My mom and I made our first trip to a Canadian Target this weekend. It was virtually identical to the US stores, with one exception: I didn't have to leave behind anything I wanted!
For things like baskets, frames and pillows it is hard to beat the quality and look at such a great price. I've been sprucing up the living room verrrrrry slowly as part of my 'homecoming' (more on that here). But once in a while you see something you love. Something that inspires you. I've felt that way about the Threshold line at Target for a little while. It is basically Anthropologie-style items at real people prices.
Cute, right?
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Of course! It's bright, it's happy, it's fun! I filled my cart. And my sweet mom helped me go back and forth on pillows, throws, accessories for the better part of an hour. I was so excited to get it home and see how much it all popped on my white furniture.
FAIL. I got it home and while I liked it, I just knew. It wasn't for me. I may like it now, for a little while even, but I know it won't stick. So I am taking it all back. SORRY MOM!
I looked back through pictures I've felt most inspired by and I noticed one thing: not one has a lot of color.
It doesn't mean I shouldn't add a little color if I feel like it, but I know that $200 in colorful accessories would not be a wise investment in the direction I am trying to go. It was a good reminder for me to look back at these images because I find myself easily led down a different decorating path when I'm not paying attention!
I want the living room to feel sophisticated, cool and yet still very eclectic with a few unexpected touches.
unknown (if you know please let me know!)
elle decor
Please tell me I'm not the only person who finds it hard to stay on track when decorating!!!
22 comments:
I completely understand and can totally relate! I think the problem is that I love a slew of different looks, I can appreciate many of them, but I have to realize that just because I love something doesn't mean that it's right for my own home. So I have to remind myself what feel and look I'm going for and buy accordingly. It's tough though when you see something that's really awesome not to throw it in your cart! Temptation is always there. This is part of the reason why I'd love to do some type of interior decorating, because it will allow me to create looks that I absolutely love that are different than what we have going on here. gosh, I hope that makes sense! lol
You're not! ;) but I agree, best way to stay on track is to keep your master vision in mind a and buy the accessories that match your vision. At least you tried right!? Would love to see what you bought though :)!
nope!! So true!! It's so easy for me to "oooh and ahhh" at bright colorful pictures, but I know it's just "not me". I do it with clothing too!!
I love/neutral rooms too and recently re-decorated my whole house to reflect my love of neutral spaces. I love that I can add color in little doses. But, I've found that with three children I don't really have to add color because they are my color. Their toys, book bags and stuff add so much and doesn't -usually- send me over the edge because most of the house is so white and peaceful.
Hey, at least you figured it out before you started cutting off tags. It really is a matter of distinguishing what look we love to live with daily from all the looks we like.
Comparing the Tar-jay pics and your inspiration pic, I got a totally different emotional vibe from each set (both are awesome, as others have stated). Although I really like @Kathy 's comments: my friends/family don't come over to see new cushions! they're here to visit the peeps, and that's what should "pop". I have some friends who have opted to turn their largest room into gaming central (tabletop and online) - certainly not what I would do, but we definitely know what's on that evening's agenda and love that part of their identity :-)
Well the top one doesn't feel as much your style as the comparisons do, knowing all you've done in the past! I love the cow pillow for interest and personality! Personally I'd shrivel up and die without color but that's just me...it fills my soul! You possibly need to pick out random pillows here and there....maybe at homesence too.
Hugs Giggles
ps...can't tell you how many times I've been excited about something that just didn't work in a room!!
Totally me! I do it all the time!
Though I do think alot of styles can work together as long as you have an eye for what furnishings and decor...
It is a fight foir me everyday to keep control and stay on track! There are so many lovely styles, and Target over here is just as wonderful, very tempting!
LOL!! I keep thinking I'll like white painted furniture and the moment I paint it white, I hate it. So I paint it another colour, and another, and another - my furniture has so many coats of paint it's all grown by several inches.
I think I'm finally finding the style and colours that work best for me in this house. At least I hope I am!
ps LOVE that first photo. I'd totally be into that one for my mudroom. Except my mudroom is done now and I'm NOT MAKING IT OVER AGAIN. I'll just keep repeating that last sentence over and over and over to myself. Cheers!
I love this post, because you seem, (from the blog reader's perspective) like someone who is so on track and so pulled together in your vision for your home. I often get swayed by things that are trending and that I really love the look of, but when I try to add them in my own home I know it just doesn't feel right. It is comforting to know that it happens to everyone, even you. ;) I do feel like I'm finally really honing in on what makes me happy in my home, and that is such a great feeling.
I'm the same way! The photo with the painted bricks is old school Domino. I still think about painting he bricks on mine! http://www.mimiandmegblog.com/2009/03/interiors-dara-caponigro.html
That's how I feel all the time. I see something in other people's home, or in a magazine, or online and think: "Now this would be great, more color would look awesome in here!" Most of the time, when I look at my home, though, I just see that it doesn't match. Plus, you have to work with what you have - even a different wood floor can change the whole feel of the decoration.
I laughed at reading this post! Congrats on realising your mistake though so quickly. I am forever going in different design directions and hope it reads eclectic not an indecisive mash! Same probs the world over it seems!I really loved your inspiration pics....so beautiful that I will save all of them to remind me too of a clear path! x KL
Yep...it happens to me too. Maybe we get too much inspiration via the internet and are drawn too many directions. Sometimes it's hard to stay on track with what really is our look. You get it home and it looks like it belongs in someone else's house. Thankfully you can return it! Hang in there it's going to be beautiful!
oh, i'm so there with you! even being sucked in to this new and wonderful target we now have. my best friend and i drove over an hour to the closest Target and we walked through every aisle, admiring every little thing (her poor two year old endured this so well!) and i walked away with a new cutlery organizer. it's all adorable, but it doesn't really have place in my home right now.
i have pictures of my "inspiration rooms" saved on my phone so i can refer back to them when i'm shopping. it helps me refocus when i get distracted by all the shiny things.
Oh, Holly, thank you for sharing this experience! I could not believe this post when I read it because last week was all about getting our living room back on track. I recently helped my sister decorate her first place, a studio apartment, and got so caught up in all of Target's new stuff I ended up buying a lot for our home! What I added to our living room only made a mess of what I really love and makes me feel happy. It's already been returned and I can't tell you the ease I felt when we were back to our beloved neutrals. I did shake things up with a few rearrangements which satisfied my urge for something fresh feeling. ;)
It's easy to do when you are a visual person !
I seem to have tried to veer away from nautical,whites
Ect. But then it never feels like home:/ I think following
Your intuition will keep it your own and Perdy!
Yes and YES! I adore the Threshold Line and want to add more...but when I'm actually standing there picking out what to put in our house, I WON'T BUY IT! I want to incorporate a teal table and a yellow pillow and a green vase and coral picture frame because it's just so darn cheery. In the end, I've bought two things- both neutrals. This has been such an internal struggle for me so THANK YOU for agreeing with me! Love the line...can't figure out how to incorporate it. :/ Marissa
You do not know how much I needed to read this. I am struggling so much right now, I know what I love and what I want. But I keep falling off track with all of the trendy things I keep buying. I need to stay on track. I am still learning too. You are not alone!
Color is great, but black and white are awesome : )
OMG I'm the same way. I love seeing all the fun colors in the store but I just LOVE my neutral home ;) You don't need to change your home either!!
Jamie @ somuchbetterwithage.com
I just found your blog here and read a few posts! I can totally relate to what you said! I do the same thing! I finally had to write down the elements I'm going for in a somewhat new look for me. Now anything I buy has to fit into at least one of the elements. So far, it's working!
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