This week we’re focusing on how to fall in love with your home by getting out of your comfort zone, and as you can imagine, the homework is going to be oh so fun. We really want you to put yourself out there and do something that pushes your limits of comfort. When we decided to work with the Stoffer team for our kitchen remodel, I told them I’m not afraid of anything when it comes to our kitchen. It’s taken practice to get to this point where I’m comfortable taking risks, but I’ve never felt more free. We want the same for you! After-all, if you’re not having fun in your home, and taking risks then what’s the point?
The homework assignment is going to look a bit different for everyone. I know some people that cringe at the idea of hanging art because they’re worried about putting a hole in their wall until they have found the exact perfect art for the exact perfect location. This person might start with grabbing a hammer and a nail, and just make the hole already. You have permission to make a hole, hang the art, and either love it or change your mind and move it! Get really honest with yourself and decide to do something that is going to stretch you.
Some ideas of how you could get out of your comfort zone this week
- tackle a project you’ve been putting off
- physically put your time, your energy, your money into your home
- display a collection or something that really represents you
- put a hole in the wall already
- install a light fixture by yourself
- paint a wall
- paint a floor (is this for me?)
- incorporate a texture you wouldn’t typically use
- paint with a color you wouldn’t typically use
- rearrange the furniture in a room
Bonus challenge:Â Stay off Pinterest for this! There I said it. I get it, and I definitely save things that are inspiring me, but if you really want to stretch yourself, dig deep and come up with something that you’ve never seen before. Something that’s out of the box, and original to you. This can be uncomfortable, but it’s really the best way to put YOU in your own home, and that’s the whole point I think. Don’t give a second thought or wonder what ANYONE else will think about the design decisions in your home. You are the one(s) it should bring joy too. (Also, if everyone loves it, it probably is too safe anyway, right?!)
Here’s some throwbacks to when we pushed the limits
Getting brave with pattern mixing
Be sure to use this graphic and share on social media with the #CLJSummerSchool and tag us @chrislovesjulia so we can share!
I live in what was my parents’ home. I hang pictures where my mother hung pictures.one area has five nails in it. Each is for different groupings of pictures. The pictures are mine, not my mother’s. (I change pictures with seasons) usually the other nails are hidden by the next group of pictures. If not it doesn’t bother me because they’ve been painted the wall color.
Ah, the ol’ hole in the wall issue. I’m guilty. I buy art and it lives leaning against the wall or on the mantel for months, even over a year while I periodically have my husband hold it up in various places while I squint at it. I can’t decide if the placement is worthy of of actually putting a hole in my lathe and plaster wall so back on the floor it goes until the next go around. Okay, this weekend I will hang something!!