Design Discussion : Quality & Slow Renovating
Somehow I let almost eight months pass without sharing a Design Discussion post. Every once in awhile an interior or home related topic will cross my mind, that I feel would make a great conversation here on the blog. Today I wanted to chat about quality and slow renovating, when it comes to updating and decorating our homes. It’s something that has frequented my feed & radar lately. Last week, my friend Natasha (give her a follow here) took to Instagram to chat about throw pillows. That conversation led to talking about sofas, buying new versus used, and saving up for furniture. It ended up being a controversial topic, and I thought I’d share my perspective and get a better grasp as to where everyone else lands. There is no right or wrong answer to this topic, but as I’m getting older- my renovation philosophy has definitely evolved, as we update and furnish our home. Click through for the latest Design Discussion post, to hear my thoughts, and to weigh in! I’d love to hear your personal opinion…
Let’s chat about quality first. What does quality mean to you- in regards to bringing materials, furnishings, and decor into your home? When you think of a quality piece of furniture, fixture, or decor, do you associate that with a higher price tag? How does your budget align with your quality expectations? Are you willing to wait for a quality item (whether that’s saving money or dealing with longer lead-times) or would you rather check that box with something of lower quality that is available immediately? It’s a complex talking point when it comes to design.
There is no right or wrong answer and there is no judgement coming from me, but I will share my personal outlook on this matter. As I age and grow (as a person and a designer), I’ve shifted my focus from quickly finishing a project and filling a home for a totally “finished” look, to being much more intentional and patient as our home evolves and grows with us.
These days I try to be selective, focus on quality, save money for things that will last decades rather than years, and really think longterm. We have rooms in our home that look pretty empty or don’t feel cohesive because we’re waiting… waiting to renovate or update them, waiting for the right piece of furniture to come along, are waiting for our budget to grow as we save… or sometimes we’re simply waiting to figure out what exactly to do with a certain space having lived in it. I think the best way I can describe my mindset is less impulsive, more intentional. With that comes an emphasis on quality. I ask myself questions like: will I like this in five or ten years, is it well made, will it hold up to everyday use, what is it made of, does it function, does it look beautiful, where will it end up if I grow tired of it, what does it cost, does it require work or fixing, does it meet our needs, etc.
With our first home, we had a very tight budget to renovate and furnish. To supplement my thrifted finds (like our dining set, buffet, and other pieces of furniture), I did what most 20 somethings do… take a quick trip to places like Ikea, Target, or HomeGoods to fill in the gaps. While it solved the problem in the moment and worked for a couple years- none of those items made the move with us to our second home in Utah. They’re weren’t valuable, they didn’t withstand the test of time, they weren’t of great quality, they didn’t hold up well to everyday use, and I realized those fast fashionable pieces no longer fit my aesthetic. There is nothing wrong with shopping at retailers like that, but you definitely have to be selective and think longterm- otherwise those impulse purchases can add up to be costly if you’re replacing them every few years.
On the opposite end of the spectrum (again using our first home as an example again), Emmett & I decided to splurge for our upholstered bed. Aside from thrifted items, it was the first high-end piece of furniture we bought and it really took hard work and determination… and a long time sleeping with our mattress on the hardwood floor. We paid $5k… that amount seemed unreachable and absolutely crazy at the time (it still seems like a lot of money to me), but we saved and made it happen. I actually wrote a post about it here, if you’re interested: the most expensive piece of furniture we own. Almost a decade later, we still have and enjoy our upholstered leather bed. It’s well made, has a beautiful patina, and it still fits our aesthetic with its timeless style. I understand that’s an expensive luxury and an extreme example on the higher-end realm, but you know I’m all about saving to mix and high & low for a designer look I love.
I found this also translates to my small business. After one year of running our Tuesday Made shop, I finally feel like I have a solid understanding of our brand values and the types of home products we want to carry. When we first opened, I simply strived to source items that looked good. A few months in, I really started to become more selective and conscious with my criteria and have continued to hone our focus with the products we carry in the shop. These days when sourcing, my selection process is much more narrow. We only source items that are high quality, well-made (and mostly made here in the USA), come from other small business owners & creatives, have a classic & timeless style (so people can love them for years to come), and of course they must be aesthetically pleasing- which was always my initial goal. Rather than fast trendy home fashion, I’m focused on quality & the long haul. Sometimes that means paying a bit more for a specific item or a vintage good, but I’d rather save up and take that route in my home.
Am I saying to get quality furniture you have to throw down thousands of dollars? Not at all! I just wanted to share the story of our bed because it felt like a good example of saving up to buy something for the longterm. Check out this post for tips on scoring quality, high-end furniture on a budget. From estate sales, yard sales, and auctions to thrifting and finding secondhand scores (like Facebook Marketplace), there are plenty of ways to save money and buy quality made furniture & building materials. Back in 2019, I shared 10 ways to save money on major home buys, if you want to give that a read. You may also want to read this post if you missed it- 10 tips for identifying quality furniture. It’s definitely personal preference, but I’d rather wait and save up for what I really want, rather than buying filler that will just get donated in a year or two. I realize everyone’s situation and preference is different though.
Moving onto slow renovating… these days, I’m lucky if I can check off a few projects per year. Whether those are big projects or small projects, that’s typically our annual goal. In 2021, we basically finished renovating my home office, added a water filtration system to our house (let me know if you’d like a blog post on that), updated our garden, and got a new roof. That may not seem like a lot, but it took months of saving, planning, designing, and physical labor to complete. I think we’re so accustomed to seeing quick makeovers & renovations on social media with instant gratification, it can be easy to believe that’s the norm and play the comparison game. As an industry professional, I’m here to tell you- it’s not. Unless you have loads of money, contractors on call, and are immune to insane lead-times, I’m here to tell you creating a beautiful home takes a LOT of time and money… years really, because it’s ever evolving and also requires maintenance. That’s kind of the special part of creating a unique home that you can love and be proud of though… at least in my opinion!
Maybe slow renovating isn’t the case for everyone- because there are some exceptions (people who renovate as a full time job, those with an incredible budget, etc), but Emmett & I have certainly embraced slowing our pace when it comes to home projects these past few years. Our strategy has been to plan projects, prioritize, save money for finishes & materials we really want, and focus on completing the tasks and spaces that are most important. Whether you like to move quickly or don’t mind taking things at a slower rate to achieve your home goals, please don’t feel defeated by your pace, and remember- a beautiful and functional home takes time. Your patience and persistence will pay off!
I’m certain I’ve rambled for far too long at this point, but I’d love to hear your thoughts on quality and your renovating or home improvement pace.
Let’s do something fun and different, instead of a poll… copy & paste the following questions into the comment section to answer (so everyone can see). They’re quick one word answers, don’t worry!
- Do you prefer new or vintage?
- How many home projects do you tackle each year?
- Would you rather save up for something you really want in your home, or fill the negative space with something immediately?
- How old is your oldest piece of furniture?
- What is your favorite thing in your home?
- ^ Was it an impulse purchase, planned purchase, or inherited item?
- What is one home item you’ve been saving for?
- What is the next project on your punch list?
- What is one home purchase you regretted?
- Should we do more of these fast Q&A’s?!
If you’re looking for more Design Discussion topics to read up on, I’ll link them below… this series continues to be one of my favorites! I’d also love to hear your topic ideas for our next design chat. Any ideas?
- Hardwoods in the Kitchen
- Natural vs. Engineered
- Nude Art
- Countertop Space
- Color Blocking
- TV Over the Fireplace
- Stacked vs Side-by-Side Laundry Units
- Furniture Arranged Against a Wall
- Shelf Styling with Books
- Wool Rugs in the Bathroom
- Taxidermy
I hope you enjoyed this post and it gave you a moment to pause and think about what home means to us- and I hope it gave you an opportunity to do some fun dreaming! I know there is a lot going on this week, but I enjoy this time spent chatting. I hope you all have a lovely weekend ahead, whatever it brings! We’re happy to be back home and had the most wonderful few days spending quality time with our family making memories. Cheers to Friday- may it bring everyone some delicious pizza!