How do you do it?

Ok - this is a two part question...

I am looking at a lot of pics from your homes and they are gorgeous! From bathrooms to living rooms, I am jealous of how nice they look! I just don't have the touch to decorate and I was wondering...

How do you get the knack to renovate and decorate so nicely?

How do you afford to do such lavish looking work in your home?

Re: How do you do it?

Marry a DH who's father is a kitchen designer

Have a dad and grandfather that were both master carpenters so it's in my DNA.

Like my Dad, I spend my money on my house... for some people it's clothes, eating out, travel... for us, it's the house.

Re: How do you do it?

How do you get the knack to renovate and decorate so nicely?


Artist at heart. Also from magazines, tv shows

How do you afford to do such lavish looking work in your home?

Right now DH is the bread winner but before the baby I worked and we used my $$ for the renovations

Re: How do you do it?

The important thing is that your home reflect YOUR taste, not someone else's.

Personally, I like my house nicely done but I won't go into debt over anything.

Having a DH who is Mr. Super-Fixit helps. Between his talent and my taste, our house is what we want it to be.

Re: How do you do it?

For me it is having good taste and picking a good contractor who knows what he is doing.

Re: How do you do it?

We were lucky because Danielle's father enjoys fixing up houses. Without him we would of spent $25k on renovating the inside of our house. It cost us around $7500 for supplies and labor was free.

Everything else we have contracted out, like our deck, front door install, brick pavers, washer dryer closet and soon to be PVC fence.

I get a lot of our ideas from what other people have done on LIF and HGTV, and just from what Danielle and I like.

Scott

Re: How do you do it?

How do you get the knack to renovate and decorate so nicely?

I have taken a few classes in interior design & I worked as a designer for my DH's contracting Co. And had a small design/decor business several years ago. When other little kids were drawing stick figures & trees, I was drawing floorplans. I've always loved design since I was a child. I still read lots of design magazines, spend alot of my internet time on home related sites.

How do you afford to do such lavish looking work in your home?

My house doesn't have lavish work, we do everything ourselves & I pride myself on getting good values for very little money & putting our style on it. We live a very modest lifestyle & I don't need alot of bells & whistles. We do invest alot of time in our home, its our first priority.

Message edited 3/19/2007 7:25:45 AM.

Re: How do you do it?

Posted by Tah-wee-ZAH

Marry a DH who's father is a kitchen designer

Have a dad and grandfather that were both master carpenters so it's in my DNA.

Like my Dad, I spend my money on my house... for some people it's clothes, eating out, travel... for us, it's the house.

Message edited 3/19/2007 8:01:15 AM.

Re: How do you do it?

I feel the same as you and wonder the same things. So what I try to do is look through magazines even like PB and stuff and just rip out pages I like to use as inspiration. I totally get what you are saying though, I just don't get those "visions". I am great with color but that's about it. My mom is an awesome decorator but such different taste...

Message edited 3/19/2007 8:51:30 AM.

Re: How do you do it?

As far as decorating I buy magazines and keep pictures I love in a file for inspiration when the time comes for a job.

We can afford the work by doing a little at a time. Our first project was a year ago replacing carpet on one floor and the stairs with real hardwood, taking out a wall, and putting up crown moulding. We would have loved to replace the flooring on both floors but that was limited by our budget. This year we are doing the floor downstairs and getting a large room cut into two bedrooms. We also cut the price down by having friends and family help. We paint the rooms ourselves and do what odds and ends we can. My Dad is helping us install a fence later this year.

Message edited 3/19/2007 9:25:48 AM.

Re: How do you do it?

Hey Girly,
I'm going to post pics this weekend but a lot of help came from HGTV. They give so many ideas its not even funny!!

Re: How do you do it?

I've always loved to decorate and thankfully DH has the skill to carry out my vision. But as far as affordability it's MUCH cheaper for us since we do our own work and I usually decorate with alot of Home Goods, Marshalls & TJ Max finds. Sometimes those little nicknacks really complete a room.