Fig & Farm at Home, Budget Decorating, Decor Tips, Decluttering, Home Styling, DIY Decor

109 // ”I’ll decorate my house when the kids leave home!” Is THIS keeping you stuck in home design?

"I'll decorate my house when the kids leave home!"

I don't know how many times I've heard 'the kids' used as the barrier to creating a home that is cohesive, clutter-free and a place the parent's can take pride in. The kids...(sigh)...

The KIDS...as their parents you already do so much for them. 

* You make nourishing meals.

* You make sure they're clothed appropriately.

* You drive them all over Timbuktu and back so they can play sports, dance, create, hang out with friends...

* You provide learning opportunities and experiences for them that broaden their knowledge and world view.

Not to mention...you LOVE those guys more than anything!

 

Investing in your kids' physical environment should land on the above list!

* Creating a home that serves your family means creating a home that serves your KIDS too. 

* Creating a home that you LOVE coming home to means creating a home that your KIDS love coming home to.

* Creating a home environment that is a respite from the world outside your front doors means creating an environment that is a respite for your KIDS too. 

 

Waiting for your kids to be grown and gone before you create a home that you love, a home that you're proud of, a home that serves you and your family is, to be quite honest, too late. Your KIDS should be the REASON you are creating the environment that:

* serves your family

* lights you up

* feels cozy and comforting to your family

* you are proud of

 

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

Facebook Community: https://bit.ly/design101group

 

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

 

108 // ”My home doesn’t feel put together!” 5 ways to create a cohesive look in your home.

Does your home look "put together?"

Creating a cohesive look to your home can make your home look AND FEEL more cozy. These five steps will help you to create a look of cohesiveness as you decorate your home.

 

1. Create a color palette: Using the formula 60 (foundation color) + 30 (primary accent color) + 10 (secondary accent color) will help you navigate the color flow of an open concept space. Play around with the ratios of your accent colors. Do you want three? Great - your formula could be 70 + 10 + 10 + 10. 

2. Use those colors from your palette as accents in decorating: pillows, rugs, frames, books, artwork...the colors you chose for your color palette should be represented throughout your room's design.

3. Look for the outlier (a.k.a. BULLY): standing in one vantage point look around to all areas/rooms. Do you spot something that doesn't quite fit in with the color palette? Something that sticks out like a sore thumb? That's your BULLY and the only thing a bully does is bring down the room's design.

4. Remediate the bully: you can remediate the bully by removing it and letting it live somewhere else where it will play nicely with other design elements within the space OR repeat design elements that the bully has somewhere else within the room so that bully isn't an outlier. 

5. Repeat generalized design elements & specific design elements: repeating design elements like color, metals and woods is just scratching the surface of creating a cohesive looking home. Try taking it a level deeper and repeat design elements that might be a bit more subtle. For example: the succulent artwork you have in the corner of your room. You're not only repeating the colors, but maybe you're repeating the plant itself with a live succulent sitting on the coffee table or the same geometric shape of the plant pot in the art as the candle holder sitting on the mantel. 

 

// Links mentioned in the show: //

Community: https://bit.ly/design101group

Email: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

Work with me: https://www.figandfarmathome.com

 

 

 

107 // There are a million shades of white. How do you choose just ONE when painting your home? Thinking about these four things will help you choose with confidence.

Going to a paint store can be:

 overwhelming, exhausting and just plain frustrating!

Picking a paint color isn't as easy as eeny-meeny-miney-mo, but it CAN be when you know what to think about. Listener, Erica, asked what my favorite shades of white are, but not all whites are created equal and the ones I choose for my home and clients might not work for you. But here's what can...knowing these FOUR things:

1. Each color has an UNDERTONE - either warm or cool. Know which undertone is popping up in the white swatches you selected by testing them against a sheet of paper. Is it a warm or cool white?

2. Know how you tend do DECORATE - do you choose warm colors or cool colors to decorate with? Have any adjacent walls - are they warm or cool colors. Choosing a white with the same undertone can compliment what is already happening in your home.

3. Colors can present themselves lighter or darker with more or less NATURAL LIGHT & ARTIFICIAL LIGHT. Know which is more present in the room you are wanting to paint.

4. It's not only OK to HESITATE when choosing a shade of white, but encouraged. Take your time, buy the sample and paint LARGE swatches of that white on EACH of the walls in the room you're wanting to paint. THEN WAIT at least three days to see how the light is reflecting off of the paint on each wall at different points throughout the day. 

 

// Links mentioned in show: //

* Email: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

* Community: https://bit.ly/design101group

* Example of Alabaster White in a room makeover: https://www.figandfarmathome.com/post/a-surprise-home-makeover-the-power-of-paint

* Example of Bistro White in my home: https://www.figandfarmathome.com/post/bookshelves-a-love-your-home-story

* Do you want help choosing a paint color? Book a call: https://www.figandfarmathome.com/book-a-call

 

Happy Styling!

xo,

dani

 

106 // 3 ways shopping small for affordable home decor can make a BIG impact

We've all heard about the campaign to shop small. It lands nicely the day after the biggest shopping day in the US almost as an after thought to not forget the little guys...to give a crumb or two to the small businesses so they don't feel left out. 

BUT...what if we shopped small all year?! 

 

There's a web of interconnectivity that happens when we shop small: 

* we help the environment

* we help our pocket books

* we help a small business

* we find unique home decor pieces

 

Here are 4 ways shopping small can make a BIG impact:

 

1. Keeps things out of the landfills: shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, consignment stores, antique malls, vintage retail stores, Etsy and Ebay eliminate excess waste in landfills. 

2. Saves you money: shopping at small retail stores rather than big box stores can save you money because items can often times be a fraction of the cost if purchased new.

3. Supporting a small business means you are directly impacting a family:

Behind each small boutique, Etsy store, antique mall or vintage retail shop are vendors and owners who work hard curating or crafting their wares. Each sale they make not only elicits a happy dance, but DIRECTLY IMPACTS the family behind it. That sale: pays their rent, puts food on the table, provides the clothing on their backs. Your purchase provides for a family's most basic needs. 

4. Reduces your shopping overwhelm and frustration:

When you find a vendor, a small boutique, an antique mall, an Etsy shop that you love...one that you repeatedly find products that 'speak your language' - you have basically found a personal shopper. The vendor behind that space is so honed in on their aesthetic that the presentation for the shopper makes your decisions easier, less overwhelming and frustrating. Sometimes...that's worth the extra investment. 

 

// Let's Connect: //

Email: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

Instagram: @figandfarm

Website: www.figandfarmathome.com

Community: www.bit.ly/design101group

 

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

 

105 // Have a Target sized budget for home decorating? Try these 5 affordable ways to add personality to your home!

Have a Target sized budget, but want to add personality to your home? Try these 5 things! 

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1. Add a touch of whimsy

Whimsical touches add personality to your home's design, but what is whimsy? Whimsy is the un-expected, the conversational pieces, the eye candy. 

2. Uplevel the way you style your decor

It doesn't matter if you have a $0.77 vase or a $77 vase, it matters how you style it. Grab the Bookshelf Style Guide so you can up level the way you style bookshelves, mantles, tables capes, coffee tables, etc. https://bit.ly/bookstyleguide

3. Change out the builder-grades

Builder grade design elements that come with your home can be an easy way to add your personality to your home's design. Think: light fixtures, hardware, mirrors, even doorknobs.

4. Build - it 

Building something yourself, like a dinging table or a bookshelf is a wonderful way to add your personality to your space without spending a lot of money, but what happens if you don't know how to build. Can you take an already built piece and modify it? Like adding moulding to a bookcase or new upholstery to a bench. 

5. Shop small

This is where the personality lives...small shops like antique stores, thrift stores, vintage markets, flea markets, second hand stores. These stores will not only have unique pieces to furnish your home, but are offered at prices that are sometimes a fraction of the price at big-box stores. 

 

// Links mentioned in show: //

Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/design101group

Bookshelf Style Guide: https://bit.ly/bookstyleguide

Wallpaper Blog Post: https://www.figandfarmathome.com/blog-1/search/wallpaper

 

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

 

 

104 // Budget = DIY, right? But what if I’m terrible at doing projects on my own? 6 tips for growing your DIY confidence and your skillset!

When people think of creating a home on a budget, their minds automatically go to DIY. But what if the only thing you can DIY is a Popsicle stick frame? There's no denying doing things yourself can save you money, but not if you're wasting money by:

buying the supplies and never finishing a project 

OR

 starting a project that's outside your wheelhouse 

 

6 ways to build your DIY confidence and skillset:

1. Start small

Choose a DIY project that is where your skillset is currently, not where you want it to be.

2. Choose a deadline 

Make that deadline a REALISTIC deadline. If you work all day and tote kids all over tarnation at night, choose a deadline that respects the obligations you have so you can finish it in the time you can dedicate to it. THEN...tell a friend your goals and deadline so they can check in on your progress.

3. Only purchase supplies for ONE project at a time

Seeing supplies for unfinished projects only serves one purpose: it's a reminder that you've tried and failed. It reinforces the idea that you're no good at DIYing. That's a lie. 

4. Finish and COMPLETE the project before moving on to the next one

5. Do some research or take a class, but be sure to TRUST the source

Set yourself up for success by doing a little research before starting the project. Know what you're getting into before starting and have a plan in case you get stuck along the way. Got your information from a blogger...can you email the blogger if you're stuck and need help? See the man down the street always building something...can you ask him for help if you need it?

6. Respect your learning style

Knowing how you learn best, then seeking out information that will teach you in that format will set you up for DIY success!

 

>> Learn with me: <<

* Painting Furniture 101:  https://bit.ly/paintingfurniture101

* Style your Bookshelf (or any flat surface): https://bit.ly/bookstyleguide

 

>> Join the community: <<

https://bit.ly/design101group

 

Happy DIYing!

xo,

dani

103 // Is there ONE thing you can do to re-fresh your kitchen on a budget? Quick Tip Tuesday is answering that question and the short answer...YES!!!

Everyone needs a summer break, including Quick Tip Tuesdays, but today they are back!

 

In today's episode I am answering Erica's question...

Do you have any quick, inexpensive ideas for a kitchen re-fresh?

 

Re-freshing a space, any space, in your home can be as easy as FREE if you focus on reducing the visual chaos (aka clutter) that takes up precious real estate in your home. In your kitchen alone, there are three clutter hotspots:

* refrigerators

* above kitchen cabinets

* countertops

 

How do you eliminate clutter when you know SOMEDAY you may just use that bread machine that has been wedged so far in the corner that you've forgotten about it for the past 22 years? You may just use it. Right? Right? Maybe. In today's episode I share tips for how to prioritize what stays on the counters and what goes, as well as what gets priority in the front and center of your cabinets and cupboards. 

 

Happy Styling!

xo,

dani

 

 

** Let's connect: **

* Do you have a question you'd like answered on Quick Tip Tuesday? Submit your question here: figanfarmathome@gmail.com

 

* Want to book a call so I can help you create your vignettes in your kitchen? 

Book a call here: https://www.figandfarmathome.com/book-a-call

 

* See how I used an everyday object (a cake stand) as a pivotal tool in my kitchen styling: https://www.figandfarmathome.com/post/styling-with-everyday-objects-cake-stand

 

* Join our community of mamas, just like you, who want to learn to style their own homes: https://bit.ly/design101group

 

 

102 // When functional isn’t functional enough: behind the scenes of a $400 laundry room makeover (pt. 2)

When functional is janky, broken and just down right inefficient designing a space that meets the purpose you NEED the room to meet is a no brainer.

Doing it on a $400 budget is down right absurd, right? WRONG! 

Join me on the journey of re-designing my laundry room so it's not only more efficient for me and my family, but beautiful too! 

Subscribe to my email so you can watch the transformation happen real-time: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

 

Learn if your home is serving you or you are serving it by taking the quiz:

https://bit.ly/bossofhome

 

Take Pinterest 101: Pinning with a Purpose so you can learn your design aesthetic: 

https://bit.ly/pinning101

 

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

101 // Behind the scenes of a $400 laundry room makeover: What REALLY can be done with such a small budget?

Join the journey as this laundry room transforms from janky and underserving to beautiful and hard working...all with $400! This transformation is happening real-time, August 2022. Stay up-to-date with all the changes and every-other-day updates by joining my newsletter. 

Email Dani at: figandfarmathome@gmail.com to see the transformation happen real-time. 

What will you learn in this mini video design series:

* how to design a room that meets your purpose

* how to prioritize spending

* how to replace moulding

* how to build board and batten

* how to push past 'plain' into daring

* how to upgrade builder grade flush mount lighting the DIY way

* how to paint laminate flooring

* how to create your own stencil

* how to create whimsical art from a tired canvas painting

* how to build shelving

* how to stretch a $400 budget by thrifting, using what you have, shopping the house and selling what you don't need

 

Ready to transform a room in your home? Start with Pinterest 101: Pinning with a Purpose so you can learn what your unique design aesthetic is so you can make design decisions with confidence!

Start your design journey here: Pinterest 101

 

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

100 // Asking for help is NOT for weenies (no matter what Biff said during middle school). Three signs you should stop moving forward on your own in home design and reach out for HELP!

Before you get any more frustrated

about not making forward progress in home design, take a minute and remind yourself how far you've come. SO WHAT, if you have to pause to re-learn a skill, refine your aesthetic, or press SOS for that designer. Taking a bit of time now will reap big benefits later.

 

3 signs you may be ready to reach out for design reinforcements:

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1. You started your design project with confidence, but as the decisions get BIGGER and the price point gets HIGHER, your confidence is waning. 

2. You are in tune with your unique design aesthetic (THANK YOU Pinterest 101: Pinning with a Purpose) and can make design decisions and shopping decisions quickly, but once you bring home the item you HAVE NO CLUE what to do with it. How do you STYLE the silly things?

3. You are in tune with your unique design aesthetic and have successfully made all of your designs with ease, confidence and excitement, but when it comes to making a commitment with a higher ticketed item you BALK, you STALL, you become PARALYZED in INDECISION. You know you want a leather couch, but which style? Which shade of brown out of 502 shades of brown? 

But how do you know WHAT KIND OF HELP might be best for you?

 

5 ways fig & farm (at home) can help:

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1. Start the conversation with a FREE 15 minute discovery call to share about your project and receive recommendations for helpful solutions.

https://www.figandfarmathome.com/book-a-call

2. Become a student of design as you learn to identify your unique design aesthetic. Stop wasting time and money buying and returning product after product. Stop the overwhelm, frustration and confusion of having SO MANY design decisions that you can't possibly choose just one. Learn to identify your aesthetic using Pinterest. Pinterest 101: Pinning with a Purpose

https://bit.ly/pinning101

3. Book a 45 minute call to ask ALL your design questions. Maybe you've thought about how nice it would be to have a designer in your back pocket to help you make those decisions that you know shouldn't be so hard, but are a little tricker than you thought. 

https://www.figandfarmathome.com/book-a-call

4. You'v purchased all the things with confidence and made your design decisions with ease, but you don't know how to style your decor once you get it home. Bookshelf Style Guide is for you! Learn the fundamentals of styling like the pros - how to layer, use height, scale and depth to your advantage. 

5. Book a Room Edit to have a designer's eye on your project. Want a little fine tuning - someone to give you advice for how to tweak your design ever so slightly so you can create a cohesive room? OR...maybe you're starting completely from scratch and you just want someone to tell you what to do to make your home look and feel better. Yup...a Room Edit is for you too.

https://www.figandfarmathome.com/room-edit

 

Happy Styling! 

xo,

dani