This is The Way I Decorate Our Home

Have you ever wondered why some (most) blogs that focus on interiors will talk about a decorating project one day and then show the completed results in like a week?  Is it driving you crazy that I've mentioned at least 3 spaces in my home that I'm working on with nary an after picture in sight?  Are you wondering why I take a picture of a single new pillow and call it a blog post?

Have you ever thought "Dang, that girl shops A LOT."?


via Vintage & Chic Homes

To be fair, most of the bloggers that are able to show a quick turnaround on a design project are professionals working on other people's spaces, and it's still usually one thing at a time.  They tend to take much longer on their own homes.  And I am no professional, so mine is the only home to show here.  We'll call it slow-blogging. (Get it?)

My husband and I got married almost 12 years ago (!!!) on, literally, the day that I graduated from college.  We packed up a U-Haul and drove from Arkansas to Miami to make our first home.  I'll never forget the trip to KMart a few days after arriving when we spent $900 (on his parent's credit card) on everything we needed for our apartment.  EVERYTHING.  We had a 2 bedroom apartment so we bought 2 comforters and sheet sets (probably 'beds-in-bags'...yarg.), 2 sets of towels, 2 sets of curtains, etc....  I hated those comforters in a matter of 2 days.

Not my actual bed, wow.

A few years later we could finally afford to buy new furniture.  So we ran to a furniture store and bought the first set that we even remotely liked.  I hated it all in a matter of 2 months.


Not my actual living room. Booooooo Rooms To Go!!!

Have you ever done that?  Felt compelled to fill a space and bought whatever you saw and could live with?  A few years ago when we bought the house we live in now, we spent a little bit more than we should have (didn't we all?) and ended up with a big empty house that we couldn't afford to fill.  That was the best thing that ever happened to me.  It has given me several years to figure out my tastes.  I've sat around and dreamed about what I would buy when I could, and you know what?  Each choice has changed 10 times.  Oh this is going to get really long, so I'll get to the point.

via High Fashion Home

I mentioned the other day that my decorating philosophy is to buy what you love and it will always work together in the end.  So I decided a long time ago to wait for each individual piece.  I've also decided, for the most part, to purchase mostly new-to-me things from consignment, thrift, antique stores or just schmoes selling on Craigslist.  For several reasons:

I much prefer a vintage/acquired look.
The long process makes each selection feel special.

Older pieces of furniture are typically made a lot better than new things.

I'm careful with money CHEAP.

I really prefer reusing instead of buying new.



via Apartment Therapy

Sometimes I can walk in a consignment store and find 10 things that I LOVE.  Sometimes I can make 10 trips to the very same store and find absolutely nothing that I would take for free.  So it takes me awhile to decorate and it takes a lot of looking.  And the best part is, since I mostly buy on the cheap, I don't feel (too) guilty when I splurge on something wonderful.


via Vintage & Chic Homes

Don't get me wrong, you have to mix old with new or your house can start to take on a grandmother feel.  And I can get in a little catalog shopping frenzy just like everyone else (I went to order a West Elm rug the other day and ordered FOUR).


via Vintage & Chic Homes


How do you prefer to decorate?  Does it bother you to have empty or blah rooms for extended periods of time until you get it just right, or do you roll to dice and get everything at once?

We were supposed to be on a plane to Seattle today!  We've been planning this trip for awhile, but my husband really wants to include a jaunt to Alaska while we are at it, and since Alaska is closed in April (seriously, try to get to Alaska right now, I dare you) we decided to postpone until this summer.  Anyway, I made the mistake of telling the Peeps all about it and now every 5 minutes or so he asks "we go to Alaska?  Right now?  After my nap?  After dinner?  Tomorrow?"  It's going to be a long couple months.