Whenever
I have to choose between two evils, I always like to try the
one I haven’t tried before.
-Mae West
Just as with life decisions, design
decisions should not happen serendipitously. The backdrop of
your life should reflect your character and your furnishings
should reflect your style. While Mae probably wasn’t talking
about the design risk she took when she chose those scarlet
velvet drapes with gold bullion fringe, she is talking about
learning from your mistakes.
The fear of making a mistake is
the biggest reason people live with hand-me-down furnishings
and hodge-podge belongings. Many of them get by calling their
look “eclectic” but what it may mean is that they
can’t make a decision. Don’t let this happen to
you! If you have arrived at a fork in your decorating road,
take it! In other words, sometimes any decision is better than
no decision.
To begin with, be bold in your
choices. By bold, I don’t mean paint your family room
‘Brady Bunch’ orange. -- I mean make a choice based
on what you like. Don’t live with a wall color that is
there because of a previous owner and don‘t choose antique
white unless antique white is what you love. If you are in a
rental situation and can’t paint, add your character to
your space through furniture, art, lighting, whatever. Timidity
in selecting your environmental puzzle pieces will result in
lackluster and bland surroundings.
Next, exercise your creative power
when putting together your space. Don’t like the finish
on the table you’ve had for years? Paint it. Shopping
for upholstery but don’t see anything you like? Go to
one of the many retailers that offer the “pick a frame,
pick a fabric” approach. The lead times on these items
may be a little longer than having something delivered off of
the showroom floor, but 6 to 8 weeks is short in comparison
to a lifetime of enjoyment.
