with molding)
and if i do do curtains…do i do busy patterns? or nice linen looking ones?
and do i do one panel per window
we are looking at the curtains…..not the fact that this is a bedroom!
or double panels?
ah! and then i shut down and don’t do anything! too.many.options.
I do know two things. i want color.
and i want it to fun
and then i just curl up and suck my thumb about the rest!
I keep coming back thinking maybe i’m forcing it. like the right idea will surface eventually–but patience was never a virtue with me.
I do have a couple spots i have been working on (random nooks and spots) So i’m excited to start showing you! (don’t worry–this blog will never turn into a home decor one! too stressful.
i will take 10 minute crafts over a room design any day!)
just for fun…here are some pinterest pins that i keep coming back to. they are just my favorite as far as living rooms go!
source
do you guys have a living room or home decor pinterest board?? leave me the link so i can see what you like!!!
UPDATE!!!! You can go here to see my updated house!
laura@imnotatrophywife.com says
My favorite line in the post is at the end “if you like this crap…” gets me every time! I can’t believe the transformation of color in family room! I need to lighten up from my Benjamin Moore browns! laura@imnotatrophywife.com
If you have fun stuff… please visit Friday Favorites (on Thursday nights) at http://imnotatrophywife.com and link up some of your fun stuff! laura
Rachel @ R & R Workshop says
oh my word. Im scared for when we have a bigger home because I think I would have the same problem. I love the neutral colors but love a pop of color as well. heres a suggestion… if you want a bold color.. maybe paint it in a bathroom or closet. So you can try it out and see if you really like it. and if you dont, then its somewhere where its hidden until you paint over it. haha. or add bold colors in all the accesories- picture frames, candlesticks, throw pillows, blankets. haha hope that helps! We could always have an idaho blogger night and come paint! 🙂
Kimbo says
then i would be kicked out the idaho blogger group! ha! i think i’m going to paint the inside of my closets….just to add the fun factor! great idea!
Christy says
Nonono, take it from the girl who painted a bathroom pink: doing makeup will be a nightmare!!!! You will look so different as a result of the lighting!!
Mandy @ Sugar Bee Crafts says
i. can’t. decorate! it’s my life struggle!
Joelle says
Hey there! I have plenty of ideas for you but not much room here to help. Feel free to email me for more
You have very simple taste I’d say (nothing clutter-y in your inspiration pics), you seem to like modern design with classical touches in bright colours. The taupe you have is nice, but rather dull, add in pops of red and it would suit, but you want cool, so I say get rid of it now! Go with a light, slightly blue-grey or graphite coloured as the base throughout the house. Choose one colour you love for each room and choose (or spray paint) accessories in that colour to add that pop of colour all over. Tell hubby that the heat from the fireplace will destroy his TV and see how fast it disappears! find funky picture frames that you can spray paint so that they all match and lay all the frames (with photos in them) on a LARGE peice of paper the floor, slide them around until you find a grouping that you like, trace the frames onto the paper (number the spots and use masking tape on the frames with matching numbers) as well as marking where the nails would be. Hold the paper to your wall and you now have a template of the photo grouping so that you can lay out your hangers quickly.
Go through your wardrobe, group your clothes according to colour and then see which colours you gravitate towards. I did this for my wedding and ended up with teal and burnt orange and brown. I went with chocolate and copper and it was a smash. Right now my wedding would be pink and purple if I did something like that! Don’t worry about how new or old your paint is, if you aren’t happy then it doesn’t matter. Get sofas from Ikea and you can get a bunch of slip covers in different looks so you can change things up without the expense. The Ektorp sofa set has a nice, simple classic line that can be covered with all sorts of slipcovers beyond the limits of Ikea’s choices.
Do you have a passion for any particular things? Books, ladybugs, sports, Star Wars? whatever it is, you can find or create lots of design just by surrounding yourself with things you love. A Gardener? Get pretty vintage seed packets and frame them for art (or botanical prints). Sports fan? Create a game-day retreat. I am personally going to do up my recreation room downstairs into a fun “play room” using the paint technique from this room: http://didntyouhear.com/hotel-rooms-can-look-like-cartoons/ combined with Comic book style pop art like this: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/00175132/ to make a space that really brings out the kid in a person. Candy and games is going to be the theme. Now this is a bit extreme and I would never suggest that you go that crazy – I am an artist and designer by nature and need crazy at home to recover from my mundane 9-5. You seem much more “normal”, so I’d say you would only need small pockets of crazy like this in the bathroom: http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80209072/
Again, feel free to give me a shout on email, I have several years of training in interior design and art and have helped a lot of people with renovations and decor. Don’t spend a mint on a designer, they’ll give you a space that would look great in a magazine, but never one that truly fits who you are. I’ll help for free and as one human to another.
Nicki Rochead says
I find I have to live in a place a while before I really get a feel of what works and doesn’t. You never know where natural homes for stuff will develop and what will pop along and catch your eye. You will know in your gut when something is right because you will keep coming back to it.
In the meantime do things like put up gallery shelves so that you can play around with all your pictures and knick knacks until the “right” combination hits. You will get there, keep smiling x
Kari @ The Sunset Lane says
Okay, ready?!? Grab a gallon of black paint in Satin in Benjamin Moore Onyx. Paint the following things: all the doors in the living room, the hearth of the fireplace, the inside of the window frames (not the window trim.) DIY some fabulous candle pillars or buy some like these:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/45950858670568164/
I love how the curtains are hung in the bedroom pic above. Get rid of the blinds and get some matchstick blinds. (I find these on CL all the time, or they are cheap at Lowes or online.) I also think you should grab some white IKEA long curtains and do a big pattern on them like a dark teal stripe or something like that. You could always paint your bathroom a fabulous color and see if you like it 🙂
You could also panel that huge wall with masonite, it’s like $8.00 for a 4×8 sheet like they did here:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/177751516516883921/
You could fill the wall with art like this: (plus your kids could make some of it! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/202450945721830987/
PS This color if fabulous too! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/202450945723253445/
that is all for now 🙂
Kimbo says
loving your pins!!!
Kari @ The Sunset Lane says
I lied there was more in my brain…… You can grab a printed set of king size sheets and cut the flat sheet in half long ways, hem the edge and use those as curtains (target has super cute sheets, you probably know this.) Also, so Fiddle leaf figs like this:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/202450945722844500/
you could also make some small DIY antlers from sticks to put on both sides of the TV where the candles are http://www.pinterest.com/pin/202450945722662520/ and collect a few pinecones out side and line them up smallest to biggest under the TV on the left right side (off center) http://www.pinterest.com/pin/66780006944087789/
Now, that is all….maybe!
Amy says
Maybe paint an accent wall instead of every wall in a room? Then you’ll have something that’ll stand out but not be too overwhelming. I looove Harelquin Blue by benjamin moore. I have it in our master bedroom. It goes with taupe which most of my house is and its very cool. Good luck!
Sarah S. says
Tv – if you can’t hide it highlight it. Giant frame. Wall vinyl could work.
Walls – take a tip from the past… rugs are great on walls. Colorful, graphic, easily changabe. And act as extra insulation on outside walls. Bonus.
Decorating in general – dont put it off. All decorating is destined to be changed in the future, so the fact that things will be changing in the future is not a valid reason to put it off. Work with stuff you have to begin with. Then when you see how that all looks you will find yourself inspired on what to change or add.
Karisty says
Good luck. Wish I had advice. I was reading the blog looking for some because I’m in the same boat, only I’m ashamed to admit we’ve lived in our house for almost 2 years now and I still don’t have anything on the walls. ANYTHING. I keep thinking when I have more money I’ll get what I really want but I just can’t make a decision because I’m so afraid of spending the money on something that doesn’t work out. I’m not used to so much large tall wall space. Wish I could afford a designer and the the decor they come with… I’ll be anxiously waiting to see how you tackle it.
Joelle says
Dollar Stores (Dollarama in Canada) have canvases in various sizes as well as acrylic paints in all sorts of colours. Hand the supplies to your kids or your relative’s kids and let them create abstract art for your walls. If you tape a bunch of small canvases into one large paintable area you can take it all apart and the negative spaces between the canvases will add to the art. This way you get cheap colour on the walls, personalised art that has meaning for you and you won’t feel bad about replacing it when you do find that piece that moves you.
If you don’t know any kids at all, I’d say turn on some really passionate music, cover the floor with garbage bags, use painter’s tape to tape the canvasses into one big surface, lay it on the garbage bag covered floor, get a friend or your hubby/SO to blind-fold you and point you at the canvass and place a paint-covered brush in your hand, go to town following the beat of the music, your friend/SO can hand you brushes and different colours of paint at intervals. Use petroleum jelly in spots to act as a resist, use veggie cuttings as stamps (celery bottoms are beautiful, just cut off all the stalks about an inch from the root) and have your friend tell you when to stop. Add embellishments as you see fit.
All total this could cost you as little as $10-$20 (be careful the dollar store has a way of letting you spend hundreds without realizing it!) and you don’t really need to be very creative or artistic to do abstract.
Mel says
Start with a room like the laundry or your craft room and just do anything because a you can change it later and b no one will see it, then you can start on the living rooms.
With the curtains I would get the double panel you can always sew them together if you decide single panel would be better. Have fun with it, if you’re not knocking down walls the worst that can happen is that you don’t like it and you can change it out later, just start and you’ll surprise yourself.
I started 15 months ago I hate all bar one of the rooms I did but the room I am doing now is perfect for me (bonus the hubs likes it too) I love it and I know exactly what I do and don’t like so the next room is going to be a lot easier and I did the laundry and craft room, even though I am not loving them any more, only I see it 🙂
Connie @ Simply Sweet Hair says
We moved into a new house 2 years ago and this is what I learned. Saturated color looks great in photos but not so great living with it everyday. I think I will like something different and I paint and then hate it and have to do it all over. I say leave the “fun” colors for the fun spaces. Kids rooms, laundry rooms, play rooms etc. Then put lots of color in your accessories. Pretty much like the last 3 inspiration photos you showed.
Grace @ sense and simplicity says
Do you notice a theme when you scan through the pictures you posted? I do! You seem to like fresh neutrals (white and gray) with some softer colours added like turquoise or yellow, but not too much so that the colour is overwhelming and dominant. You also seem to like industrial furniture with simple lines and rough tough wood finishes. I may be wrong, but doing something like that would probably help you narrow your focus.
I also think I would chose one room to start with (and likely one that is not joining everything else) so you can get your decorating mojo back again. The master bedroom or one of your children’s rooms may be a good place to start.
I also think a lot of wall painting is in your future if you are really going to love the space 😉
Finally, I abide by the idea of living in a space before beginning to decorate it so you can see what works and what doesn’t.
Also you can add a wider mantel on top of the one that is there so you are able to decorate around the world’s largest TV.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you do. Good luck.
Trela says
Ok, you referenced John and Sherry, so do what they did and go buy a napkin! House #2 was all the napkin (Nancy? Do I remember that?). I agree with the previous poster, though, too… you totally gravitate toward cool neutrals with pops of color. In our house we did the kids rooms first (since those don’t really have to match anything anyway in my book), then I did the living room/kitchen and my bedroom in one giant week of painting… I had lived with it for a year so already figured out what pictures went where, and I we bought chocolate brown couches before we moved in. Dark, but neutral. My mom used a curtain to decorate her entire house — those colors (thank God, not the patterns) appeared in every room in some way, and unless you knew, you’d NEVER know. It just flowed.
I would definitely grab some paint samples, see what you gravitate to, and find some patterned fabric or a piece of artwork that you love and go from there. Um, hi, you have a blog that revolves around your gut instinct about what looks good. Go with it. Paint is cheap.
Amy says
Oh my goodness. I’m moving in May and now I’m having a panic attack about decorating a different house! 🙂 But I do have one idea for your fireplace… Since the mantle isn’t very deep, you could find one vase you like, cut it in half (obviously not if it’s glass), hot glue some sort of back on each half, and then you have two matching but skinny enough to fit vases! Just a thought 🙂 Good luck!
Susan says
Have you ever checked out Houzz.com?
They also have a forum where you can ask for help and interior designers will respond with their suggestions.
Sharlyn says
When you decide let us know. I am going to redecorate, as in we’ve lived in our house for 10 years and it needs to be re-painted, and what color should I do? Argh, if I could hire a decorator I would. Had the same prob when we built the house and I had to pick out paint the first time. Prob why I’ve waited 10 years to have the stress again. Hahahaha. Best wishes!
Tiffany says
1. Stop looking at pinterest or you will never make a decision.
2. Just make a decision and go for it. If you hate it you can always change it next year (unless it’s buying expensive furniture, then you need to think about it).
3. If you really really can’t decide, that’s what friends are for. Ask them to help you.
4. Grasscloth wallpaper is for people without children. Paint can be painted over (not good paint) or scrubbed (if it’s good paint). Grasscloth wallpaper will tear, and can you imagine trying to scrub dirt and fingerprints off all those grooves? If it can even be scrubbed (which i doubt).
We’re military- my son is 7 and has lived in 5 places. Ask me how I know all this? If I didn’t just make a decision and hang something, nothing would ever leave a box because it would be time to go again.
Susan the farm quilter says
In addition to you liking cool colors on walls with pops of color in the decor, all the pictures seem to have some item in them that is a bit quirky and unique…I’m not sure what draws you to each of the pictures, so they may just be incidental to what you love in the picture. Do be careful of saturating your walls with rich colors…they honestly do look better in pictures then to live with. Use accessories to bring color into your home. One of the other commenters suggested painting all your frames the same color and using paper on the floor to get a grouping you like – works great! I know I have seen something that you can put over the TV that makes it look like a picture or a mirror until you turn it on, then you just see TV – that would hide that bad boy 🙂 You can also get a faux mantle that sits on top of your current mantle to make it larger so you can decorate it around the TV. It will be great…how can it not be with how creative you are!! And stop hunting around pinterest!!!
Julie W says
First things first. Take a DEEP BREATH. LOG OUT of Pinterest! Take a walk through your house. Which room is the LEAST intimidating at the moment? Start there.
I get the sense you aren’t ready for paint, even though you aren’t a fan of the color up there right now. And that’s OK. Go ahead and start putting the things you love on the walls of that one room. Use command strips!
I have a couple of ideas for the TV and mantle. 1 – build out a shallow box to house the TV. Trim it out so the TV looks less like a black hole and more like an intentional part of the decor. 2 – beef up the mantle ledge with a larger piece of lumber. Go 1 1/2 to 2 times as wide as what’s there, and either stain to match or paint for contrast. Nail and glue to the existing mantle. Now you’ve got a more substantial mantle to balance out that big TV, and a wider space to decorate. 3 – if beefing up the mantle isn’t your thang, go big down below! A large floor vase with some tall flora would look great, and add some nice texture. 4 – the windows. For windows flanking anything, I tend to gravitate towards a simple fabric on one side only. I know the trend is to let things hang straight, but sometimes you need the added softness of a swag. I like to pull the drapes about halfway across the window, and just loosely pull back. I use fun stuff like my grandma’s old costume jewelry as tiebacks. A thumbtack behind the panel will hold them back just fine.
We’ve been in our house for 18 months, and I still haven’t painted anything but the tiny powder room. We can’t agree on anything (my husband loves the current brown, though it’s in 3 different finishes!), and so it remains. It takes time. You really have to live in a space and learn how you use it before you can commit to colors, arrangements and other finishes. Try not to beat yourself up about your lack of finished decor. It’s a work in progress!
Yvonne says
For your fireplace…why don’t you build a picture frame that fits around the television? Then you could play with different trims and colors and add some skinny ‘frames’ with shelves built in on either side to balance it out and give yourself an area you can decorate. As for the door situation, you could always use vinyl to bring in another color in the insets to warm up the taupe, then if you did repaint the room you wouldn’t necessarily have to commit to doing the doors also. 🙂 Good Luck!
Tina S. says
First, ask yourself are you wanting to decorate your home because you want it to look like it came from a magazine, or if you want it to look like YOUR home where you live and love everything in it?
Second, from your collection of favorite photos at the very bottom, I see a common theme of blue, yellow, cream/white, and maybe a touch of black here and there. Why not find a base of light blue for the walls, with cream or white for trim? For curtains/fabric, look for prints and patterns in yellow/white/black or various combos of blue/yellow/white/black. Darker furniture (darker woods) would be a nice tie-in. Frame the tv out in a white frame if it must stay.
Honestly, I think you are stuck in the Kimbo limbo of whether your home should look showready as opposed to having it just look like something you love. Pinterest is nice and all, but they are staged that way for a reason. If you feel you need to live up to a magazine standard, you are going to stress yourself out so much that it’s not even worth it.
Katie says
Kim, reading this post is like reading the pages printed in my own head. I moved into my house a year and a half ago and I am only just starting to put things on the wall. It’s funny because usually I can’t wait to put my mark on my house but this go around I have made and changed my mind so many times it’s ridiculous. I think the fact that you are waiting on some furniture purchases and seeing too many options on pinterest is what is keeping you from nailing down exactly what you want to do – at least I know that’s part of my problem when it comes to moving forward with decorating right now.
As far as my opinion to some of the questions you posed this is what I would do:
1. Build a frame for the massive TV above the fire place. It will make the TV be less of an eye sore and give you a more decorative touch.
2. Add bulk to the fireplace mantle. It may be work, but you do amazing things so adding depth to the mantle you will have so many more options when it comes to making your fireplace be a true focal point.
3. When it comes to window coverings next to the fireplace only do 1 panel on either end. I think having the double panel will close off the beautiful light that is coming into the room. However, if you do double panels, make them thinner/not as wide..like half the width, so that it’s not “bulky.”
You have fun taste and billions of ideas that once you get going I know it’s going to be beautiful. I can’t wait to see what you do!
Ashley says
Ok I know this is an old post and you’ve probably solved all of your design dilemmas already but here are my thoughts.
1) You clearly love turquoise and yellow from your favorite pins. Almost every photo has some combo of the two. I would leave the walls as-is for now, get a neutral sectional and rug, then go crazy with pillows and accent furniture.
2) Hang one curtain per window with bamboo shades. Go for a lighter linen curtain and once you’ve got your accept pieces in the room add a fun coordinating trim.
3) Rather than mess with the mantle too much, get a big floppy basket and throw some toss pillows and a throw blanket inside, perch that on your hearth. Don’t bring too much attention to the top of the room since the big ole tv is already there. Some accessories underneath will balance it out a bit.
Kimbo says
love it!!! I totally think you hit the nail on the head! thanks girlie!!
Tammy says
Add a larger piece of would on top of the fireplace mantle to make the mantle have depth to decorate it the way you want.
Tammy says
I meant to say wood on top.
Kimbo says
great idea!
Powerglass says
Kim, You might be drinking too much coffee! OK, I don’t think you can drink too much coffee and please don’t suggest I limit my intake either. Your wall color at least on my monitor looks like a most wonderful neutral. You might be surprised that you could not only paint accent walls in the cool tones you love without painting the entire house and doors. It’s merely a matter of finding the right one. Earlier suggestions from readers suggesting pops of color such as accent pillows- bold patterns can be utilized here as well so that would be my quick and easy suggestions as well. What I do to insure I do not come home with multiple gallons of paint that will look sour again my painted woodwork is the use of paint chips, visualized in the light you have in your home. Then a sample painted on either scrap drywall or a 2′ sq piece purchased from HD. You can sample to your hearts content on a couple of these very inexpensive boards. Use primer to reuse them over and over if necessary. There’s your starting point. Find the colors you and your guy both love and work from there. As an artist sculptor, I will always advocate the support of your local artist community- visit festivals and galleries for pieces that speak to your soul. You want your home to be a source or ahhhh (when you walk through your doors) and awe. Style and comfort and a reflection of you and your family. Not Pottery Barn nor Target, nor Dot & Bo…… YOU and your family and it won’t happen over night, nor over a week. I curate a small gallery and have been a collector for over 30 years and have not spent a fortune as your local arts community can be a most wonderful source of affordable work to begin. I would be happy to discuss this further with you, and or suggest artists I am familiar with and you of course are welcome to visit my website- it’s about to go through a make over of it’s own but it can give you a sense of what I do.
All the best to your and your family.
Kathy says
All the comments, all the buzz! You have some great visions and adorable kids! I don’t know what style you like or if you are more eclectic since your tastes are all over the place, but I did notice one thing that screamed loud and clear. Your favorite rooms are blue, cream and yellow. Pops of yellow, blue walls with an accent wall of a darker blue in the same family OR a neutral blue with a pop of color (blue, green, yellow, maybe orange) in the fabrics and some accessories. Neutral furniture with great style so your colors can change as your moods change. As for draperies – YES! Grown up, sophisticated, but make the trim fun. Pom poms, fringe, something to soften the lines of that angular room – hung in pairs. Some great rods and a graphic/modern twist on a classic fabric (trellis, moire, burlap, linen – something with movement), but keep the colors monotone or monochrome. Everyone is doing the single color on a neutral, you have more guts than that. Pick your wall color based on the rug – with kids I suggest something that is busy enough to hide stains. Once you love the rug, pick the sofa that is a shade in the rug, not the background color. Then pull the other colors into the room. If the rug has red, yellow, green, orange, blue, beige, tan, and a couple of others, pick your favorite 2 or 3 other than the sofa and run with it. The room is big (as is the TV!!) it gives you plenty of room to carry the colors evenly throughout without overwhelming the eye. Good luck! Post afters!!!!
Mandi says
Where did you get your bed frame/headboard from?! I absolutely love it!
Minnie says
The large wall can take a dark colour to add impact, and from there adding a large mirror or feature wall decoration will go nicely.
You should definetly be brave with colour, from the pictures, the room can look alittle dim and cold, so I would suggest warmer hues, and avoid cold ones.
To help pick furniture items, I’d suggest you do several room layouts (from a birds eyeview) as this will help you a lot on getting started, and knowing what to add.
When doing room layouts, think about how the family will ‘flow’ around the room, aka access to the sofa, and doors, as well as other conviences such as lighting and the rooms function.
I study interior design, so feel free to message me if you need any direction. Otherwise, I love some of your thoughts and pins, just be brave, AVOID muted beige tones, it’s a dying trend.
Sylvia says
You Poor thing, I can imagine how you feel.
Some thoughts, I hated the taupe walls. If you need to add light, use a white paint with a faint tint. My daughter told me she did lilac on all the walls.doors, skirting boards, trims etc…..well, it’s MY fave colour, but in the whole house?? OMG…when I finally got to visit, I was blown away! There were 3 shades of the same tint, and it was very faint, but so pretty….the doors, skirtings & trims were a very slightly darker shade in gloss, while the walls were matte…..you couldn’t really see that it was lilac/mauve/lavender…..you had to go look closely….it lightened up the rooms so much, you don’t have to go the lilac way, but pick your all time fave colour & just tint….I never knew my daughter was so clever….then I saw the bathroom, she picked large Mediterranean Blue chalky type tiles for the floor….Amazing…I want them….
Use neutral colours in the furniture, and use your fave accent colours in cushions/curtains/rugs, pick one look for Summer & one look for Winter, you can change these around to suit your mood….
Also, the Main thing is MAKE A MOOD BOARD/BOOK thingy….get samples of paint colours/fabrics etc, move them round, mix & match until you get your inspiration……..also a great idea to get some large sheets of paper & sketch out the room, cut our squares/rounds of paper to depict each piece of furniture…..
With those framed pics, always lay them out on the floor first in whatever pattern you want, then take measurements, transfer the measurements onto the wall, then work out where to put the wall fixings for each frame…….
Regarding that TV, it looks awful on that wall, doesn’t complement the colour of the fireplace at all….either move the TV, (sorry husband)…or re-paint the fireplace. I don’t like the colour anyway, but, hey, it’s your fireplace & if that’s the colour you want, well, …..
Trends here in Australia are all different shades of grey…I do not like this trend, it’s supposed to look sophisticated….
One last point, less is more!! lol
I wish you the best of luck….here’s a great site for you to get some ideas from…..the woman who does this is very artistic & makes her own art/everything….happy browsing, I recommend her….
http://www.bhg.com/decorating/
Peace & Love
Sylvia xx
Kimbo says
thanks!!! that’s great advice!!!
amy says
Hear you Lady! I have had and still feel overwhelmed with decorating choices. It took me 6 months to buy my first sofa and that was before pinterest. The only thing thing screaming to me from your pictures is YES, double panel curtains in a fun pattern. Yes, yes, yes! A fine place to spend money as it brings interest onto the walls.
amy says
Hear you Lady! I have had and still feel overwhelmed with decorating choices. It took me 6 months to buy my first sofa and that was before pinterest. The only thing thing screaming to me from your pictures is YES, double panel curtains in a fun pattern. Yes, yes, yes! A fine place to spend money as it brings interest onto the walls.
Robin says
You seem to like a lot of different things! I suggest you add color with accessories, like pillows and pictures. Things that you can easily change up. You could just paint one wall if you really want an accent wall. Keep big ticket items neutral.
Denise says
I agree with some of these points….. keep your big pieces neutral and add your favorite colors in the accessories. I kept my family pics mostly in my bedroom, with just a few on the bookshelves. More than anything else – go with what you LOVE! It doesn’t have to match. It’s more important that YOU like what you are doing….. don’t worry about anyone else (except maybe the hubby) Finding special pieces and artwork is part of the fun of decorating, but it does take a while to build. I’m sure your have some favorite pieces – start with those.
Hit yard sales and flea markets for unique finds, pick a craft you like on Pinterest and copy it! Then you’ll love it AND you’ll have a story to tell. Try not to get to involved in “making” the room, it will evolve on it’s own if you like the pieces. Have FUN with it, and get your family involved. Take your time – no pressure!!
Jenn says
Kim, I happened to stumble upon your site and I am so happy I did! I have the EXACT same problem when it comes to decorating. Every word you typed I’ve been thinking. Reading this was almost therapeutic. lol Glad to know there’s someone else out there with an indecisive mind like mine.
Rearrange redesign says
i suggest you hire a designed for an hour or two. It will be money well spent
kathy says
I love this room! I am so into neutrals and whites so calming and you can always throw pillows and blankets for splashes of color!
Tami says
Hi there – this all sounds very familiar to me. What I ended up doing was not only 1 room at a time, but 1 point in the room to start with. For example how to decorate the main focal wall, how to decorate a coffee table, how to decorate a mantle, how to decorate a book case! Then go to Pinterest for ideas on that 1 thing you are decorating. You will start to get color schemes and ideas for shelves and where to put them, where to place books and candles and vases. Also a designer told me once spend your money on fewer large items (vases, pictures, trinkets), rather than many little items. Also try to add something personal to every point you are decorating. Weather it’s a shell you got on a great vacation or sand from the beach that you are putting in a vase, or a family picture you love blown up, or a book you received as a gift with an inscription in it. Also, don’t feel like it’s do or die. I switch things up with the seasons. My walls and floors are very neutral…in the summer I go with a lot of color and a beachy theme and in the fall/winter I get out my more neutral tones. It’s very easy to swap out throw blankets and throw pillows. Hope this helps…good luck!
Amanda Hogan says
You sound just like me!!!! My husband and u are building our dream house and we close at the end of this month. I’ve been looking on Pinterest for decorating ideas etc because I’m not creative at all and have to borrow ideas. I have so many pins and ideas I have no idea what I want. I’m not brave enough for big bold colors so I’m more of a warm soft color kind of gal. We both work and have crazy hectic jobs and 2 children, 9 (boy) and 4 (girl). I want to come home to something tranquil and relaxing. Our house is a 1 and a half story and our bedroom and living room are in the back and right of the house and the kids rooms are to the left and upstairs is a game room so I was thinking of our part of the house being calm and tranquil and then the kids side more fun and colorful.
Did you ever decide on what to do? I would live to hear about it and see pictures.
Gerri says
I have the same problem a lot of times so I know how you feel. It can be a very overwhelming feeling. I like different colors and looks too but I like to change things a lot so I find that I like doing the main living areas in a neutral color. We just redid our main area and went with a very soft grey called silvery moon by Benjamin Moore. I really like it because it allows me to easily change colors and seasons.
Cristy says
I don’t know if your post is old. I can’t find a date but maybe I’m over looking it since it’s 6am. Lol. And maybe you’ve already fixed your decorating dilemmas. But here’s my advice….do NOT paint your walls. I love color too. And I am ALWAYS changing things around. Think of your house like your wardrobe. You start with basics … pants and shirt. Then you layer on from there. Colorful cardigan, shoes, etc. Then your jewelry or accessories. Does that make sense? If you have a bold color on the walls then you’re locked in. If you wore a bright turquoise shirt everyday you would wonder to yourself if you’re crazy. But if everyday you wear taupe, you can add on a rainbow of different colors all the time and people would think you were the most stylish girl in town. So stay with your wall color and relax. My second piece of advice is the motto I live by…………LIVE WITH WHAT YOU LOVE.. buy what speaks to your soul. Not just what’s the trend for today, but what really speaks to YOU.
Hilary says
Everyone struggles with this I think….and really, it is so easy to change wall color, rugs, pillows, so everything else is probably better neutral. My opinion…lol
Cindy Bonem says
First of all RELAX! You only bought and moved in to your new house four months ago. You haven’t lived there long enough to feel what the house wants you to do with it. Every house will “speek” to you, if you will take the time to quietly sit and listen.just sit and enjoy your new house for a while, enjoy what God and hard work gave you. Walk through your house and thank God for each room and tell him what you like about each room. Be grateful for what you have now. Then sit and listen. The house will tell you, what kind of curtains it wants by the way the light comes through the windows and the view of the yard and neighborhood it wants you to see and the privacy it wants you to have. The rooms will tell you if they want bold colors by the amount of activity they have in them, too much color in a buzzy room might be too much for your senses, and add unwanted stress to your family. But in a quieter room a bold color might be just what the room has been screaming for. Enjoy your house and the way your family lives in it, and it will talk you through how it wants to be decorated.
Laura Eaves says
I understand completely!! We’ve lived in our house for 6 years now! I’ve repainted, redecorated SEVERAL times and it’s ok to do that, it’s your sanctuary, I was nervous about painting over new paint to, but decided that it was ok and just did it. Lol I’ve went from the taupe to bold and cool colors. The living room has yet to be painted, husband wants different furniture so I stuck with what furniture to actually get so I can’t paint till I figure that out. I need help there myself. So don’t feel bad about where you are, just breathe grab things you like and go from there. It’s yours make it the way you want.
jenny jo maldonado says
omg i feel like your in my head!! i have all the same issues and like 10000 pinterest boards and 80000 pins! and my hubby is no help! he doesnt like anything and has a crazy hatrid for wreaths lol i cant wait to click on the link to see your finished product!
Krista says
This is so me! Lol. I look at blogs and the first questions is what is your decorating style… rustic, modern, french country… im thinking do I have to pick 1? Lol
Kim says
Omg I’m not alone! INTERVENTION FROM PINTREST PLEASE SIGN ME ☝!! I have been living in my new home for 3 years and also have piles of decor that I dont know what to do with ! I Know the shutdown feeling all too well PLEASE HELP ME.. am I country, rustic, shabby chic, modern, farmhouse rustic or just farmhouse what the H am I ? What am I? Please help me please