Love Your Space Series: Start with what you have! -

Hi friends. How was your weekend? Can I just say deployments never get easier but I’m so thankful that they seem to be getting shorter. At least I’m super productive when my husband is gone. It makes the time go by that much faster. Do any of you have traveling spouses? It doesn’t matter if they are gone for days or months, it totally stinks, right?

So we are getting into week three of the Love Your Space Series and it’s time to take action and have some fun. If you missed the last two weeks, start HERE. Are you ready?Today we are going to make sure what you have is being used to it’s best advantage, talk a little about decluttering, and then next week we’ll start putting our inspiration boards into action.

Work with your existing furniture, wall art, curtains, rugs, and hanging light fixtures.

The fastest way to pull a room together right here, right now is to check placement.

Furniture

Furniture should be moved away from walls. When possible, placing furniture away from windows and walls will let in more natural light, give more breathing room, and make better conversational areas. For visual help, try “Arrange Your Room” at BHG HERE.

A few more tips:

Have coffee tables and side tables within reach of seating for optimal placement to set down drinks and other items.

Try having a focal point for your main seating (for example a fireplace, tv, or wall of windows).

If you have a larger room, try zoning the space into different arrangements for certain activities.

When working with small rooms make pieces do multiple functions. A desk could double as a sofa table or bedside table and a storage bench or chest could work great as a coffee table.

In bedrooms, the bed should be the first thing you see when you enter the room.

Wall Art

Wall art should be hung at eye level (5’6″) and multiple pieces close together (between 1-4 inches). Don’t let your pictures and art get lost on your wall! Try to have groupings or larger pieces on a big wall. Anchor single pieces between windows, furniture, or other smaller areas of wall space.

For tips on hanging wall galleries, click HERE.

Curtains

Curtains should be hung 4-6 inches from the ceiling and either hit right below the window sill or all the way to the ground. If possible, adjust the curtain rod to extend out from the window 6-10 inches to create a larger looking space.

If your window treatments are falling short, check out these creative ideas for custom length curtains HERE.

Rugs

Rugs should anchor a room. Make sure at least the front feet of furniture are placed on a rug. When using a rug in the bedroom half should fit under the foot of the bed and the other half out front with 2-4 feet on either side of bed exposed.

For tips on choosing a type, size, and placement of rugs, click HERE. To find inspiration for layering rugs, click HERE.

Lighting

If you have a chandelier over your dining room table, make sure it’s centered please! (I know rentals can be challenging, just do the best you can or find another way for symmetry.) If you need to adjust the light fixture, consider hanging a hook centered over the table and loop the chain from the hook. The light fixture should be 30-34″ above your table top.

The next step in the decorating process is to make sure we have the right tools to keep spaces decluttered and organized while keeping aesthetics in mind, aka pretty storage. I’m a huge fan of the Kon Mari method. You have heard me talk about it HERE and HERE. The main idea is that you only keep things that spark joy and you sort by category instead of by room, closet, or cabinet. You can find this life changing book HERE.

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I also loved what The Nester had to say about being tidy last week.

“You don’t have to be a good organizer to have an organized home–it’s much better to be a good declutter-er.
-The Nester | Nesting Place

It’s that simple friends!! Don’t hang onto items because it was a gift, you might use it in the future, or you don’t want to waste an item. Keep items because they spark joy (or some necessity). Your space is for you and your family, not anyone else. If you love it, everyone else will love it too.

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This goes for decorating items too. Do you mind if I quote Myquillyn one more time? 😉

“I want to have a homey, pretty house using the least amount of stuff to get the style I love.
-The Nester | Nesting Place

Now that we have gone over designer tips for putting your main decorating and furniture items in the right place, next week we will finish with how to add layers and interest with accessories, pretty storage, and textiles using your inspiration board as a guideline.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.

“Keep items because they make you happy. Your space is for you and your family, not anyone else. If you love it, everyone else will love it too.
-Kathy Baugher | Owner

2 Comments

Stephanie @ Casa Watkins says:
January 26, 2016 at 12:10 pm
Beautiful!! Love the tips. Working with the furniture I have has been a struggle. It isn’t my taste per se, more my husband’s taste since he purchased them prior to our marriage. I’ve been adding more and more of my taste in pillows and accessories to help bridge the two styles and form a blended home. Loving this series Kathy!
1. Kathy says:
  January 28, 2016 at 9:45 am
  Thanks Steph! I had to work with my husband’s furniture too when we got married. It took ten years to edit some of them out and repurpose the rest but I was persistent and he loved the outcome. lol I know it can be tricky but everytime I see your house pictures, your spaces look so elegant, colorful, and curated. I envy how well you can make colors and patterns work together! You are doing a fantastic job.