Our home is about 30% done! What I am finding out now is
that it really is all in the details and never truly gets “easier.” I’ve found
it takes me SO much longer to figure this stuff out for my own house than it does for my
clients' houses! Yes, outlets in the medicine cabinets are important to me, as well as
having power in the right spot for Christmas lights, and making sure my appliances
fit in their proper place, etc. It all takes time, but thankfully I
have three day weekends and weeknights to accomplish all of these unexpected
extras!
Truth is, it's all important to me.
In response to those wondering how one even begins to organize
a design, I will share my process here. Beginning with Houzz was the best way
for me, it is mobile on your phone and iPad and also on a computer. Seeing an idea (or similar) that I have that is already built is a
start. If I can’t find my idea online, that is when I start sketching. I also
set up a secret Pinterest board for EACH room. I am constantly adding and
subtracting from these boards. I think I will make them all public one day, but
I am one of those types that likes to have a finished product before I spill
the beans.
And here are the reasoning and tips I can give you following
the madness of designing your own home, in my opinion, and at 30% into the process.
- Value is absolutely #1 in my book. It has to be built well enough, look cool enough, and cost the right amount for it to work for me. There are a few splurges here and there, but mostly I have compromised myself right out of the super fancy items and opted for things that make sense in our space and for our budget.
- Detailing the crap out of the drawings ensures that you will be able to get what you want, and it will actually fit. I have a brother in law with an extra freezer in his garage because it wouldn’t fit with his cabinet layout. I am happy to say that this would be impossible for me and the meticulous way I have combed through each piece of our project. Because I can’t afford everything super high end (or to buy it twice), I want every piece to function as if it were custom made for us, even though it may be from IKEA.
- Design continuity is also on my mind. I know what I like, and sometimes that is easier said than done. I can get fixated on wanting something exactly how I’ve pictured it, and the hunt will continue until I’ve conquered my own request. Pinterest really has helped me organize my jumbled brain and has also been the place I’ve found ideas to make things that I could not buy off the shelf.
- Keep calm… that is what I keep telling myself. When I’ve searched over and over and thought about it and slept on it and combined all the parts from above, and when I bring said idea to husband and he disagrees, I cannot, I repeat, cannot explode. It takes hours for me to come to a decision, and one second for him to disagree. I do have to admit, that sometimes he has been right and/or I have agreed with him, but when that doesn’t happen, I get my way. There has to be some benefit to all this extra work, right? haha Just don't tell him that.
- Sometimes you have to trust people, and move on. Other times it is worth the extra dollar to make it right. A light switch is 6" too far to the right? Breathe in, breathe out, it will be fine. The sight of your stairs brings you to tears? Rip it out. I figure we are paying about $1,000 per day in labor. That adds up (thank you for 4 day work weeks!), but it was worth it to have them rip out the start of what I considered to be a very flawed staircase. A couple sketches here, a quick mockup there, and voila, my front foyer stairs work soooo much better now... considering you can see them from EVERY angle of the main floor, it was money well spent.
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