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

113 // Is there something in your home keeping it from looking cohesive? 3 barriers you may be living with and what to do about them

Did you know there are barriers keeping your home design feeling flat and not cohesive? You may have one or all three in your own home. What are they and what do you do if you have one?

 

1. Bullies: Like any bully, a bully within your home wants to bring everything else around it down. Bullies can stick out like sore thumbs or be as subtle as ca be. The good news: there are ways to Recognize, Remove or Remediate the bully to your home's advantage. 

2. Bondage: Being stuck in home design is no fun, but this stuck isn't from lack of budget, an uncompromising partner or even a lack of ideas. Being stuck because of an anchor piece that is too costly to replace or is built in to your home can sometimes mean the THING that's keeping you stuck is the same thing that is DEMANDING you make all design decisions to appease it. No good. The good news: managing Expectations, Engaging with the thing keeping you stuck and spending Energy toward creating a plan will help you get UNSTUCK and in to action. 

3. Borrow: A better word - plagiarize. Copying an inspiring image item for item means that you recognize a beautiful room, but does a severe injustice to honoring your personal design aesthetic. Becoming a student of design helps you get out of overwhelm and allows you to step into confidence as you make design decisions. 

 

 

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

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

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

 

Ways to grow in your personal home design:

Decorating S.O.S.: https://www.figandfarmathome.com/book-a-call

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

Pinterest 101 - understanding your design aesthetic: https://bit.ly/pinning101

 

Not sure where to start or which path to take on your home design journey? Book a FREE 15 minute Discovery Call.

https://calendly.com/figandfarmathome/15-minute-discovery-call

 

Happy Styling!

xo,

Dani

112 // Are you ready for fall decorating? How decorating your fall home with your five senses makes everything feel more cozy!

Are you a pumpkin spice fan?

The good news is...you don't have to be OR you can be...in order to decorate your fall home. Using your five senses is one of the easiest ways to bring layers, depth and texture into your home decorating. But don't just stop with your five senses, think about MOOD too. 

1. Smell: What smells make you think of fall? Bringing scents of apple, pear, spices, even tobacco can elicit the smell of fall. 

2. Sight: What do you see outdoors that you can transfer in to your fall decorating? Think of colors, foliage, textures. 

3. Sound: What sounds do you hear that remind you of fall? Falling rain, rustling leaves in the wind? How about sound tracks? Replacing upbeat music for more soothing instrumentals may elicit feelings of coziness as the days get longer.

4. Touch: When fall arrives we replace our thin textiles for heavier, more textural linens, blankets and pillows. Do you have different textures available as a reminder that fall is a cozy season?

5. Taste: Our kitchens are full of flavors of fall, but how can we carry those over to our decorating? Bowls of apples, caramels or even pumpkins on display are reminders that are taste buds need representation too.

6. Mood: Every bit as important as our five senes, the mood we want to create in our fall home should not be ignored. How do you want your fall home to feel? Cozy and warm like you're enveloped in a warm hug? Lighting can be instrumental for creating the ambience and setting the mood within your fall home. 

Combining all of these elements together create layers, texture and depth as you decorate your fall home. Repeat design elements for intentional styling. 

 

// Links mentioned in show: //

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

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

Email: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

Decorating S.O.S.: https://www.figandfarmathome.com/book-a-call

 

Happy fall decorating!

xo,

dani

111 // How do you decorate with house plants if you don’t have a green thumb? You shop THESE five places so you can shop for your house plants on a budget

Do you have a BLACK thumb and kill every houseplant that you bring into the house? 

 

Decorating with house plants is one of my top 5 secrets for elevating the look of your home in a weekend. Want to know the other four? https://bit.ly/5homesecrets

 

But if you kill every house plant you bring in to the house would it be better to buy fake plants? NO!

Start small with your pocket book so you can take risks and grow in confidence as a plant parent. Starting small means shopping smart. 

Here are FIVE places you can shop for house plants on a budget:

1. IKEA:

Skip the fake plants and head straight toward the LARGE plants. These are beautiful, thrive for long periods of time and cost a fraction of the price at a nursery.

2. Hardware stores (& Walmart) in the 'I'm barely living, highly discounted' plant section:

Skip the full-priced plant retail section and find the plant stand in the back corner of the store that has all of the deeply discounted plants. These ones are barely surviving and look like it. They need some TLC, but their needs means you'll do research. Your research will help them come out of their growth slump. 

3. Local grocery stores:

Sometimes a small offering, but take a look the next time you're shopping. Though the variety is limited the prices are competitive.

4. Mom & Pop nurseries:

Skip the BIG, flashy, fancy nurseries that advertise from all corners of the universe. The fancy buildings, the cafes inside, the billboard directing the way - all of those are indicators that the prices are going to be high. Search out the local, corner mom and pop plant stand. Maybe it's on Facebook Marketplace or maybe it's in the gravel parking lot of your local grocery station. Their variety won't compare to the big-name nurseries but the prices can't be beat. 

5. Your own home: 

Dividing plants when they get too big for their pot is a great way to get more plants from what you already have. Propagate plant shoots by cutting a small section and placing it in water to let it take root. Once roots form you are ready to plant it in a new pot. 

 

// Links mentioned in show: //

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

Email: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

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

 

Happy planting!

xo,

dani

 

110 // Mission POSSIBLE...a $400 laundry room makeover is finished!! 5 tips for making your next home decorating project a success!

Is it possible to makeover a laundry room from floor to ceiling with only a $400 budget? 

YES!!!

The laundry room is COMPLETE and I have one important question...is it possible to love a laundry room? I think so. 

 

5 tips for making your next home decorating project a success:

1. Have a starting budget, but keep it flexible:

Can you boost your starting budget by skipping the coffee line or the daily take out at lunch? Or can you adjust your timeline so you can save a bit more to get the product you're wanting for your room?

2. Measure twice, cut once:

Slow down, adjust your pace, take your time before cutting, nailing, stenciling. Make sure you read the directions BEFORE you start. 

3. Start with a plan:

Planning saves you time and money. Before you plan...do some price checking so you can set a realistic starting budget.

4. Shop the house:

You'll be amazed at what you find already living in your space. Use it. Those pictures you weren't too fond of in your dining room...you might love them in your new room! 

5. Take a risk: 

Before taking that risk, ask yourself "WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN?" Explore the answer. If the worst that can happens you not liking it, what will the remediation be? Will the risk be worth it if you don't like it?

 

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: figandfarmathome@gmail.com

Instagram: @figandfarm

Decorating S.O.S. (Step Out of Overwhelm and Start): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/book-a-call

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

 

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

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! 

.........................................................................

 

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