Tips to avoid "Design Analysis Paralysis"

We've all been there. We think we know what we want and then we head to the store...Pinterest board in hand, inspo photos on phone and a mission to purchase your dream room furniture and décor.

We enter the store confident and alert. "Ohhhhh that's SO cute!" As you start to meander through the store your eyes wander. Oh! But this is SO adorable! And this I could TOTALLY use! Before you know it your cart is full of random items and your pinterest board is out the window.

You purchase your items unsure of how you are going to pull this together but confident you can. You get home. Unwrap all your beautiful treasures only to realize, they don't fit, go together or are different styles.

You get frustrated. You get discouraged and you put it all back in the bag and set it next to the five thousand other bags of stuff you "need to return", because that didn't work either. You give up. You don't know your style and you certainly don't know how to design. Your dreams of creating your dream room move over to the "I'll just keep looking list" and your heart sinks.

It happens to the best of us. While working with a lot of clients, I noticed a few things they had in common and I started to develop a process that really helped to streamline the whole design process. It has brought a lot of focus and intention to all my designs and the rooms we design together with clients. (Please note this works best with bedrooms, living rooms and casual spaces NOT needing cabinetry, tile, flooring or other larger design elements)

1. Start pinning!

Most of us are visual. And if your in the beginning stages of designing your home, you might not know your style. Or you might even surprise yourself when it comes down to it, thinking you like one style and then changing your mind. So I highly suggest starting a pinterest account if you don't have one already and start pinning away! I would suggest organizing them room by room.

2. Be bold!

Finding inspiration on pinterest and Instagram can be so exciting but also try and find accounts or images that scare you a little. I can't tell you how many times I've taken a risk either in my own home or in a clients home and LOVED it! Design is FUN and CREATIVE so let your inner artist come out and shine!

3. Narrow it down.

Once you have several pins of rooms you love pinned on your board, start narrowing it down. KEEP only the ones YOU LOVE! Yes, that's right you should now only have about 3-5 images that make your soul happy and bring lots of excitement to you.

4. Insert yourself

I have found that spaces that bring our souls the most joy are the ones that reflect who we are. They are the spaces that you can look at and say "Yeah, that is a reflection of me and my style." YOU HAVE STYLE! I promise! We all have our own unique likes and artistic abilities so let yours shine in your spaces!

5. Find one key item

Weather it be online or in the store, find 1 key piece or item to design your room around. This item should make you gasp with awww and bring a smile to your face. I've used all sorts of things from a pillow to a rug, to a light fixture to a paint color.

6. Start somewhere

Take this one key item and start building around it. Start slowly adding items in with intention and make sure you love them. Some may make the cut, others may go back to the store. When you have several items and feel confident you have a "style and direction" go for it!

7. Overbuy

I know, your husband will probably hate you for a hot minute, but it's WORTH IT! When adding in the final touches and décor I ALWAYS over buy items to mix and match to see what looks best. Some things just might not look as great as you think they will and others may surprise you. I usually purchase TWICE as much as I need with the full intention to return half of it.

For larger and more complex rooms I will write another blog post on how to design those and avoid analysis paralysis!

Thanks- Heather