Design for the sake of design isn't really my thing. Sure I like to surround myself with a beautiful home, but if my space doesn't function for our everyday needs, then we have a problem. Living in a small home (our house is a skosh bigger than 1,000 square feet), my goal has always been function over form. Thus, many of the furniture items in our home serve multiple purposes and have been chosen based on that instead of being picked based on ascetic.

For instance, the new-to-us bench in our living room operates as a child safe coffee table, a storage unit for magazines and toys, and a comfortable place to rest our feet while watching TV. Is it what I would have purchased for the space, look-wise? No. Is it exactly what this space needs nonetheless? Yes.

Today, I thought I would share the thought process I have when I'm picking a piece for our house. As we have slowly turned our house into a home, I have come across many situations that have stretched my design eye, my pocketbook, and my creative side. I want to talk about how I balance all of those things and how I prioritize to create a space that works for our family. Let's use the ottoman as an example.

First: Clearly identify the issue and the goal(s) you have.
Within our living room space, I originally had an old metal and wood trunk (please excuse the Christmas photo...it is the only one I could find with the trunk in it!). While it served the purpose that I wanted it to (i.e. a rustic and pretty coffee table with storage) it also was a hazard to our little boy who is becoming more and more mobile. Those metal corners are not child friendly. So, I decided it was time for a change and that I should be on the look for something to replace it. After much thought, I concluded that something with storage, coffee table capabilities, and child friendly aspects, would be the piece for us.

Second: Peruse Pinterest/ magazines for, talk with friends about, or just sit down and brainstorm possible ideas.
Think about your goal and evaluate various options based on your goal. Keep in mind, you may not be able to find the perfect piece. You may have to sacrifice one less important aspect for another. For us, the child friendly side of things was our number one goal. After reading a few blogs and thinking about what would work best for us, I concluded that some kind of padded storage ottoman would be nice. I liked the idea that it was padded (good for a toddling baby), it had a compartment for hidden storage (which would be great for not-baby-friendly things), and it also could be used as a coffee table (just throw a decorative tray on top and a drink-worthy space would be created). I wasn't sure exactly how it would look, but I left that part unanswered and started my search.

Third: After you have decided on a piece that will work for you, look, look, look and keep an open mind! 
This is my favorite part. While it may be a bit time consuming, it is fun to finally find what you are looking for! Be patient, trust me, you will find it! While keeping your goals in mind, it's also important to think about size and material of your desired object. For instance, we couldn't have anything that was too big to fit in front of our couches and we had to make sure it was the proper height too. I also wanted something well made that could endure the beating of children and dogs.

Around the time that I started looking, my parents redid their bedroom and decided that they didn't have room for the bench that was previously at the end of their bed. My mom offered it to us and I couldn't refuse! It had storage (both open and hidden storage), it could work for a coffee table (if I put a tray on top), and it was a good size and seemed to be well made. Plus, it was free. Thanks mom and dad!

Let's recap. Looking to fulfill a specific need in your space? First, identify that need and clearly articulate the goals that you have for your future piece. Second, search high and low for inspiration. I love using Pinterest, magazines, blogs, and friends for this part. Nothing beats having a lot of options. Finally, after you have decided what you would like, search high and low for the piece. Keep your goals in mind and remember to be creative and flexible! You never know what might work for your space. 

What are some of your favorite creative solutions? I love seeing what people come up with to fulfill a need within their space. 

Four Steps to Fixing Your Space

Y'all ready to start fresh?

I know I am!! I have been dreaming, thinking, and processing all week and I think I have a detailed enough plan for this little bloggy-blog of ours. I'm excited. I'm feeling inspired. I'm just hoping that between work, a baby getting ready to make his grand entrance, and everything else going on, that I have the time to stick to my plan!

Will you guys still stick around if my blogging becomes sporadic? Oh heck, who am I kidding...it already is!

Love me anyways? 

Ok? Ok. :)

Today's topic is a bit of design advice that I want to share with you. It is no secret around here, that I absolutely HATE our master bedroom. You may be wondering what the heck I'm talking about, but the hubs hears about it on a daily basis. I'm just not digging it anymore. The color is off. It feels too unfinished for my taste. It doesn't reflect out taste/style. It isn't romantic. bla bla bla.

Don't get me wrong, it isn't horrible. I just think we can do a lot better. I'm blaming it on a combination of nesting, feeling the best I have in my entire life, and a seemingly endless bought of energy--I'm ready to tackle this room. If this is what pregnancy is like, I will just plan to always be pregnant!!! Don't freak out Jonathan, you will get used to it! :) 

Of course, this is easier said than done. The reality of the situation is that this room, along with the rest of our house, needs some major work done to it. Eventually we have plans to gut our living room, dining room, kitchen, and entryway. We also plan on adding on the rest of our second story--think at least two more bedrooms and a bathroom. Finally, there may be a two-stall garage in our future--something that would be perfect to house all of the tools Jonathan uses for his business, all of our yard maintenance stuff, and maybe my car. 

But the reality is that those construction projects are a long way off. We have a plan to tackle those things after we pay off our house and we aren't going to get into that stuff today. Today is about our master bedroom!

So, what is one to do when there is no money to put towards changes, but the urge to fix something is overwhelming?

Well, I'm glad you asked!

Oh. You didn't? Well maybe you should have....cause I have some great ideas. Yea...you want to stick around for this!

Today I am going to share some of my thoughts on how to cost effectively tweak a space to your preferences. This is just a list of the things that I mentally go through before I start to change a space around. Next week I'm hoping to share with you some of the changes I made. I think you will see that even with no money, you can significantly change the feeling of a space. All you need is a bit of creativity.

Let's get started!

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How to tweak a room for little to no moolah:

Step #1: Take it all in. 

One of the biggest problems I see with some of the rooms in our house, is the lack of consideration for the 'big picture.' When I chose furniture, paint, a rug, etc for the room, I didn't consider what it may all look like together. So, when I decide that there is something about a room that is bothering me, I immediately take a step back. I analyze the space and try to determine what it is exactly that isn't quite right. Usually, it is a simple tweak that can make a world of difference, but I don't act on anything until I take the whole space into consideration.

Step #2: Start small. 

Don't stress out about changing everything all at once. Instead, start small. Try something, first, that doesn't cost very much. For instance, does the floor plan need to be changed? Would switching out or rearranging your accessories create the fresh new look you are going for? Can you swap a chair, mirror, rug, etc. from one room for one from a different room and get a more cohesive look? Try removing things and stepping back to see if that does the trick. This point of advice is all about not rushing into a change that will cost a lot or be made rashly. Sometimes all it takes is something small to completely reinvent a space. 

Step #3: Come up with a plan. 

Ok, so you have figured out what is bothering you. You've played around with the stuff in your space and pinpointed what you think needs to be changed. Now is the time to come up with a plan. If you are going to need to spend a few bucks on paint or a new piece for the room, make a plan as to how you are going to go about saving money, figuring out exactly what you would like, and where to purchase the item. If you decided that the floor plan for you room is driving you crazy, sit down and decide how a new one might look and be sure to MEASURE! If you want to switch out your accessories in one room, for those from a different room, go for it!--but maybe think about it for a second and come up with your plan for the new look. Coming up with a plan of how to execute things  can help you foresee any issues that may arise. 

Step #4: Execute with an open eye. 

With your plan in mind, execute your new ideas. But don't fall into the trap of sticking to your plan, if it doesn't seem to be working out. Go with your gut. If something doesn't feel right about the new furniture arrangement, try a different idea! Better yet, have a friend come over and help you--they may have a different perspective that you never even thought of! If an accessory just doesn't seem to fit in, get rid of it! Don't think that just because you have everything all planned out, that it has to end up that way in the end. Some of the best things I have done to our house have been on the fly. They come out of my willingness to try something out of the box or unconventional. Ironically, those are always the things that my friends comment on most when they come to visit. All that to say, decorate with reckless abandon :)

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So, stay tuned!  My plan is to walk you through these tips as I work on our master bedroom over the next few weeks. I can't wait to show you some of the ideas I have!