Curating Your Home While Inspiring Others

Designing or styling a space to inspire others can be a fun yet challenging feat. With Pinterest, Instagram, and blogging all the rage, it's hard to feel like your just another home decor account in a giant ocean. Since I've been on IG (for the last year) my feed and style have evolved over time, but one aspect of my style has not changed, and that is my love of texture and layering. Today, I am going to share with you my thoughts to designing a space that is loved by a community. If you're not a home decor account stick around, because I will also be sharing tips and tricks on how to style a space. Let's get started, shall we?

First, I want to start by discussing my bedroom. My goal for my bedroom has always been having a cozy, well curated space, that has meaningful elements. I also (in photos) want my room to evoke cozy and well lived in feeling. At the end of the day if I don't want to run and jump into my bed, why would you be interested in the vibes of it? In my opinion successful IG photos are the ones that someone would want to walk right into and plop down or cook a good meal.

Advice #1: curate a well thought out, but high functioning space. You don't need to have all white everything to be successful. You dont need to have the top of the line home decor pieces to be successful. You just need a well developed, loved space. People want to see obtainable home decor, things they can recreate. They want an experience when they see your photos. They want to feel good when they walk away from your feed. The same goes with house guests, does your home feel like one a guest can relax in or would someone fear sitting on the sofa?

Advice #2: The only box that you will feel trapped in is the one you placed upon yourself. I learned this the hard way at the beginning of my IG journey. I wanted to follow Joanna Gaines to a "t" but I couldn't live with 2 kiddos, a dog, and husband who likes freeze pops with all white everything. When I did attempt the look it felt so uninspired (to me). I want my home to inspire me and be a place of solace. --consider it my charging station-- after all if you can't let your kid touch a pillow than why have the pillow... Get me? Now, don't hear me say that this look isn't beautiful, because it truly truly is, it just doesn't work for me personally.

Advice #3 Work that cozy factor. The biggest feedback that I receive is how cozy my home is. I achieve this by layering textures and color schemes within my space. For example, in this photo you see a multitude of textures, but none of them are fighting for your attention.

 You can easily waft through the shot. The layering of rugs, but the balance of the gray rug with the gray couch, and the gray wall. It's all there and it's all balanced, but they aren't yelling at each other. The white chairs pop off the ombre wall, but they are balanced by the white wall. The vintage rug exists in a quiet way, but it adds the texture that a room chocked full of neutrals needs.... Are you following me? (Sidenote-- my whole house might make a professional designer cringe, but it makes me smile)

Advice #4: Work a space until it feels good. Do not post until you like what you see. This is your home not a magazine shoot. Only conform to your good feelings in your space. Don't design your home based on someone else's success, design your home based on what recharges you at the end of the day. If plants don't float your boat, don't let it sink because of their popular factor. 

Advice #5: Take clean, crisp, well edited photos. People are visual. They enjoy beautiful things. You legit have one shot to evoke enough emotions to have a connection with followers. Let your home depict your heart. The feeds I love the most evoke a sense of emotion. Most of the time they are relaxing to me. For example, look at this shot from @stellbluegallery.

 I want to jump into her home. She has this warm essence to her photos and her layering is spot on.

Advice #6 Curate a cohesive feed. If your home doesn't flow visually it might be why you feel "off" some days. The same thing happens to your viewer. Everything doesn't have to match, but everything should evoke the same feeling-- the feeling that you are most comfortable with.

Advice #7 Allow your home to speak. Some homes don't want shiplap...it just doesn't work with their bones. Some rooms just need simplicity while others need a few visual Band-Aids. If a wall seems drab, give it a reason to shine. If a space is frustrating write down why it's frustrating. Problem solve your home the way you would work through a problem with an infant. They can't speak, but they know when they are comfortable. The key is figuring out why they are uncomfortable. Same thing goes with designing your space. What makes you uncomfortable? Discover the why, and try things that would potentially be successful. If you have to change a room 7000x do it. Work the space until it feels good.

My final thought is at the end of the day, this is YOUR home. Not the followers on IG, Facebook, or your blog. Stay in the lane that makes your heart smile. If that means 8000 pumpkins ...you rock them... If that means all white everything slay... Be ok with who you are and what your home is.