I am passionate about design.

For me, design is about bringing order from chaos. Spaces can spring to life with a simple splash of color. Seeing form, function, and scale transform dreary spaces resonates with me. We live in a society of expediency. The 30-minute HGTV shows, the IGTV videos, or TikTok reels haven’t helped the design process. Let’s face it, it is so much easier and simpler to do one-stop shopping buying things to fill our space. Living a slow living lifestyle has inspired me to create a curated home.

What does it mean to curate your home?

 

Curating might be a buzzword right now, but it has been around for a long time. Often used when referencing a museum rather than a home, many people are looking to change that.

In other words, the selection of things is not haphazard, they are sought after with intent. We have applied the bed-in-a-bag idea to how we decorate our homes. The bed-in-a-bag concept does solve several design issues while keeping our budget intact. Yet, it falls flat in quality and often gives us more than we need. So some of our rooms are filled with low-quality pieces just cluttering our spaces. To curate is to be selective.

 

Designer Sarah Gee at Inhabit Your Home says, “Curating is about building an extension of you within your walls.”

Curating is knowing the “why”. Knowing my “why” has helped me in the curating process. I also like to call it, treasure hunting.

We all need sofas to sit on, tables to dine at it, and beds to lay in, but curating those pieces is about the layering process. There can be a great discomfort in seeing our vacuous rooms or negative wall spaces. It screams, Fill Me! My goodness, that is what we intend to do. We forego the other aspects of living in our homes. What is that you might ask? Well, our homes inhabit people and not just things. People and pets do the actual living within the four walls.

Today, I sit writing this post from a closet turned office in a new house. This is my “forever” home. I love almost everything about it except the flimsy vinyl floors which don’t seem to want to stay down. Oh well! If these walls could talk, it would say, “Take your time, Katherine”. Nestled within a woodland backdrop, I affectionately dubbed it, the Woodland Cottage. With its brick fireplace that begs for the sharing of stories, and the cozy gathering on a cold winter’s night. This home is reintroducing me to the love of curating. Of course, the completion of rooms may not happen for a while, but that’s ok. I am learning once again to love the process of curating my home. Allow me to share some of the tips I have implemented so far.

Tip#1 -Do The Homework

Grab paper and pen, start with assessing what works or doesn’t in the current space. Create a list of wants and needs that will make that room what you want it to be. List also some descriptive words you want your home to reflect like cozy, classic, inviting. Be mindful of how the room suits you in the present, and not some unattainable vision of the future.

Tip#2-Know Your “Why”

 

Often times decorating our homes is more about what society says we should do, and less about us. It’s about filling our homes with the latest trend with no rhyme or reason. Understanding why we want our homes to feel or look a certain goes a long way. It keeps us on track with our design and our budget. It matters!

 

Tip#3- Time to Prep

 

Armed with your list and your “why”, it’s time to clear out the room. If that’s not possible, clear everything except the bigger items like a sofa or a bed. Seeing the space as blank as possible allows for a better perspective. It affords the opportunity to entertain new possibilities. Declutter, Declutter, Declutter! Curating is about knowing what works, and what doesn’t. Be brave to edit what is so you can make room for what can be. Don’t put anything back in the space that doesn’t align with the list or the “why”.

Tip#4- Mix It Up

 

Don’t be afraid to marry styles. Some of the most beautiful rooms are when the old meets the new. It is intriguing when a space features a classic piece juxtaposed against a rare find. The outcome can strike a unique balance and dramatic effect.

 

Tip#5-Shop Outside the Box

 

What makes a curated home so exceptional are the one-of-a-kind finds. These don’t normally come from big box stores but in out-of-the-way establishments. Thrift stores, antique shops, and flea markets can unearth some amazing treasures. Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Etsy are great resources for those unique beauties too.

Not a tip, but a sweet reminder- just have fun! Let your rooms tell your story.