**Caution. The amount of times I say the word “Vibe” in this post is obnoxious.
If you read my first post you know that we just bought a house in the suburbs- hence the birth of this blog. And whether you have a house or have moved into a new space you may know the overwhelming feeling of OMG HOW AM I GOING TO FURNISH MORE THAN ONE ROOM? I ONLY OWN A LAMP AND A CHAIR. Also those small little knick-knacks you thought were cute in your studio apartment now look fucking stupid on a fireplace mantle.
Another challenge of moving to a new spot is if you have a significant other, a difference in tastes can really set back the decorating process. I was living with my partner and his brother for two years in their apartment and their vibe was minimal midcentury-modern with DARK vibes. I’m more of a warm, boho, cozy zen vibes… that was not fun. Or maybe you’re on your own and just have no idea what direction you want to go in to make your home feel like home.
Lastly, money is probably a concern. How can you save money when buying new furniture and decor? Maybe ‘save money’ is not the best terminology - more like how to not spend your life savings when furnishing your place.
Don’t worry team, I gotchu. Check out my newly learned tips on how to help build a space for yourself that you enjoy, your partner enjoys (or maybe your cat/dog/hamster) without breaking the bank!
Tip #1
Pick a theme! The Theme is your VIBE.
When my fiancé and I landed on our new home we were so excited to start creating our own space together. We had been in a relationship for 6 years and never shared our own space! It was like we didn’t know what this part of our relationship even looked like. So we literally looked at each other and said- ok wait what’s our vibe?! What is a space that speaks to both of us? We started to share with each other some interior design blogs/ Instagram pics of rooms we liked and also started to discuss places we have been together and loved. We thought of Mykonos, Greece- A place we recently visited with a few of our friends. We both remembered how much we fell in love with the interior design of this day club called Scorpios. You guys this place is a VIBE. It has all the elements that we love in a space- beachy, chic, simple, clean, neutral, zen, boho. Check out the interior designer’s page to learn more about the design inspo here. So cool.
We agreed that we will recreate Scorpios in our new house. It has made the process so much easier because when you’re searching for pieces to buy online from the thousands of home furnishing stores/ Amazon/ Wayfair/ etc. etc. etc. it can get so overwhelming. So instead of asking myself What Would Jesus Do in a time of need (which I actually never do), I just ask myself What Would Scorpios Do? It has literally cut out 90% of my options online because it’s a specific look. I may like a hot pink chair that has caught my eye, but I won’t get distracted by it because it’s literally the opposite of the VIBE.
This also helps stop many potential fights over decor that you and whoever you may be living with may have:
Example #1:
My fiancé: “Oh look at this chair! This could work for our room!”
Me: **Hates said chair** “Oh that’s an interesting piece. But wouldn’t you say that’s more mid-century modern looking? I don’t think that would be seen at Scorpios.”
My fiancé: “Hmm ya you’re right.. nevermind”
And we move on with our lives.
Example #2:
My fiancé: “Oh look at this chair! This could work for our room!”
Me: **Hates said chair** “Oh that’s an interesting piece. I guess that is pretty Scorpios, though. We can try it…”
And guess what- I end up loving it because it works with our space because it’s on theme! Now our place looks cohesive and creates a specific VIBE.
BAM! Stick to the book, stick to the vibe. It’s a win-win situation.
(By the way- a friend of mine walked into our house for the first time and said that it reminded her of Mykonos and I cried.)
Now I understand that picking a vibe can be challenging at first. Try to think of all the places you’ve been- hotels, restaurants, bars, friends’ homes, even outside parks or gardens! What inspires you? What spaces make you feel happy and at peace? Also with social media there is so much inspiration out there- look on Pinterest, Instagram, look up Arch Digest magazine and get inspiration from there. You can go in any direction! Maybe you’re psycho and want your place to look like a Dr. Seuss book! Stick to that vibe and do the damn thing!
Tip #2
So now you have a vibe. How are you going to fill your space, you only own three objects.
This also leads into..
Tip #3
Don’t spend your life savings on furniture and home decor.
Let’s combine the two!
First of all start with the basics. What do you need the most? A bed? A couch? Usually the big-ticket items. Start with those and order them first because you need them the most! (Also because if you order from a store like Crate & Barrel or Pottery Barn they will take 7 months to ship to you anyway)!
It’s important to realize this process doesn’t happen overnight. This is a long game… creating a space takes time and won’t happen overnight. Create a budget for yourself. Maybe this month you can get a bed and couch and next month you can look into a the dining room table. Take your time, don’t push it!
Side note: We lived in our new house without a couch for 2 months. Yes, during Shelter in Place. It was rough, but kind of funny looking back on it.
Can’t afford new furniture? Time to start looking at consignment! Go to local furniture consignment stores or thrift shops! Try NextDoor and buy your neighbor’s old stuff! OR go on NextDoor and sell your shit and buy new shit with your cash. I have sold so much good stuff on NextDoor, it’s ridiculous!
Don’t know what NextDoor is? It’s pretty much a dark hole on the internet where you can connect with your really odd neighbors and people you wish you didn’t know lived in your neighborhood.
If you do the right research and find the right items you don’t have to spend a fortune on buying new items. There is so much good stuff out there- many people sell items in a hurry because they’re moving or maybe changing up their vibe (wink wink) and so these used items out there aren’t even dirty or gross, just not necessarily needed by that owner anymore. And best of all… reusing old items is better for the environment than buying new. We love being green!
In the case that you want to buy new and still save on cash, I suggest checking out Wayfair, AllModern, Joss & Main and the lovely Amazon. They usually have cheaper items available than your typical home furnishing store. Do keep in mind though, these items are of cheaper quality most of the time. They also usually require assembly…
Another trick? Wait for a holiday weekend! If you wait to buy some bigger items during Memorial Day weekend or 4th of July- I promise you there will be holiday sales…. BIG ONES. Also during summer outdoor items will be cheaper and during the winter you will find great sales during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Think about all the times you’ve seen a car or mattress commercial boasting a sale for some upcoming holiday. Just follow that light.
Want more savings? I have more. When you register your new address to the USPS they notify their…I dunno their people? And you get sent a ton of catalogs and discounts in the mail from basically every home furniture company in the world. Yes, maybe they sold your information, but I’ll proudly share my home address with Restoration Hardware to get a 20% Welcome to the Neighborhood coupon.
Ok my last tip. When shopping online (which is all we can do during this COVID era) download the browser plug-in called Honey. It basically automatically searches the web for every promo code you can possibly use at checkout for every online store. ALWAYS use a promo code at checkout no matter where you shop! There is always a promo code out there, don’t be dumb.
Alright people- there you have it. The world’s hidden secrets to creating your own vibe and doing it without going broke. I’m excited for you, I’m already proud. As a little send-off gift for you and your vibe journey, here’s the official Scorpios playlist on Spotify and yes we’re playing it in our house on repeat.
Feel free to drop a comment or ask any questions!
If you haven’t done so already, please: