Decorating Dilema

The change in seasons always brings about a desire to decorate my home. This usually means a simple addition of some seasonal decor--wreaths, flower arrangements, and other miscellaneous small decor to place on table tops and shelves.

Fall is just around the corner. The signs are everywhere. They days are getting shorter. It's no longer light outside when I get up in the morning and it's getting darker much earlier in the evening. I see a few leaves already beginning to change. Temperatures will be taking a cooler turn in the next week or so. I find myself longing for pumpkins, open windows, cool breezes, football games, piles of leaves, sweaters, boots, etc.

I also find myself longing to decorate with fall decor. But lately, it's more than that. I want to change EVERYTHING. I find myself dreamily reviewing photos on my Pinterest boards that showcase the decorating style that I love. Images such as this......

Source: bhg.com

I spent many years of my life trying to figure out what my style was. I often decorated with trends. We spent a lot of years surrounded by jewel tones. I could never figure out why I never really liked it. I finally figured out that though I may like a certain style and love the way it looks in someone else's home, that doesn't mean it's my style. It took me a long time and quite a bit of research to find out what my style actually is. 

How I define my style: light, bright, comfortable, kid friendly, maybe even a little "beachy", with touches of bold color. 

So....I figured out my decorating style, the decorating bug has bitten me, what's to stop me from charging ahead and making the changes that would make me more comfortable and happy in my own home? My mom. Or, better yet, my mom's stuff. 

Since we share a home with my mom, I can't just come in and change everything. We live in her home. With her things. That have been here for 30 years. *sigh* My mom's style is pretty typical of someone from her generation. Lots of wood. I mean LOTS. I like wood. I also like paint on some wood furniture pieces. Sometimes, they look better painted than stained. I like things that I don't have to worry about it getting a nick, chip, or scrape because it adds to it's character. 

We have lived under the same roof for almost 10 years. Voluntarily. Mom stayed with us after Dad died. It was easier on her. It made us worry less about her. She saved money on gas. She went home on the weekends. I did what I wanted to in my home. I decorated how I want. I rearranged furniture any way I pleased. It was grand. Then we made the decision to permanently combine our homes. We left our home and came to hers. No more double mortgages, utility bills, etc. But, double the furniture, double the dishes, pots and pans, and other kitchen gadgets, and stuff. Lots of stuff. I like to craft. I need a craft room because I could easily fill a whole room with my craft supplies. To date, most of our "stuff" is still in the attic. We got rid of most of our furniture. Mom moved her sofa and love seat out and made room for our sectional.

Before:

After:

We changed the rug. I don't love it. Still too many jewel tones. And then there's the other side of the family room that I haven't shown you. It's full of antique furniture that belonged to my dad's mother. My mom doesn't even really like it. Brace yourself....lol....

Everything is the opposite of what I love. It's dark. Always dark. Our house doesn't have a lot of windows. There are 7 windows in the whole house. We have two doors that have windows for extra light, but it is still dark in the house during the brightest part of the day. I like sunshine. Need light and bright. 

So, what's a girl to do? I've tried to decorate our bedroom in the style that I like. But, our bedroom is such a utilitarian space. It houses our office and all the supplies for our multiple businesses and my craft supplies. All my craft supplies. It's ridiculously tight in there. Doesn't feel "light and bright". 

We have plans to enclose the garage to make a suite type space for the hubs and I. That will be where I direct my decorating magic wand. The hope of that future space is what keeps me from going rogue and redecorating the whole house one day while Mom is gone. That, and the fact that though the whole act of redecorating everything would make me happy for a little while, it would make Mom unhappy - and probably mad - and that would break my heart. 

So, while everyone else is decorating for fall, I'll be doing the same........and silently dreaming of my beachy, comfy, light, bright space to come.