Hey friend!

While watching home decorating shows, have you ever noticed designers mention design decisions that are instant no-nos, faux pas or pet peeves? It happens in every industry, including home decorating. So...what are they so you can be sure to NOT do them?

10 decorating pet-peeves of home designers (aka 10 mistakes you should avoid in home decorating):

1. Too small, non-existant or floating area rugs.

2. Pushing furniture against the walls.

3. Cluttered surfaces. Too many smalls rather than fewer, larger piecess.

4. Capri curtains.

5. Ignoring scale and proportion.

6. Overhead lighting instead of layered lighting.

7. Matchy-matchy furntiure sets.

8. Too thematic rather than alluding to farmhouse, beach cottage, etc.

9. Ignoring the entry way or front porch.

10. TV as the focal point or shrine in the room.

Have a question YOU want answered on the show? Send me an email: [email protected]

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Hey friend!

Last week I shared WHERE I shop, today...I'm sharing HOW I shop. I'm just like you - living on a budget trying to make my pennies stretch from month to month, while being fiscally responsible! Doing so doesn't mean that I solely rely on shopping second hand, though if you've been around for a while, you know that is one of my favorite strategies for curating my home on a budget!!

My top 5 tips for HOW to shop on a budget:

1. Shop the sales. This may seem obvious, but I'm talking the bigger sales - the holiday sales, the yearly or bi-yearly sales that are brand or store specific.

2. Use a cash back app. One of my favorites. Check your credit cards and stores you already buy from. Shop at Target? They have a cash back app!

3. Buy second hand. Not only does this allow you to save money, but when done in conjunction with truly knowing your aesthetic, allows you to be specific with items that match your style!!!

4. Price matching. Does your favorite home decor store offer price matching? Check. I know Target does - even with online prices from their own stores.

5. Don't buy everything at once. Not only will you spend more money than you need, but you'll likely have a home that looks like it's been decorated from a Target museum, lacking the curation that happens over a period of time.

Want more tips? Join The Collective

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Episode 259: How to score the good stuff on FB marketplace

Hey friend!

If you're only using Pinterest to pin pretty pictures, you may as well STOP using it. Using Pinterest as an effective tool in home decorating is more than being able to recognize a beautiful interior landscape.

And if you're NOT using Pinterest because you don't want to be on social media...I have news for you. Pinterest isn't social media - it's a search engine...just like Google.

Using Pinterst effectively and strategically for home decorating starts with understanding HOW to use it besides earmarking beautiful photos. Instead try these ideas:

1. Use it for inspiration! Check...you got this. You're likely already an expert. :)

2. Use it to learn the details of your design style.

3. Use it as a resource for learning more: location of sourced items, tutorials, etc. Pinterest is designed to get you OFF the site (unlike social media where it's designed to keep you scrolling). The goal...give you an idea then the direct link to learn more about it.

4. Use it to shop and for brand awareness.

5. Use it to refine your search terms.

How NOT to use Pinterest:

Do NOT use it to copy & paste. BIG no-no as this is the number one way you can make your home look opposite of cohesive.

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Hey friend!

Do you ever wonder where you should be shopping for cute budget friendly home decor? So was Rosmarie. In today's episode she asks:

"Dear Dani,

I'm curious...where are YOUR favorite places to shop? Are all stores/sites created equal? What I mean: sometimes I wonder if I should focus my attention on some items at some stores and while avoiding other items. Does that make sense?"

2. Artwork

4. Small furniture

5. Large (or statement) furniture

6. Bonus: area rugs (sneak peek: it's more about the brand than the location)

Where do you shop? Tell me at: https://bit.ly/desgin101group

Ask your question: [email protected]

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Hey friend!

How do you feel about excuses?!

Sometimes I think of excuses as trying to make one feel better about their lack of confidence or understanding - maybe a little bit of misinformation.

In my line of work I hear excuses all the time. Sometimes it's purely based in the excitement of finally making a breakthrough, but their excitement went before their intentional planning.

I could list all of the ways I hear excuses during a project, but the ones that are most profound (maybe even a bit sad) are the ones that explain why someone doesn't want to invest in the way their home looks. Invest, here, does not equal a monetary exchange. Invest could be time related, learning related, decision making related...basically, thinking they, their families or their homes deserve any TLC or attention.

These are the five most common excuses I hear re: why someone does not want to invest in their home:

1. It costs too much

2. Fear of making mistakes

3. Overwhelmed by so many choices

4. They have animals or kids, so they can't have nice things

5. They are just really bad at it and can't learn

In today's episode, I'm sharing why these 5 excuses are just that...excuses.

Listen in and join the conversation: https://bit.ly/design101group

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Did you miss the Love Your Home Challenge and want to see the training? It's not too late. Email: [email protected] to request access. Videos will be available through 2/21

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Hey friend!

Are you wanting to elevate the look of your home without breaking the bank like listener Gabby? She sent in a question asking for my best tips to do just that - and I had a hard time stopping. These 5 tips are just the top of the iceberg when wanting to change your space for the better - giving it a little glow up.

1. Declutter: Really...if you stopped here, you'd have the potential to elevate your home considerably. 

2. Freshen up worn pieces: Giving tired pieces a little extra TLC - a fresh coat of paint or stain will go liven your home.

3. Check your color palette: Do you have an intentional color palette with one foundational color and a couple of accent colors? Are those colors flowing throughout your open concept home? If not...this is a great place to start.

4. Check the scale and proportion of your items: If things look too small, too big, too full, too short, too wide - it could be throwing off the balance of your room. Adjusting the scale of items that are mis-proportioned is a big step toward elevating your home.

5. Repetition of design elements: Know the difference between repetition and too much of a good thing. Repeating design elements like color, metals, wood tones, etc. ties your room together making it look cohesive.

Cohesiveness is at the core of having an elevated looking home.

Ready to learn more? Join The Collective, the membership that brings you weekly lessons teaching you decorating concepts in a way that is easy to learn and fun to apply!! 

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Hey friend!

Have you ever wondered how to make oversized sectionals an intentional part of a room's design or are they always destined to ruin the aesthetic of the room?

In today's episode I'm chatting with Kristen, the owner of a large black (very cozy looking) sectional. The sectional, however, takes up considerable space within her room and although black makes sense, she also has a white armchair in the same room. With two contrasting colors the question became - how do you make the room look cohesive without starting over from scratch and spending a fortune on another sofa?

You'll hear the answer to that question as well as many others inside this sneak peek of a Decorating SOS coaching call.

Are you ready to book YOUR Decorating SOS Coaching Call? You'd hire a tutor in math if you needed help...why not for home decorating? Book your Decorating SOS Coaching Call

YOU'RE INVITED!!!!

To my FREE 5 day LOVE YOUR HOME CHALLENGE!! Happening February 10 - 14th inside your INBOX. Each day for five days, I'll be delivering a short video lesson that teaches you the 5 core principles of home decorating. Each day comes with an action item so you can begin on DAY 1 creating a home that you delight in.

Register here: https://bit.ly/lyhchallenge

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Hey friend!

Inside this episode I'm responding to Tracy's Dear Dani letter - trying to bolster her decorating confidence after years of feeling unsuccessful (and now stuck) in the way her home looks and feels. She's wanting a change, but feels a bit scared to give it another go.

5 Tips for building your home decorating confidence

1. Start small: Start with low risk changes rather than expensive (both in time and money) changes that might not work out. Shop the house, rearrange the furniture, get rid of things are all great examples of starting small.

2. Practice with a test run: If you're contemplating change, try mimicking that change and practicing the look before committing any money to it. Listen to the podcast for an example.

3. See it before you decide: Before you buy anything, try taking a screenshot of it and placing it on a word doc so you can see how the items look all together. Once you like it, then try it.

4. Progress over perfection: Just like learning any new skill, it's about the progress rather than perfection. You will make mistakes - like anyone learning a new skill, but using some of the tips will help you practice you home decorating muscles so you begin limiting the amount of mistakes you are making. The end goal - to love your home better than you do today. That happens with progress over time rather than perfection.

5. Hold on to Rules loosely: Let the rules be a companion in decision making ONLY if they are helpful. Not sure what size of curtains to get? Find the rules and let those inform your decision making.

YOU'RE INVITED!!!!

To my FREE 5 day LOVE YOUR HOME CHALLENGE!! Happening February 10 - 14th inside your INBOX. Each day for five days, I'll be delivering a short video lesson that teaches you the 5 core principles of home decorating. Each day comes with an action item so you can begin on DAY 1 creating a home that you delight in.

Register here: https://bit.ly/lyhchallenge

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Hey friend,

If I invited you to take a peek inside my pantry or my closet, you'd likely get the impression that I'm highly organized. But I have a secret...my digital space is a DISASTER. It's disorganized at best, but chaotic, frustrating, overwhelming and never ending at worst. The "I'll get to it someday" approach isn't making it any better.

My guest in this episode, Shawn Lemon, can not only relate, but can patiently teach me better. As founder of The Digital Organizer, he's been teaching thousands of people for years how to make sense of this digital world, that by all accounts, is going nowhere but more cluttered unless we can make some sense of it.

If you struggle with your digital organization like I do, or want a few tips to round out what you already know, you're going to LOVE today's conversation. Shawn holds nothing back and as I asked question after question to get you the most helpful information possible...my hand got tired from taking so many notes.

Want to learn more from Shawn, or better yet, hire him to give you a hand, you can reach him here:

Website: https://thedigitalorganizer.com

Connect with him on Instagram: @thedigitalorganizer

A gift for you: https://thedigitalorganizer.com/figandfarm

YOU'RE INVITED!!!!

To my FREE 5 day LOVE YOUR HOME CHALLENGE!! Happening February 10 - 14th inside your INBOX. Each day for five days, I'll be delivering a short video lesson that teaches you the 5 core principles of home decorating. Each day comes with an action item so you can begin on DAY 1 creating a home that you delight in.

Register here: https://bit.ly/lyhchallenge

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group

Hey friend!

Have you ever wondered what it is about some homes that make them look so classic and timeless, but wonder how to do the same in your own home? I've got you covered in this episode as I'm sharing 10 tips for having a more classic, timeless design in your home decorating.

But let me tell you a little secret - it's all about intentionality. From the color palette to the metal choices, to the way things are built, to live plants vs fake plants...all of this and more help drive the classic, timeless design.

And if it all sounds intimidating, rest assured that it actually is NOT. Learning how to be an intentional decision maker starts with knowing your personal design style, your signature style, your aesthetic - what ever you want to call it - these are the miniscule design elements that you gravitate to over and over. Once you know THAT, you have the fundamentals of creating a cohesive home. A cohesive home is the core principle for a timeless, classic look.

Ready to learn more? Join me inside The Collective, where I share short weekly video lessons just like this (with visuals included) and where we gather monthly in a LIVE q & a session to answer all your questions.

YOU'RE INVITED!!!!

To my FREE 5 day LOVE YOUR HOME CHALLENGE!! Happening February 10 - 14th inside your INBOX. Each day for five days, I'll be delivering a short video lesson that teaches you the 5 core principles of home decorating. Each day comes with an action item so you can begin on DAY 1 creating a home that you delight in.

Register here: https://bit.ly/lyhchallenge

Happy styling!

xo,

dani

// Links mentioned in show: //

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://figandfarmathome.com

Join The Collective (monthly membership): https://www.figandfarmathome.com/thecollective

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figandfarm/

FREE Facebook Community: https://www.bit.ly/design101group