How to Decorate When You Feel Like You Have No Talent
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Oh, boy. Have you ever been there?
You look around on Pinterest and read blog after blog after blog. And then you look around where you are sitting and feel utterly hopeless?
Yes, I have been there! It’s frustrating to see all the beautifully, pulled together rooms and then see your home disheveled and half done.
It’s OK. I promise. You don’t need “talent”. You just need to…
Stop over-thinking it!
How to decorate when you feel like you have no talent.
1. Lose the fear of being wrong.
I spent years so afraid of making mistakes. But let’s get real. If you make a mistake in decorating your home, that is SO not the end of the world. I promise, promise, promise. I’ve make plenty of mistakes. Just take a look at my Truss Headboard. YIKES! And let me say that was one of my first posts, so be ye warned!
You might be loving that truss headboard, but for me that was a huge mistake. It wasn’t really my style and I was just going with the trendy rustic vibe. But I am ok that I was wrong, because I was experiementing and learned a ton from the process. I’m much happier with my bedroom now even though, as you can see from that post, it’s still a work in progress. My absolute favorite thing in this room now is the little vintage desk my grandaddy gave me.
Other decorating fails? Um. Yeah. My dining room was originally pumpkin because orange was my then, 4 year old’s favorite color. There was orange EVERYWHERE. The floor looked orange, my table looked orange and my eyes bled orange. This update is moving in the right direction, but I think I can do better as my style continues to evolve.
2. Stop comparing your beginning to someone else’s middle.
This one was huge for me. I used to look at other bloggers who have their entire house done and think
What’s wrong with me??? Why is my house not gorgeous like theirs???
Now, after much calming of the mind, I’ve wrestled that monkey to the floor and know that I’m working at my own pace with the resources I have. A big part of feeling untalented comes from comparing yourself to someone else. I’ve found investing in a few books about decorating is really helpful. I love this book from the Larson sisters and this book from Emily Henderson.
So, start meditating if you need to. Embrace where you are and what you have with the knowledge that you will, bit by bit, get there!
3. Pick a space. Start small.
When you feel like you have no talent, trying to decorate your entire house is WAY overwhelming. One of the first spaces I “decorated” was our breakfast nook. It’s a tiny space that allowed me to have a quick feeling of success.
Just stenciling these two small walls with a white Crayola Dry Erase Crayon gave me lots of confidence that I could do this on my own!
I found a unique vintage table and recovered the chairs. I also painted the top of the table to give it a bit of personality. Beware, that’s another of my very first posts. You’ve been warned!
4. Find 3 rooms you love and write down what draws you to them. Find what they have in common and make a list so you can use that in your decorating.
When I started my office update, I knew I wanted something fresh and light and clean. So I searched around for inspiration and narrowed it down to a few ideas. It felt good to make some decisions about the overall direction that I wanted to take with the space. I was inspired by Mandi’s living room, mostly. And I knew I wanted board and batten, because, umm… board and batten!
Then I used a gold sharpie, but in a different pattern than Mandi’s.
I wasn’t about to copy anyone, but I allowed myself to be inspired.
Picking just a few elements from rooms I loved helped me get the office where it is today. I still have curtains to make and need to deal with the nasty carpet. But, to date, this is my favorite, most pulled together space! Visit my Office Gallery to see all the fun updates that I’ve made so far.
5. Pick solid, classic pieces of furniture that will ground the room. Then add inexpensive pieces around them to infuse your own personality and style.
I have never spent much on furniture. Honestly, most of what we have has been given to us. The only major purchase I have made is our couch. I knew when I bought it, I needed to make a good decision because we’d be keeping it for years and years. The first one I fell in love with was a bright teal microfiber couch. You have no idea how much I wanted to buy that!
Maybe I should have, but I felt like I needed something a little more classic and I’m so glad I listened to that inner voice.
Mainly, because I have love the Moody Blue paint color so much. I couldn’t have done that with a teal couch!
So, the couch was the most expensive, and I added these DIY Yard Sale Lamps ,this Geometric Heart Wall Art, this Stenciled Coffee Table. Everything in this room besides the couch was either thrifted, made or given to us. Not too shabby, eh?
6. Take something big that you love and shrink it down.
So, you don’t want to stencil your walls? {see #1} Ok. That’s alright. But you can take a big impact wall and shrink it down to something much more manageable and less permanent!
I found a huge pixel wall that I loved but wasn’t about to recreate that sucker. Instead I used a 36″x48″ canvas and now I have just a small piece of that big statement in my office.
It was fairly easy and very inexpensive! Making something like this DIY Pixel Art is probably one of the best ways to dip your toe into the decorating water. Just go for it!
DIY Wall Art in general is a great way to add personality to your home in small doses. Try something like this Geometric Heart or, even easier, frame some free Gold Foil Printables!
I hope these tips will help you overcome your fear of getting started. Just remember, you don’t need “talent”, you just need to fill your home with what you love. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
Drop me a line in the comments and let me know what little space you’ll be starting with!
MORE DECORATING TIPS AND TRICKS for the Budget Conscious Creative:
How to Make the Most of Your Home Decorating Budget
10 Thrifty Ways to Decorate (or How to Decorate on the Ch-Ch-Cheap!)
How to Decorate When You Feel Like You Have No Talent
How to Decorate when You are in a Rental aka temporary decorating solutions!
It’s hard to relate to other bloggers whose homes appear to have always been stellar. I like to see the progress (and failures!) Because I can relate to it. I will probably have decorated every room in my house in another 10 years just because that’s what my time and resources allow me to do. But I’m anxious to wrap up my living room and start furnishing and decorating my master bedroom!
I totally agree! It will definitely take me years to get to everything I want to do. Just keep working and it will all come together, Corinna!
You guys really seem to know what you want to do! I think it is wise to take your time in tackling the bigger projects, like the master bedroom. because we spend a third of our life there, we have to get it right! I worry a lot because I have no inherent talent, but many people in my family do have that creative streak, so I’ve been sitting back, and watching others, and listening to them discuss the ideas they have for different rooms, or specific areas in a room, and how to make them come together as one cohesive unit. I have been trying to follow Gwen’s lead, and viewing it as an experiment, and that helps a lot! Thanks gwen for your insight into taking on these challenges. And to Courtenay,Robin, Carol and Jennifer, you asked all the questions I would have, so thanks! Thanks again, Gwen!
Thank you so much, Joanne! It really helps me to look at it as a work in progress and not try for perfection!
I love listening to what other people are doing, too. Keep it up!
Gwen
Thats how I feel too! Im very new to blogging and love seeing and learning from checking out other blogs! It makes me see that I have a lot more to learn, but also that no one is perfect and most bloggers ( at least the ones I enjoy) are totally honest about their mistakes and what they still need improving on:) its so much more relate able
Thanks!!!
You are a wise woman, my friend! I’m so guilty of feeling like I have no talent but over time I’ve really become a huge fan of experimenting to see what works! Thanks for the inspiration today!
I think that viewing it as experimenting takes away the pressure, doesn’t it? It makes it so much more fun!
I absolutely love your message! I feel exactly this way. Decorating should be fun, not something that is filled with self-created pressure. Plus, you’re so right when you say that being wrong is okay. That’s something I need to remind myself of A LOT. Analysis paralysis – that’s me. Thanks for a great article!
Thank you, Robin! I have to remind myself all the freaking time. You are not alone!
Analysis Paralysis! HaHaaaa!! I SO understand!
Love this article! You’ve made a very positive impact here for me. Thank You!
Thank you so much, Carol! I’m so glad!
Great advice! I love your tip about taking something you love and shrinking it down. I feel stylistically untalented so often especially when it comes to styling and staging.
Thanks, Jennifer! Styling is one of my biggest weaknesses. I’m working on it, though!
I love these tips, but house do you decorate a long term rental with restrictions?
That’s a great question, Brittany! I know using removable wall paper from Spoonflower is a great temporary alternative. Here is their url: https://spoonflower.com.
I’ll try to think of some more and maybe write a post about it!
What’s that beautiful thing over your fireplace????
Alley
Hi Alley,
That is a giant copy paper wreath. I’ve actually never done a tutorial for that! But I’m sure there are some. This one is just GIANT!
Thanks so much!
Gwen
I am so pleased that you posted this! I love to decorate and it comes easy to me.My friends always want to know how to do it and say they have no talent. I believe it’s a growing process and knowing what you like and don’t is very important. My house evolves all the time as I make room for new treasures. Pick what you love and it will find it’s home sort of decorating Karma. Thanks for helping inspire people I hate when they think they can’t .
That’s exactly how I look at it DeEtte! It is such a process and does evolve over time.
Thanks so much,
Gwen
I’ve no training and no great talent as a designer, but I’m able to focus on what I can do rather than what I can’t – which would take too long anyway. I look at the work of designers on TV, the really good bloggers online and, most importantly Pinterest which helps to filter the overwhelming amount of information out there. And then I try for what I can afford and what will make us comfortable. With the goal of comfortable, I don’t have to be as perfect as if I were going for chic.
That is a GREAT attitude, Jane and exactly how I approach it!
So surprised I haven’t come across your blog before, it’s wonderful! I love your style of writing, very personable. And this article is something I’ve NEEDED to read! I’m always so afraid of decorating anything because of past mess ups. But thanks for the friendly reminder you don’t have to a professional interior decorator to do some renovations at home! Much love, and good luck!!
Thank you so much, Carly! I’m so happy to have you!
It’s all one bit experiment over here and I have fun doing it!
xoxo
Gwen
I have been an interior decorator for years, and even still I make mistakes, however something wonderful comes out of mistakes!!!, creativity on how to fix them!!!! Great post!!
Pat,
Thank you for your kind words and support!
Gwen
Wow girl, that is me to the core. Afraid to start, but collect stuff I hope to use. Problem is, we moved to a much smaller home. I love it. My father left it to me. It is paid for. Have clutter issues too. You have given me food for thought I WILL BEGIN THERE. Samples of what I love. God Bless.
Sharon,
Good luck and have fun!
Thanks so much,
Gwen
Hi Gwen,
I have become a Pintrest freak and probably need to stop looking and start doing. You are the first to which I have commented. Your house is awesome and you obviously have excellent taste. I hope I read every page and didn’t miss this, but, don’t you think that a certain amount of taste, color coordination and artistry to do what you have done . Did you major in interior decorating ? Have you been published? Okay enough about you, ?, how do I make the beautiful wreaths you made? Do I need to consider my furnishings, such as color and wood type when I pick wall color ? How do I know what is the best color to paint an accent wall and the other walls in the home? Sorry this is a lot. Just real excited about your talent.
Thanks for showing your home,
Jeannie
Thank you so much for commenting, Jeannie! I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reply!
I’m just a self-taught decorator. Everything is an experiment! I just try to pick colors that will look good and contrast with my furniture. But I’m moving more towards using white on the walls so I can add pops of color via furniture and diy art!
You can find my tips for choosing paint colors here: https://www.theboldabode.com/how-to-decide-on-paint-colors-when-you-dont-know-where-to-start.html
Wreaths: https://www.theboldabode.com/tag/wreath/
Thanks again!
xoxo
Gwen
Thanks for the reassurance. I know in the past I’ve suffered from all those emotions and felt paralyzed. I think I’ll print those off to keep as a reminder while I’m ‘improving’ the space. Thanks!
Of course, Monika! I hope it will help! I still struggle occasionally, so don’t feel bad!
xoxo
Gwen
So thankful to have come across your blog! I am going to try to keep in mind that it’s all an experiment and everything doesn’t have to turn out perfectly the first time. I have never felt like the a creative decorator.
Really appreciated this post. I’m a musician, but absolutely not a graphic artist AT ALL!!! I like/need to do fun things and find fun things that are inexpensive. I’ve been doing some homemade things around my house. Some of them haven’t worked out, but I figure that is ok!! I use the materials for something else. I’m learning. So it’s not my strong suit. So what. I will do simple things and continue to learn !!
Thank you for the encouragement.
I have been needing encouragement. We moved in a year ago and I have done nothing because I get paralyzed I won’t get it right. I’ve even wondered how to find an affordable interior designer who could create an affordable beautiful space that is me. While that is still very tempting, finding that combo isn’t too likely. Slowly I’m getting there and one day soon I’m going to actually put something on my walls. Thank you.