WHAT I LEARNED IN 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2012 was a great year for me and White + Gold Design. I have a feeling 2013 might be even better (at least that's the hope, right?!). Every time New Year's comes I think about the highlights of the year. As I was thinking about 2012 I thought I would share with you some of the things I learned in my design business that might be helpful to you in 2013.

WHAT I LEARNED IN 2012:

+ Keep everything in perspective. (aka don't take yourself or interior design too seriously) 

I find that my personal favorite designers all have one thing in common...they have perspective in their work. They all work hard, but they also realize this is a job. I like to tell myself and my clients to remember these are material things we are deciding about, not life-changing decisions. Interior design should be fun and creative. It's not a science or a perfect process with a "right" outcome. If you can't find a way to enjoy the process, you have the wrong designer, in my opinion. You also will make better design decisions if you don't obsess over every detail.

+ Know the trends, but don't adopt all of them.

Mr. Lauren says it perfectly! Trends and fashion are good to know because it's how you develop your style, but style is different. If you aren't sure what your style is, write down the things you have always loved and gravitate towards before you start an interior design project. It will help you understand your style and that will ensure you will be happy with the result!

+ Set realistic expectations of yourself and your home.

Louis and Marie of Versailles could have used this advice :)

Know what you love and what you can do and just do your best with the rest. I value a lot of things in my life, and it's different than many of my friends and family, but that's good! Guess what, we are all different people with different priorities and talents. We don't need to have it all.

And please don't expect your home to look like a page in a magazine! Even those whose home's are featured don't look like that on a day-to-day basis. Make a beautiful and happy home and stop comparing. Always keep in mind who you are wanting to please and hopefully first and foremost it is yourself and those you live with.

+ Learn to love the present.

No, I don't mean "present" as in gift, I mean the "present time". I find myself saying all too often, "When my kids are older" or "When my business is bigger" or "I'm making better money", and I don't think that's the best way to live. It just depresses me because it's not an attitude of gratitude :) Enjoy where you are in your life now. I'm pretty sure life will never feel perfect, but I do know I am in no position to complain. I have many things to be grateful for, and even if having young kids is hard, I hear teenagers and then grown kids are also hard, all for different reasons, so I might as well enjoy this time for what it is!

This also goes for my home. Is my home looking exactly the way I want it to? Absolutely not. There are so many things I want to change, buy, and create for my home, but I don't have the time/money/space to do it. That's okay. I can be happy in any space as long as I make it mine. I hope you can do that too!

So here's to another year. 2013 here we come!