A very real look at how I used to decorate

In this post: I’ve always loved beautiful spaces. But I wasn’t always good at putting them together myself! Here’s how I used to decorate.

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This is not one of those posts that’s going to have you pinning all the photos to save for later. Although if you want to pin them, you can. Lol. Rather it’s a post to show you – honestly and truthfully – how I used to decorate. Things were fairly neat and tidy, but well, not so pretty.

I’ve said it before…I’ve always loved beautiful spaces.

But I was NOT always good at putting them together myself! 

I struggled with balance and color and just about every other aspect of decorating too. Like how and where to hang art!

Of course, some of it had to do with the seasons of life Dean and I were in…rented homes, less income and little kids.

For those of you who only know us with older kids…we dealt with all the primary colored toys for years too! Only I didn’t know how to disguise them or hide them away while the kids weren’t using them. They lived out in the open for years. Case in point, the photo of our LIVING ROOM below, circa about 2003. 

But I’ve come to learn that all of that can be worked with and those things weren’t what caused our lack of pretty spaces.

Rather it was because I really didn’t know then what I know now. And I wasted a lot of time and money figuring it out!

Since all of these photos were taken about 15 years ago, I’ve learned so much. Like how to:

• mix patterns and colors
• create vignettes
• declutter
• put together a whole home color palette

And what my style really is and how to make that work with what Dean loves too. 

I’ve spent countless hours studying images of rooms I like to find out why I like them. I’ve read many design books (and now I’ve written one!). And I even took a 270 hour interior design course to make sure I really got it all. 

And all of that has made a world of difference.

I’m content in our home. I don’t change things as often as I used to. I’m proud of how it looks now.

It’s not about perfection. But rather about creating spaces to celebrate, love, live, grieve and just be. 

I don’t waste time or money choosing the wrong things anymore because I’m sure of what I like and only buy what I want or need for a space. Nothing more. 

I LOVE to have friends and family come visit to share the spaces with them as well. 

Our house has come a long way. It’s my happy place. And I’m so thankful for it and all that I’ve learned!