Do you ever go to other people's houses...

and think WOW how do they do it? Everything looks so perfectly decorated....pictures on the wall, curtains hanging so nicely....

I've been in my house 2 years and I only have curtains up in the kitchen and dining room. We haven't spent tons in decorating...just enough to look presentable.

Any tips? Pier One and Ikea??

Re: Do you ever go to other people's houses...

we are coming up on our 2 years in our house & we still don't have window treatments in every room. I don't feel as any of my rooms are really complete either, but I'm ok with that. I don't want my house to look like a catalog. I'd prefer to decorate over time with things I love. Luckily we had lots of furniture from my townhouse or our rooms would empty too!

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Oh yes, but in most cases they had more professional work done than we did. DH and I have done everything urselves and while professionals would have done a better job, I am proud of what we've done on our own (however, when it comes to the really big things, like redoing the bathroom and kitchen, we'll hire pros)

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Absolutely. I marvel at how people who just bought can be so fixed up and ready. We've been in our house more than 5 years and some of the first things you see when you walk in the front door are some unfinsihed projects (the stairs, no railing, spackle on wall, etc.).

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Please!!!! We're here 3 years and I'm just buying a dining room set.

Did some stuff but I still have paper blinds on all the windows.

Re-doing the staircase and painting the rest of the rooms now and then I will buy window treatments.

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Yeah, I always wonder how people seem to be able to do it so quickly. I am trying to remind myself that it is more than OK to be a work in progress. I know when we are in the house, I'm going to want everything done immediately. It's just not realistic- at least for us.

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Totally!! 5 years here and still nothing hangin on the dining room walls -- and I only JUST got curtains up!

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We are here 6 months and I am finally getting to go shopping for curtains. I have those lovely paper things, but the sunlight is so bright in the morning that we are waking up at the crack of dawn. I need to get some light block panels at the very least.

As for furniture, I still have folding snack tables for end tables next to the big chair....I need to get so much more furniture b/c right now our home feels so empty.

Re: Do you ever go to other people's houses...

Always!!!! I was at my cousin's house a few weeks ago and loved her window treatments...sure enough I bought some for my house later that week. I am convinced that there will always be something that needs to be done in a house and that you never really stop decorating/buying/changing your home.

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Yes I am the worst decorater ever. We painted and I can't stand it. I want to redo my whole downstairs. I have all these framed pictures and have no idea where to hang them. We've been here almost 3 years and no way does my home look complete. Pathetic!!

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I can't tell you how much better this post makes me feel! I really felt like I was the only one. When we first moved in, we spackled some holes but we still haven't gotten around to painting the spackle! Mind you I have only been in the house 5 months but I have also been pregnant since we moved in (yes, this is my excuse for EVERYTHING now )
We have no dining room furniture, no window treatments in the master bedroom (just the paper shades), Our Family Room furniture was ordered in December but has still not arrived so we are using the Living Room furniture in the Family Room for now so we don't have to sit on the floor to watch TV .
The office will become the baby's room so we really need to get a move on that room. DH will be calling an electrician this week to get recessed lighting and a fan put in there. Right now we only have a floor lamp in there. I also want to put in california closets into the baby room (Walk-in closet with the wire rack thing)

So much to do!

Message edited 4/10/2006 11:25:50 AM.

Re: Do you ever go to other people's houses...

Posted by FelAndJon

I can't tell you how much better this post makes me feel! I really felt like I was the only one. When we first moved in, we spackled some holes but we still haven't gotten around to painting the spackle! Mind you I have only been in the house 5 months but I have also been pregnant since we moved in (yes, this is my excuse for EVERYTHING now )
We have no dining room furniture, no window treatments in the master bedroom (just the paper shades), Our Family Room furniture was ordered in December but has still not arrived so we are using the Living Room furniture in the Family Room for now so we don't have to sit on the floor to watch TV .
The office will become the baby's room so we really need to get a move on that room. DH will be calling an electrician this week to get recessed lighting and a fan put in there. Right now we only have a floor lamp in there. I also want to put in california closets into the baby room (Walk-in closet with the wire rack thing)

So much to do!

Message edited 4/10/2006 11:29:49 AM.

Re: Do you ever go to other people's houses...

we've been in our house 4 years now and just painted last summer :) We're doing everything ourselves, and while it would be really nice to have everything finished and beautifully decorated, the reality of it is that we don't have that kind of money, so it's little by little for us. I'm hoping to finally get some new light fixtures, a new rug, and finally paint the kitchen this summer I love our house though, I love what we've done with it and it's exciting to think of all the projects that are still ahead!

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Posted by Diana1215

I'm not sure where you live but I used Huntington Closets and they did an AMAZING job -- for 45% LESS than California closets. I highly recommend them!!!!
Oh and I LOVE my paper blinds too. I just started of thinking about getting new ones. We'll see.

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Re: Do you ever go to other people's houses...

Once I finished everything in my condo the feeling was bittersweet. i liked having everything just so, but at the same time, it was boring not to have any work left! We are closing on our house tomorrow and while I would love it to be perfect right away, to me half the fun is spending time decorating it. Then again, if you talk to me this time next year I will probably be pulling my hair out wishing that it was all done!!!

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This thread definitely makes me feel better! When I move, I should print it out and hang it on my refrigerator to remind myself.

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Reading this post makes me feel better too. Every project we start turns into a HUGE ordeal. The previous owner was such a loser that he did everything half a$$. So what we think will be a simple project turns into months and months of construction. It's hard.