HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE.
If you missed my Easter post from last week, you can find it HERE.
I know some will disagree with what I am about to say, and I’m okay with that. I am glad that decorating rules are fluid and that we each have our own interpretation and style. I think the world would be boring if we all agreed and had exactly the same opinion.
Sometimes people ask what they should put above their cabinets, in that difficult to reach space, or on that super large wall.
I think that is a very good question. But I think there is a MORE important question to ask before the ‘what should I put here’ question.
The first question I think that should be asked is ‘Do I need to put anything here or should I just leave it as it is?’
Let’s take a look a these built in cabinets. See all of the stuff on top? Does it look better this way?
Or this way with nothing on top? Some will prefer the first photo, but I am leaning more and more toward the look below. Also note fewer things in the cabinets.
Often the answer is that you don’t NEED to put anything in that awkward space. And since many are on a budget, hopefully, that is good news. (Of course if you WANT something there, that is another story. I always believe the space needs to make you happy.)
Here is what I HONESTLY think is going on. Sometimes we try to decorate a room and something isn’t quite right. It has happened to me many, many times. My next question is ‘what is wrong with the room?’ Is it missing something, or does it need something removed or does it need to be rearranged?
I think this is the point where many people just assume the fix is add something to the room, without first analyzing what the real problem is. If the problem is that the chair doesn’t go well with the sofa, then adding more artwork is not going to fix it.
Our room below was really bugging me. I felt the artwork was too dark and not sized properly for the space. I also felt the lamps were too dark. Then I realized the room would look better if I switched the sofa and the bench. But a big part of this fix here was getting rid of one end table and the big chair in the corner.
To accomplish this change I rearranged some things, gave away some stuff, and moved things around. The only purchases were the table in the corner and the stuff to make the blackboard. The screen door was free. To see the tutorial for the chalkboard, CLICK HERE.
Later I went with this even more simplified look to open up the space.
First try to figure out what is wrong before you start adding more things to a room.
It might not need anything added. Maybe it needs something removed.
The second thing I want to add is that you NEED blank spaces. When I used to design statistics courses, the instructional designer used to say ‘We need a lot of white space.’ I think rooms need white space or blank spaces also. The room needs to breathe visually. The only artwork on the back wall is the mirror above the bed. There is a mirror above the chest and that is about it for this room. It has very little artwork in here.
Every bare space does not need to be covered.
Sometimes what I do to fix a room has more to do with what I remove then what I add to the room. Remember the old rule that before you leave your house you should remove one piece of jewelry? Well it also works in the interior decorating world as well. Try removing things.
Here I have a big desk, big artwork and 3 chairs. I changed them out for a much smaller desk, one chair and smaller artwork. I simplified the space.
I like the look with more ‘blank’ space.
Once I painted a wall pink. I thought the paint looked terrible, a bit too Pepto Bismal for my taste. I decided that I would keep painting and see if it looked better. (It didn’t.) The only solution was to go back, buy more paint, and paint over the pink. Adding artwork to that wall as a fix would have been like moving deck chairs around on the Titanic.
The wrong color paint can make you very unhappy with a room. Sadly the only fix is repainting the room. Believe me, I’ve tried everything else in the book.
On another note, I’m having a SALE at my ONLINE SHOP
Great post Anita….Happy Easter to you and your family!
These are some great tips! Happy Easter!
I Love this post! Very informative…Thank you so much for sharing. It is very inspiring!
Happy Easter to you. Leticia
I really enjoyed reading your post. I subscribe to the “less is more” school of thought when it comes to most things, especially my home décor. I use color and fabrics to add interest and dimension – and sometimes that is too much. I like your starting question best as it challenges conventional thinking.
Sandra
http://www.lowcountryfelicitylife.com
Thank you Sandra! Sounds like we think alike.
Great post. The older I become, the more “less is more” I get. You can quote me on that if you’d like! haha!
I love this post and i couldn’t agree more. When we moved into our new townhome, 3 different people asked me what I was gonna put above the cabinets in my kitchen, but I had seen that the previous owners put lots of things like vine plants and i didn’t want my kitchen to look so crowded, ’cause it’s already a small space. So I just left it like that, it looks empty and I love it! We really don’t need so many things in our house.
Do you plan to carry the hugging bunnies again?
Yes Sharon. I will try to get them in again.
Glad to have come across this post. I’m in the midst of simplifying my home and sending a lot of things….. including the sofa……to live at someone else’s house. This post gave a boost to my motivation which was beginning to run out of steam!
Keep going!!!