It is astonishingly paralyzing to attempt to create a home style from scratch. Since we have been freed from owning a house or any furnishings for the last 3 years, we are blessed and cursed with the chance to really pick what we want. But where do we begin? I think it would actually be easier if we had to work around a few existing pieces.
After taking a dizzying walk through Ashley Furniture, Wolf Furniture, Budget Furniture, and some other furniture store, I feel even more at an impasse. Formal? Country? Transitional? (what does that even mean?!) Real wood or paint something? So, following the style quiz suggestions from younghouselove.com, a great blog about high style, low cost DIY home projects, I took the Ikea style quiz and the sproost.com quiz. These suggest that I'm "country (50%) and wine country style (50%), another labeled my style as "bohemian casual". Labels aside, both descriptions suggested that I love a cozy, comfortable house and that is exactly right.
We want our new home to be a welcoming respite for us and our friends. A place to hang-out and make memories. A place where our furnishings and spaces serve us, not us them. Easy-care and comfortable, but not slouchy or frumpy. Oh, and lots of pops color. That is what we want. Whatever that is.
Now, how we achieve that is the big question. My vision is neutral (not white!--maybe green or light brown), plump sofas. Colorful, patterned drapes that are not geometric or modern looking but not country florals. And brightly colored, fun accents like pillows, books, pictures, and souvenirs from our travels. A serviceable coffee table in a warm wood. Something that screams, "Put your feet up!" End tables a plenty to hold those steaming cups of tea and freshly brewed mugs of coffee. And lights everywhere. Light pouring in the windows, light from the end tables, and maybe even some recessed lights. Darkness is depressing. I want cozy, but light. Is that too much to ask?
It seems like a tall order as we begin thinking of how to accomplish this. I guess we'll just have to be patient. Little by little and layer by layer, we'll get there. We'll prioritize our needs. 1) a bed for us with an awesome mattress and a dresser 2) a bed for Dominic and dressers for the kids. 3) couches for guests. 4) couches for family room. 5) coffee tables, end tables 6) lamps 7) storage solutions 8) rugs 9) accessories. And paint, that'll go in there somewhere. Probably after step 4, before 5. But it's all a process that will take time.
And did I mention that we're not above taking used furniture off your hands? :)
After taking a dizzying walk through Ashley Furniture, Wolf Furniture, Budget Furniture, and some other furniture store, I feel even more at an impasse. Formal? Country? Transitional? (what does that even mean?!) Real wood or paint something? So, following the style quiz suggestions from younghouselove.com, a great blog about high style, low cost DIY home projects, I took the Ikea style quiz and the sproost.com quiz. These suggest that I'm "country (50%) and wine country style (50%), another labeled my style as "bohemian casual". Labels aside, both descriptions suggested that I love a cozy, comfortable house and that is exactly right.
We want our new home to be a welcoming respite for us and our friends. A place to hang-out and make memories. A place where our furnishings and spaces serve us, not us them. Easy-care and comfortable, but not slouchy or frumpy. Oh, and lots of pops color. That is what we want. Whatever that is.
Now, how we achieve that is the big question. My vision is neutral (not white!--maybe green or light brown), plump sofas. Colorful, patterned drapes that are not geometric or modern looking but not country florals. And brightly colored, fun accents like pillows, books, pictures, and souvenirs from our travels. A serviceable coffee table in a warm wood. Something that screams, "Put your feet up!" End tables a plenty to hold those steaming cups of tea and freshly brewed mugs of coffee. And lights everywhere. Light pouring in the windows, light from the end tables, and maybe even some recessed lights. Darkness is depressing. I want cozy, but light. Is that too much to ask?
It seems like a tall order as we begin thinking of how to accomplish this. I guess we'll just have to be patient. Little by little and layer by layer, we'll get there. We'll prioritize our needs. 1) a bed for us with an awesome mattress and a dresser 2) a bed for Dominic and dressers for the kids. 3) couches for guests. 4) couches for family room. 5) coffee tables, end tables 6) lamps 7) storage solutions 8) rugs 9) accessories. And paint, that'll go in there somewhere. Probably after step 4, before 5. But it's all a process that will take time.
And did I mention that we're not above taking used furniture off your hands? :)
Are the results of my quiz-taking experience not relevant to your discourse?
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