I went to a wine tasting years and years ago in Kelowna. And the Sommelier was very clear…
If YOU like it, that’s all that matters.
But she said very clearly – that you have to give it 3 try’s!!!!
I had gone in feeling nervous and a little uncomfortable. At the time I was a bit of a new wine drinker, and I felt out of my element.
I thought she would not appreciate my naïveté and talk in terms that I didn’t understand and recommend Wines that were way more expensive than I can afford. I was worried about feeling embarrassed in front of the other guests on the tour.
I have recently realized that these are the same feelings people have about design and making changes to their home. I am very comfortable choosing paint, rearranging furniture, trying a new light fixture or a new design trend – because I know I can just “change” it back!
But many of my friends – and my clients feel nervous about that!!!
While, I’m showing houses. I’m constantly giving advice about furniture orientation, repurposing a room to suit their personal needs, adding decorative touches etc. I just see things different than how they are!
I am always preaching about Facebook marketplace! What an amazing place to get some new things! I personally was able to get two dome chandeliers here – that are still on the crate and barrel website priced at over $500+ each – for free! I have to tell you when I picked them up. It was one of those start the car moments!
People move into homes or do renovations and decide to change the lighting all the time. Lighting is hard to dispose of. You can’t just typically drop it off at a secondhand store. So people try and sell lighting on Facebook marketplace – and because it’s not categorized very well (Warning bring your patience!) I think they get frustrated and are just happy when their lights simply go away!
Did you know – you can also buy a floor or table lamp – and put them anywhere you want?!! No longer restricted to being close to a wall outlet or seeing cords….cut the cords off – then order cool light bulbs from Amazon that turn on via remote!!! I just created light in my foyer in an area that has been dark for over 20 years!
Another thing that you can find on Facebook marketplace is dining room chairs. If you have a Legacy dining set passed down from your grandparents / or your parents just replace some of the chairs – either the two end chairs or the main chairs with something in a different material (fabric/leather).
Or get rid of 2-3 chairs and add a bench. This instantly updates the look!
I grew up in a world where everything had to match! When we bought couches, you also got a loveseat and a chair in the exact same fabric. You used to get a coffee table and two end tables in a set. Your bedroom suite came complete with a headboard, a long dresser with a mirror attached a high Dresser and two side tables …ALL in the same color/wood/shade. That is not the case anymore! Eclectic is in!!!!
*Fun fact. The mirror can also just come off!!! A friend of mine was so shocked by this!!!
I personally have bought bedroom furniture (solid wood!) and had it painted a more current and trendy colour (dark blue) and added rose gold pulls. Good for now but Trust me – that trend won’t last!
Even cutlery and dishes don’t have to match!!! Very good friend of mine has gathered some fancy China and just integrates it with her every day dishes.
Bonus – buying second-hand furniture is also a smart, sustainable and stylish movement that offers genuine value on multiple fronts!
I am seeing the new luxury vinyl plank being used on walls, to clad beams and to create the illusion of a headboard. You even see peel and stick barn boards ready to apply wherever you want them.
Bailey didn’t love the backsplash in her kitchen because it was very dated, but the cost to replace it was high! So she ordered some tile stickers off Amazon and it looks amazing! You would never know it’s not tile!
Walls are not just for pictures anymore. Hang rugs or decorative plates. I have even seen rug hookings (iykyk) displayed in homes again!
Wood panelling and wall paper are back! Trends from the 60’s and 70’s are popular once more! Again available on Amazon. Home Depot and other local sources. Wallpaper is much easier now to apply (and remove!)
Vintage pieces like bar carts, telephones, grandfather clocks, record players and the cabinets they come in – are super great design items.
I recently saw a social media video – where the person just spray painted odd and interesting (and weird) things a solid color. Old cookie jar’s, ceramic floral arrangements, vases – Black, gold, silver, pink. All of a sudden something you would only see on the shelves of value Village – looks like an awesome decor item you got from Restoration Hardware!
*Fun fact I get a LOT of staging books / items from second hand stores. Books make great decorative pieces. One of my current clients when he got home to see his home after the staging was done – said he didn’t know he read so much 😉
It’s almost the end of 2025. Many people decorate for the holidays and will be packing those boxes away after the season. In January – maybe when your house looks SO bare – it’s time to try some new things …. This will help make your home feel fresh and new for 2026! And if you need an opinion, I am always happy to contribute!!
Text me your idea. Your “find” or your finished project!!!! Cell is 4037102502