Why now is actually the BEST time to design or decorate your home
Why now is actually the BEST time to design or decorate your home
While we’ve all been spending the vast majority of our time at home these days, it’s only inevitable you’ve started to notice the quirks - good, bad or ugly - in your home. Here are the top 5 challenges I’m being told folks are facing:
Lack of adequate storage for the each member of the household;
Functionality of kitchen and living areas;
No set working or “life admin” area (that is not the dining table or kitchen island);
Inconsistent decorative style (or lack of cohesive style) throughout the home;
Haphazard furniture which doesn't match, is incorrect proportions or in poor condition.
If these issues sound familiar, then you’ll be pleased to hear that now is actually the perfect time to address those problems once and for all. You’ll finally be able to create the beautiful home you’ve always wanted!
Why now?
More available time. When we’re running out the door each morning, arriving home late and the weekends are filled with kids sport and the endless of domestic duties, there’s little to no time (or energy) left over to sit down and really think about and prioritise how you want your home to feel and look. With the change in working situation for the moment (and kids starting to filter back to school), there is more flexible time available to nut out this vision for the home you’d like to create & make careful considered decisions.
Sales. Many suppliers are having sales at the moment so the chance of picking up that luxurious sofa you’ve had your eye on, just got a whole lot closer. Word of caution here, avoid going out and purchasing items just for the sake of it because they happen to be on sale. Clients often get into trouble here spending money on an item which does not fit the proportions of the space or the overall style of their home. (A designer can help you here by creating a distinct concept and producing scaled drawings to ensure perfect proportions!)
Stock availability. Like the sales, many suppliers now have an excess of stock they’re holding, so instead of waiting 12-14 weeks for your new furniture/artwork/lighting, there’s a good chance it will arrive in a matter of days or next week.
Go custom. If you’ve been wanting to get a special piece of furniture made or you’ve got a tricky space that will not fit standard off-the-shelf furniture, now is the time to get your custom order in. Again, many trades have slowed down with work so their capacity to take on new projects and have them completed in shorter time frames is a real positive. That initial 16 week lead time could be cut down significantly! Anything from a custom coffee table, bedside tables, hardwood timber front door (!), desks, TV entertainment units. The list is endless. Again, these designs should be considered as part of the overall style and design of the home to ensure consistency and money spent has the most effective impact.
It’s okay to not be all the things.
What I mean by that is, you don’t need to know everything before beginning. Remember, everything is ‘figureoutable’ as Marie Forleo would say (if you haven't read her book by the way, it’s well worth it). We can learn and and figure it out as we go, don’t be afraid to start just because you don’t know how to do all the things required. Just take the first step and think, “ok, what do I need to know next”, and then set about working that piece out. You’ll progress forward, then, “what do I need to know now”. And so on. Don’t think you need to know how to do it all before you can start. There is no manual for running a business, every single one is different and what you think your business will look like at day one is vastly different from year 2, 5, 10 etc because of the opportunities that will present, the people you’ll meet and the growth of your own knowledge. Just start, and know you can pivot and work through each obstacle as they present.
