From the comments section of yesterday’s post about the DIY Draper chests:
I have a question for you…
I am currently redecorating my living room and dining room. I decided to go with a 70’s British bachelor pad inspired look. Sort of a well traveled look with some Kuba cloths and other ethnic textiles for art. Lots of navy and gray.
Then I looked at this Draper project and realized I am still in love with Hollywood Regency. I am not too far into things to make the switch. It’s just that things like x-benches, Chiang Mai (love and have been holding onto a piece for a while now), chevron, painted furniture, and so on…seem so done now.
Are we too exposed to design? I love my blogs, especially yours (very honest unabashed flattery), but are we over-exposing ourselves (Keep Calm Carry On)? This is something I have been wondering about for a while now. It seems like once I finally get to taking on a project (making ikat drapes now), it starts to seem cliche.
Do you think we are moving too fast with interiors, or do you think we are moving in the right direction where anything goes. Sort of like fashion, you can still wear your skinny jeans or flares. When you start a new project do you agonize over doing something new, or do you just go with what you love at the time even if the idea has been seen?
House Beautiful
Just two days ago I was brainstorming with my mom an idea for my apartment when I nixed the project we were discussing because I felt like it had already been done on blogs or in magazines. I think we both realized how silly that sounded as soon as I said it. Why wouldn’t I do what I really love for my space regardless of whether or not a version has been done before?
I feel like it’s especially tricky as a blogger. If I put up a picture of campaign dressers (which I love), I’ll usually get one or two anon commenters talking about how campaigners are so over and so boring to them. And here’s the tricky part – we look to blogs and magazines for inspiration, for fresh looks, so I can understand in a way why the commenters are annoyed. They’re saying – “Yup! Got it. We know campaigners are/were cool. But what’s next?”
NYT
Are we oversaturated with design trends as bloggers and blog readers? Totally. I have hundreds of blogs in my Reader and sometimes I feel like I’m seeing the same thing over and over again. So I’m there with you.
But I also think it’s easy to forget that most people in the world don’t read design blogs. Most people don’t really know about ikat or suzanis or lacquer or lucite the way we all do. It’s crazy to think that someone is discovering a Keep Calm poster for the first time today!
A neighbor stopped by my house a few months ago, noticed my ikat skirted console table and said – “I love your decorating style…but what is that funky fabric on your console table? Crazy!”
And then just a few weeks ago I was meeting with a client here in the city, who reads my blog and who is a blogger herself, and she told me how much she loves ikat but feels like she can’t have it in her home – like it’s too expected now or something.
NYT
Are we decorating for ourselves or for our design-conscious friends (or blog readers)? Every time I feel like some of the sparkle of decorating is wearing off, I realize it’s because I’m over-thinking it or worrying too much about what other people will or won’t like. Unfortunately I think that comes with the territory as a design blogger. Still, don’t let yourself fall into that trap. If one in a thousand visitors thinks your decor is dated because you love your Chiang Mai pillows and the Keep Calm poster, don’t sweat it. Guaranteed the other 999 will wonder where you got them.
Maybe it’s time we take a collective chill pill about decorating and see it all for what it is and should be – a fun way to express yourself and your style.
What do you say?
PS Have you been watching Portlandia? Shell art is OVER! Seems so appropriate for this post.
PPS All the Miles Redd images above feature ikat chairs, which I love and think I might go ahead and do in my house, even though they have been done before. :)
Super great topic! Obviously a LOT of people feel this exact way. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I stopped blogging for some of these very reasons. That's lame I know cuz I do enjoy the creativity and fun of blogging but I too started second guessing things that I was thinking "blog worthy" and interesting. I know I should have been able to suck it up and do whatever I wanted but I figured a break and regroup couldn't hurt either. Doing it just to do it wasn't a good reason. I will say though since I stopped, my projects are so much more fulfilling as I'm not equating them to a blog entry and it's comment/approval factor.
I think if we can keep things in check, appreciate our own styles and individuality and not feel competitive or intimidated we'll be fine :) After all, many of these blogs and online mags are so cool. SO MANY great ideas and DIY's! It's actually a curse to be so into our homes and decor. I can't tell you how much stuff I see on/at CL, Ebay, Goodwill, Etsy, West Elm, etc. that I fall in LOVE with, want, don't need, really can't afford and have no space for! Seriously! I already love the furniture and things I have, wouldn't want to get rid of it but then think of bringing in ANOTHER mirror or chest? OI VIE!!!!
If you're a professional, push yourself not to do the same played-out trends. That's part of what people are paying you for – your taste. Give them something West Elm isn't offering.
RE: the Miles rooms you posted. They are already full of classic signature style, the pop of ikat is not a crutch, just part of 100 other right decisions — great example of doing it right.
The best trends are classics.
A GREAT lesson I've learned to embrace is the saying that "other peoples thoughts of me are none of my business"! There is freedom in that! I say, DO WHAT YOU LOVE…it's YOU who lives there!!
I agree, things are going at warp speed due to the "viral" effects of the internet but as a thrifty gal with little or no budget I can't keep buying what is trendy on a whim, so I decorate my house with what I love. Yes it may mean that I use a scrap of chiang mai that I come across or a bit of Ikat, but I use bits and try to have the foundation/ the bones of my house with classic timeless pieces.
The Nester has been having a discussion on her blog regarding having too much stuff. I am trying to live a more meaningful life where I try not to spend my day worrying about how this or that will look on my blog. Or what I fill my house with. My house is a home for my family and that is what it should be. Yes, it is my canvas, decorating excites me and is my passion.
But sometimes blogging can be too high school for me, one day you are popular because of some imaginative project and the next day your aren't. I am tired of trying to gain some "famous" bloggers attention. I think as a blogger you need to keep perspective, write and decorate from the heart because as I tell my children, it is good character that shines in the end.
What a great post! I find myself getting tired of a concept before I even have time to execute it. How ridiculous is that?! I think it's important to go with what you love and have confidence in your choices. Its just as silly NOT to get something because it's trendy to hate it as it is to get something because it's trendy to like it.
i 100% agree w/ everything you have said…its so hard as a blogger/designer to find a fresh way to showcase your style b/c we have seen it all and most of the time over and over again. i agree, it should totally be about what feels right to you when it comes to decorating…not the pics on blogs or the audience that you will share it with. i totally get how one over thinks things, its a lot of pressure sharing your personal space w/ thousands!
Bravo! Bravo! This was a much needed post! Thank you! I always have to constantly say to myself, decorate with what you LOVE!
I've never commented on a blog before, although I have 100's in my reader. I just had to make a comment about this post. The other day my 15 year old son was talking about getting a tattoo and to 'humor' him I asked him what tattoo he would get. He very confidantely said "Well, I saw on one of your blogs that you read that you left up on the computer a sign that said 'Keep Calm, Carry on'. That's pretty cool….I think I'll get that." That should show you that what's old to somebody is new and fresh to somebody else. Even 15 year old boys!
I love this post! Clearly, you have struck a nerve. I couldn't agree more. When I first got into decorating, I actually didn't read any blogs. Now, I read about 20 – 50 blogs a day and I see them influencing my style, while I try to fight it. But truth be told, it's hard not to be influenced and over exposed as a blogger.
Sometimes, it kills me that a few of the treasures in my home have become trends. For instance, I have a ju ju hat that I bought two years ago and lugged home myself from S. Africa. It's very special to me because of the trip and yet it is now a "trend." Instead of considering taking it down, I continue to hang it proudly and I'm sure I will long after the trend has passed.
This post is timely for me because I have a pair of foo dog lamps that I have recently considered selling. They are a fabulous vintage pair from the 70's with an oversized shade that you couldn't even dream up – it's so fab. But, everyday, I read negative comments on how people are sick of foo dogs…and to be honest, I get sick of seeing them as well, over and over again. However, when a friend came over who doesn't read design blogs, she said to me, "What unusual lamps you have." That made me double think them.
I bought a fabulous pink console table that I had not seen out there in the blogosphere before. I blogged about mine and have since seen it pop up on two other way bigger bloggers sites. I'm afraid my beloved console may hit the trend spot and I struggle to not let that get to me.
I have considered not looking at other blogs for a month or so to try to get back to my own organic roots of what I love. However, at the end of the day, I really ONLY buy what pulls at my heart strings and if it pulls at other bloggers hearts strings as well, well then, so be it. Tis the world of technology and sharing.
Such a thought-provoking post! Love it – great job, Jenny! For those of us not in the field of design, but are avid blog stalkers, I think reading blogs yours helps us to hone what appeals to us. At least that's true of me.
When you read a lot of blogs, I think it's easy to get caught up in what's "hot" etc. and to forget that the vast majority of people do not read design blogs, do not know what the latest trend is and will think that an ikat is the newest iteration of the Iphone. When you look back at old design magazines and books, I think that the rooms that still look fresh are the ones that had the stamp of the owner's personality and contained well loved pieces. I decorate my house to please me and to make me feel comfortable in my home. I think your home is your sanctuary and it should reflect what you love instead of what's fashionable.
Sandy G.
Hi, I'm a long time lover of interior design, and I'm actually one of those people who, believe it or not, just started reading blogs about it! And I LOVE it! The important thing as so many others have said is to create a space that you find beautiful. As for being overexposed…well, there's a lot that I would like to do in my own living space, and after reading blogs for several weeks now I'm finally getting to the point where I've seen the same things that I like in enough variations to feel confident going for the patterned curtain or the pop of color or whatever it is I had been thinking I would like to do. Keep the ideas coming!
I was feeling like this lately and I also wondered if anyone else felt like this.
I bought a Zig Zag (Chevron) fabric to make curtains a few months back and I was worried that;1) by the time I make the darn curtains, chevron will be old news. Kind of is already (according to it's vast appearance on many blogs, sites and even magazines),2) I am just being way too influenced by all the blogs and decor sites I read and I wasn't being original.
So then I go on a craze of how can I make my apartment look different, non-cliche and after a bit of pondering, I realize it's my space and I can do whatever I want with it, once it makes me happy! So I open the closet, look at the charcoal zig-zag fabric and smile! It's gonna look fantastic!
I really do think that if you just put classic pieces you love in your home, it will stand the test of time. Even the test of design blogger time. Ikat has been around for 1000's of years, I don't think design blogs will kill it.
Very well written. It's so true that, for us daily design bloggers/readers, we tend to forget that there are so many people who are just discovering a trend or idea for the first time. Personally, I'm just fine with trends and even following them. I just think it is important to add your own little twist. It's not about replicating exactly what you see in the mags, but taking that trend or idea and incorporating it into a space that screams "you!"
Thanks for putting into words what so many of us have been wondering about too.
We (those who frequently read blogs) are absolutely overexposed!
My mother-in-law, who lives in a small, rural town and only got high speed internet this year, is not at all and is still marching to beat of her own drum. I'd almost enjoy that sort of ignorant bliss. She is still current, through seeing what's in stores and in shelter magazines, but doesn't have the obsessive "this is in, no, that's out, this is in" that blog frequenters suffer from.
I have a clean, neutral aesthetic typically. Recently, with all the punchy graphics featured on blogs, I ordered 5 new pillow covers for my living room from Etsy. Three have arrived, and while they're nice, they're not me. They're the blogosphere in my living room. I'm eager for the next change of seasons when I can revert to my most favorite neutral pillow covers.
We should all strive to be true to our own design style (wishful thinking, I know).
I 110% agree. I am forcing myself to not put anything chevron in my baby's nursery, because it's everywhere and I've used it on several projects…but I still love it, so it's hard. I'm less like that with clients because I know they do not read design mags or blogs like I do, that's why they hired me. I took a client to West Elm last week and she acted like it was a secret find only I knew about (I love my clients) But there is this new idea of "comments" when I think about posting my work on the blog. I used to just ponder the possible comments of co-workers or design friends (which ultimatly pushed me to produce better work), but now it's total strangers, who I don't know from Adam. Ahhh, being in a subjective field is hard sometimes. Great post Jenny!
What we all love about these trends is that initially they were different and reflected the people that lived in that home. Then the blogosphere fell in love with it and all of a sudden it was everywhere. In the end the message is the same, if you absolutely love it and it reflects who you are then go for it. It's your home, you should be surrounded by things that make you smile. Just take elements of what you love in the photos that inspire you and make it your own.
I agree 100 percent. I'm self-conscious about everything I do now because it's been "done" 1000 times before. Thanks for reminding us to do what we love!
love this post!thank you
First time commenter here. :) I love this post! I think you hit the nail on the head. I only dabble in design blogs, which I started mostly b/c my sister in law Caitlin has one, but sometimes I read them and think 'how does anyone keep up'? This post was really refreshing. I don't have the pressures of being in the design world, but try to just go with what I love. I think the idea behind this post applies to so many things, too!
Well said, I agree. I am wanting Thibaut Fishbowl fabric in my dining room right now. I have never seen it on a blog or in a magazine. I saw it at the design center they gave me a paper bag of it to take home and I LOVE IT! and better yet my hubby likes it alot. If my home makes it into a mag soon I would encourage everyone who likes it to put it in their homes. Let's not let others opinions define us. Use what you love.
excellent post Jenny. I couldn't agree more and hate that I constantly worry about my spaces "measuring up" to all the design blogs out there. It even burnt me out from blogging myself for a few months. You have been and still are a great inspiration.
Thanks!
This is a great topic. Your first HB image with the brown wallpaper — very similar to what I have in mine. I love it, but to post it seems tired. I just put it up 6 months ago! Horrible, isn't it? I do feel pressure as a blogger to show what is "right this very minute", and I fight that feeling all the time, as I believe in my heart that great design is in part what makes the homeowner happy. I also find, since my style is more traditional, that it bores potential readers, as what is so hot right now is modern. There seems to be far less apprectiation for what is classic (it seems too dated). Bottom line, shame on all of us, me included, when we feel (no matter if we act on it) the blogging or purchasing pressure to do what is "in." It's a lousy feeling when we get an inspired idea and then see it everywhere. Rather, we should feel creatively proud that we are on the pulse :)
Great post!
I know I definitely overexpose myself to design ideas b/c I am constantly reading design blogs and online magazines, but I also like seeing the flood of ideas. The more I see, the more I feel like I can hone in on what I like best, plus there are always new things in the mix that inspire me.
But what you said about people being afraid to use certain designs in their home b/c it is overdone or too cliche is sad to me. Like you said, decorating should be fun! And if you love a certain style, you should run with it no matter how many times you've seen it on blogs or what other people might think about it. Personally I don't want the opinion of someone that might come to my house from time to time dictate how I make my space special and appealing to me.
And while I'm at it, keep up the good work on your blog! It is one of my faves :)
i keep thinking this same thing! Such a great post, and such a good reminder. When I was planning my wedding, I would get so worried that it was becoming a big cliche with the mason jars and the short dress and the red heels, etc. etc. And then I remembered: most of my guests didn't spend 12 months reading wedding blogs!
I LOOOOVE chevron, but it has been feeling played out lately; thanks for letting me feel okay about it!
thats a great post! Made me think and kind of relax!
Thanks for a great, down-to-earth reality check. Everything ends up being over exposed, but I've gotta believe it's cyclical.
As for the critics, maybe we just stop catering to them and focus on blogging and networking with folks not like that.
You know what I really liked today? This video, which in a similar vein, compares bloggers + the blogging environment to high school. So true. http://papernstitchblog.com/2011/02/22/new-video-why-blogging-is-like-high-school-how-we-can-fix-it/
I love this post! I recently bought my first house and as a person with an artistic and design background I felt that my interior had to reflect my cutting edge design life.
I struggled for months after I bought a new grey settee (saw they were the next new thing). It sat in my living room by itself, alone and sad because I just couldn't find anything I loved that went with it. It didn't fit me and my personal taste and direction for my home. Sure it fit the trends and was super cool, but it wasn't what I wanted in my home. I don't like grey, I never have but since it was the "it" thing I put it in my everyday life and was miserable.
I've since changed my wall color and you could say my home looks like something out of Pottery Barn and while some may cringe when PB is mentioned, it's comfortable, it's livable and it's my style.
That was my lesson on giving in to trends on blogs.
You have created a great post worthy of serious discussion. I have been reading design blogs for a couple of years and I notice that whatever trends get published in the design magazines, they show up in multiples on the blogs leading to saturation. Good design in your home is about what you love, what makes you happy when you walk in the front door and how your design style communicates your personality. Often readers strive to duplicate the decor of their favorite blogs. It's like buying a Martha Stewart product and suddenly thinking you live at Turkey Hill. Be true to yourself. Trends come and go but if you fill your home with "good bones" you can change up the accents if and when you wish. Great posts and thanks for not blaming HB, Veranda, AD or any of the other magazines for your angst.
I totally see the trap an have definitely fallen into it myself. But ultimately, I hope the reason we care about the look of a home is for the happiness of the people in it. I'm posting about one of my design idols tomorrow, Rachel Ashwell. It could be said that the Shabby Chic look has been overdone, but she carries on. She has found her style and is true to it regardless of who else does it or whether it's "in" or not. I really admire her for that.
Great post Jenny, it's funny I actually posted about my campaign dresser today b/c I am FINALLY getting around to painting it. I think that blogs aren't just for interior designers but for a wide audience of people so even if it's just a new image they haven't seen before (amongst a sea of familiar ones) or perhaps something in the background of an image that catches the eye, there's always something new to appreciate. Overall, you can't please everybody, but there will always be people who appreciate the effort!
Good design should look at what's classic and what's current and merge the two to make what you/your client love. I love ikat, gallery walls, lucite, and subway tile to the point that they have become timeless…for me. I'm over antlers and Greek key everything but if that's what you or someone else loves, then more power to you! Great post.
Great post! I think this conundrum has been on many bloggers'/blog readers' minds. Design what you love!!
Great post LGN! We've been having that "been there, done that" conversation when planning our client's homes and it's our job as designers to be creative and bring a fresh attitude to something we've seen before. But, like fashion, everything recycles and comes back around, that's how we now what the timeless and classics are!
What a salient blog. I have a Keep Calm poster that has been in my office for the past few years. We just did a move around and I haven't had the heart to put it back up as I just feel that it's time has passed. I love the sentiment but it is everywhere! Just today someone queried why I haven't put it up and I am hesitant to admit why …
i think who cares what's been done already. it's great to be inspired by other people's tastes & style. if YOU love something, do it!!! everything out there that we can possibly decorate with HAS been seen already. nothing is really a truly ORIGINAL idea!
Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!!!!!! And thank you for this post. It's so nice to bring a topic like this to the table. It goes to show you that we are all so worried about what other people think or will think, but when all is said and done, I think most of us are feeling the exact same way. I think it's time to get back to our roots and truly design a space that we love regardless of what our friends think. I mean how often are our friends really in our home? We are there all the time. My friends have no clue what ikat or chevron is. I will continue to love these patterns regardless of whether or not the blog world still thinks they are "in." Thank you so much again for talking about this. I kind of feel relieved!
I agree….most people don't keep up with the world of blogs, design mags and shows. I feel if you really love something–whether overdone or not–do it in your own house. Perhaps different if you are designing for others as a career?
I also feel I like to look to blogs etc for INSPIRATION–so I can incorporate elements I like into my own style, but still keep my own thing going on.
Typing this as I look at my Keep Calm pillow….which was a bit of a departure for me when I bought it several mos ago!
Thx for the thought provoking post!
As bloggers / designers we are a bit too close to it all. But, I say stick with the classics, quality and what you love and you can't go wrong.
Funny you should mention Chiang Mai… one of my favs and just used it for this footstool:
http://simplifiedbee.blogspot.com/2011/02/footstool-in-schumachers-chiang-mai.html
xo,
cristin
As a 26 year old graphic designer and LOVER of your blog, I am one of the 999. I look to your blog to know whats going on and how to decorate on a budget! surprisingly, I was just telling my mom about ikat and how I had learned about it on your blog and how much I loved it! I had NO clue it was overused….its definitely not in Texas! ha! she didnt even know what it was. Not everyone (even creatives) are up to speed on decorating trends as much as other designers so please, keep on doing what you do best! believe it or not, I am using the color scheme from your OLD living room (the one with the black and white curtains) as inspiration for MY living room re-design! What's old and out of date to you isnt to the rest of us ;) just like craigslist! I am thankful for your insights and that of many other designers…for those of us creatives who SHOULD know how to decorate but dont. (you are by far my fave)
Wow! This was a different but VERY interesting post.
I have this very feeling, even though I'm NOT a designer, nor have I decorated by own place or anything (since I'm still living with the parents), but I feel that when the time comes, I will not be able to make decisions and get over with decorating my place! And imagine, I've had these thoughts since I remember myself! I used to imagine an immense home with all kinds or rooms to please my moods! :S
It's scary, but this post has definitely helped realizing some stuff that were not that obvious to me as they are to you, having all that experience from working and keeping a blog like this!
Thank you!
I TOTALLY agree, and as a blogger I totally finding myslef thinking about a "trend" being too "over". But honestly I find myself most happy with my home when I am true to what I love, and if that means I have turquoise foo dogs in my house till the day i die then so be it.
Yes. When I saw Lauren's orange front door (Pure Style Home) posted again today, for the fiftieth time, I swear I wanted to scream. Your design blog should not feel like a Victoria's Secret Sale catalog. We shouldn't have seen it all 50 times already. Create something new- in your house, in your blog- or stop posting, for the love of Pete!
I only recently started following design blogs, yours and Caitlin Wilson Design, and while I feel like I get good ideas it also just overwhelms me. Sometimes it's nice to not expose yourself so much so you can use your own brain to come up with ideas.
Also, I am that person who you are referring to about the Keep Calm poster. I honestly just saw it for the first time a month ago on Etsy, loved it, bought it for my bedroom and had NO idea until I read this post that it's everywhere. Whoops! But who cares? I love it! And I've already gotten several comments from friends that they love it and wondered where I got it. So you're right the majority of people don't follow design blogs and ultimately you just have to decorate in a way that makes you happy to be in that room. So I'm keeping my Keep Calm poster. ;)
Well, when you think about it everything has been done before. There's nothing new under the sun. Chevron, ikat, burlap, birds/owls or for that matter beds are old and weren't invented yesterday. If you really want to be in/different you'll have to go live in a cave or something but even that has been done before :)
No-one skips the bed in their bedroom because everyone else has a bed in their bedroom. I think it's more a matter of take the good as far as trends go and leave the rest. Your personal style comes out in how you mix and match trends with classics, scale and color.
I happen to love chevron but I don't care for ikat so one day in the future (when time and finances allow) I'll get to incorporate some chevron into our home. By then the trend will be over with and the chevron will just go back to being a classic again.
I will say that having an eclectic taste is very helpful when it comes to incorporating everything you love without having to change everything out.
Thank you for this post! I think:
1) we are over exposed – but only because we choose to be. But that doesn't mean that we shouldn't do something because we've seen it before.
2) usually if we see something more than once it's because it actually IS a good idea. People haven't stopped buying J Crew's great clothes just because everyone else loves it too.
3)You are completely right when you say that the rest of the world isn't as up to speed, so we don't need to worry. Step out of the blog / design bubble every once in a while. Stop designing for your blogger friends and start doing what you want and what will impress the people who you actually have over to dinner. I have to say that most of my dinner guests are people who read my blog but don't read other design blogs and probably don't know what the difference is between an ikat and a suzani.
You have to go with what you love. If you do not whatever you do that is in and hip will be out within a year. And come on, who has that kind of money to keep changing things. You know what kills me more then anything is the whole kitchen "trend" thing. What? we are supposed to remodel a kitchen every year??!!, trade in my white stove for stainless b/c that is what is "IN" and everyone wants. Dream on. I am not rich and neither are 98.2% of the population.
I posted earlier, but during dinner I was thinking about your post. I wanted to tell you that for me one of the most important design investments I have ever made was the catalogue from Jackie Onassis' auction by Sotheby. Now I cannot say with any certainty that the photographs were of her apartment as it was when she passed away, but from earlier books, newspaper articles, etc., many of the same pieces were still in evidence. Jackie could have afforded anything she desired in interior design. What I observed, however, was her love of art, comfortable seating, flowers, candles and well placed antiques. I discovered no trends there and no obvious desire to be picture perfect in detail. It told me that when you have confidence, you don't need your decor to define you. She surrounded herself with the things that she loved and that was enough. A book which was written by her cook/nanny (Marta Scubin), after her death and which showed several pictures of Jackie's interiors confirmed much of what was in the auction material. Take peace with who you are. That's the only thing that counts.
Yeah, but couldn't that be also true in any other hobby atmosphere? Like, down here in Southern California, I remember when every single corner opened up a Pinkberry lookalike. And everyone opened a cupcakery. Fashion is MAJOR trend upon trend, and then people announce that it's over. And it trickles down from high-end designers to Forever 21. Same with design – it starts with Elle Decor, trickles to the blogosphere, and ends up in West Elm/Pottery Barn.
I've felt in in a few things. I have really not allowed myself to buy anything ikat at all, even though I really love that print on some things, right? And I feel SO much pressure to decorate my house the "right" way because if I ever want to feature it on my blog, well, you know …. pressure. How stupid. I keep trying to take a step back and realize that I should only be doing this as fun for ME.