Interim Decorating

Rushing to renovate often leads to taking generic “builder basic” recommendations from general contractors.  It may work, but is it what you really want?  While being all moved into a newly renovated house feels great, hasty decisions made during construction mean things will get overlooked, mistakes will be made, and the outcome may not be ideal.

Often times it is invaluable to live in your new home for a while before you renovate, even if you absolutely hate it and are desperate to “fix-er upper!”  Assuming you don’t have concrete ideas going in, give yourself plenty of time to ease into the space and see how you (…your family and your pets) live there.

Converting an as-is home into a dream home is complicated business.  While you may be quite clear on the major updates- like completely renovating the master bathroom, the minor things like where you want an extra bath robe hook may reveal themselves in time, or perhaps you’ll find you love eating outdoors in summer and realize you would love easier access from the kitchen to the BBQ.  Not every design decision is obvious upon move-in.

In the meantime, load up a Pinterest board with inspiration, then seek design assistance if compiling those ideas into a concrete plan seems overwhelming.

In fact, hiring a designer is always helpful for speeding up the design & decorating process as we are here to guide you in crafting your vision, and navigating you through the limitless number of possibilities.

During this interim period, don’t spend too much on anything you’re not certain will survive the renovation, but also don’t starve yourselves of what would make your space work, perhaps swap out old faucets and fixtures with new ones you love, or buy some new patio furniture and outdoor lighting.

Don’t neglect the easy magic of fresh paint, a good deep clean, and an uncluttered house!  Settle into your home with your things but don’t necessarily unpack every single item.  Determine what you need, what is useful, and what is beautiful…and then determine what exactly you want!

Interim decorating is for renters too.  Certainly, you’ll want to limit investing in other people’s investment, but don’t deny yourself a pleasant home!  Maximize the fun updates that you can take with you when you go; layer large area rugs over ugly floors, perhaps swap out dated lighting fixtures or hardware (hang on to the old ones to them swap back upon move-out), or if the architectural elements aren’t very interesting paint them to make them more special.  Consider painting the trim and doors a vibrant fun color.  Another dramatic short-term option is temporary wall-coverings like this beauty from Tempaper Designs.

Whatever your housing situation is, you’re always safe if you follow the Golden Rule-