There's No Finish Line To Designing Your Home (And There Shouldn't Be)

As good as it feels to check off items on a to-do list, home design is one thing that you should never truly finish. This doesn’t mean you won’t have periods of contentment with how your home looks and feels, but design isn’t about setting it and forgetting it. Just like you change, your home changes, too.

It’s common for people to get stuck with the same design because of nostalgia, little money, no time, or style disagreements. Some people think that once they achieve their desired design, they’re done. But design should be fluid, changing over time as your life changes or trends shift. For others, it’s the design process that’s more appealing than the actual results.

If you find yourself getting frustrated because you feel like your house is never “done,” it’s time to relax. The sooner you embrace the idea of design being an ongoing thing, the better. You can start enjoying your home instead of viewing it as a giant unfinished project that you need to check off your list.

Home Maintenance Doesn’t Stop, Neither Does Design

First, distinguish designing your home from regular maintenance, upkeep, and repairs. These things are all ongoing. You’ll never be finished painting or replacing leaky faucets, unless you have no problem letting your house fall into disrepair.

But many homeowners understand that continual upkeep goes hand-in-hand with home ownership. (Although first-time homeowners can underestimate home maintenance.)

However, a lot of people don’t typically apply this same premise to design. Instead, they view their design plan as a goal to achieve, and once they do, they assume that’s it. The result is often a home that looks the same year after year, even when it starts to feel a little flat.

Why Do People Get Stuck In A Design Rut?

If your home should change over time, why does your house look like it’s stuck in 1972? Or maybe you recently renovated, and you haven’t brought any new pieces into your home because you’re scared to “mess up” the design. For whatever reason, you’ve stopped making changes in your house.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. It’s natural for people to feel as if they need to keep things in their homes a certain way. It’s usually for one of these reasons.

1. It’s Always Been That Way

If you’ve lived in a home for a long time or perhaps inherited your family home, you might be design blind. You’re so used to the home looking a certain way, it seems as if it’s as it should be. You also likely derive some comfort from the nostalgia the decor evokes.

In some cases, you might feel guilty for making changes. Your grandma kept those curtains in perfect condition for 60 years. You’re not about to be the one who tears them down, right? 

2. No Money For Renovations

A very common reason for hitting the brakes on your design plans is no budget. Money is tight, and other things take precedence over new bedroom furniture or a snazzy bathroom renovation.

Sometimes, if you’re stressed about finances, you may even overestimate how much upgrades cost, so you do nothing. You figure things are working fine the way they are, so it’s silly to spend money on unnecessary expenses.

3. No Time To Make Changes

Time is another obstacle to making design changes in your home. Life gets busy, and when your schedule is full, the last thing you want to do is spend a weekend painting the kitchen.

You put off projects until you have more time, only that time never seems to come. Therefore, everything remains the same.

4. It Took You Forever To Get It Just Right

What if you spend months and months and thousands of dollars on the perfect renovation? You get your home looking exactly as you want it to look, and it’s amazing. You might feel as if you’ve reached a finish line, checking off a massive box on your to-do list.

Consequently, if a new trend catches your eye or you see a side table that you adore, you ignore it. Your go-to reaction is that you’ve already designed your house and completed all of your plans, so there’s no more to be done.

5. Design Disagreements

If you share your home and the decisions surrounding it with someone else, different opinions could lead to design paralysis. You want a monochromatic color scheme, but they want tons of bold colors, so you leave everything untouched.

Home Design Should Be Fluid

When it comes to home design, be careful to avoid the fallacy that there’s an endpoint. For example, you have a vision of how you want your home to look, so you curate pieces and make changes to bring that picture to life. When you finish, you feel a sense of accomplishment, as you should.

But this is where things get dicey. Once you complete your design, what happens next? Is that the end?

Are there no more trips to the paint store or visits to the quirky vintage furniture boutique down the street? Do you bid farewell to home décor shops and weekend estate sales? Of course not.

Your Home Should Grow With You

Think about how different your life looks from just five years ago. As your lifestyle shifts, your home needs to do the same to meet your new needs.

For example, perhaps your dining room was once the host of countless dinner parties, but now it’s homework central. Or maybe you and your partner are new empty nesters. Now, your child’s former bedroom becomes the sewing room you always wanted.

Your likes and dislikes will change as you get older and experience new seasons of life. A home designed for one will look vastly different from one designed for a family of five. Therefore, it’s understandable that your home should change over time.

Styles Change

Trends come and go, tastes change, and sometimes the things you adored several years ago you’re tired of looking at today. It’s okay to change your mind, acquire new preferences, and swap out decor on a whim.

This doesn’t mean you have to cater to every new trendy design fad. Sometimes, rearranging existing furniture can give your home a whole new vibe. It simply means that as trends shift, it’s okay if you decide to change things up a bit, too. 

Focus On The Design Process Instead Of Just The Results

For many happy homeowners, designing their space isn’t about achieving the ultimate Pinterest-worthy home. Rather, it’s about the creative process and building a cozy, comfortable expression of themselves.

A few tiny updates here and there can go a long way to making your home feel like you belong. It’s not about chasing perfection; it’s about transforming your space into something that’s a true reflection of you.

Designing Doesn’t Have To Be 24/7

Make no mistake. Just because the overall idea is that your home’s design will never truly be finished, that doesn’t mean you need to make constant changes.

It’s okay to live in your home as it is for a while, even for years. Indeed, some people are so attached to how their homes look and feel that they honestly have no desire to make major changes.

There’s nothing wrong with this, as long as you love your home and it serves you well. What’s important is to realize that there are no rules that say at a certain point you must stop designing. On the flip side, it’s okay to slow down and press pause on your design plans to enjoy your home in its current state.

Home Design Is So Much More Than Another Box On Your To-Do List

The idea of a finished home sounds appealing in theory, but it’s actually a little anticlimactic. It’s like binge-watching your favorite TV show in one night only to reach the end and wish there were more episodes. You get a little sad that it’s over.

But when it comes to home design, there is no definitive finish line, which is freeing. You can set your own pace. You get to change things whenever you want, however you want. If your style changes, it’s perfectly fine to switch things up in your house.

Paint the wall a daring color, change your mind, and paint it again. Let your home grow and evolve so that it’s always telling your story. Most of all, remember your home isn’t meant to be perfect. It should be personal.

Related Guides:

• How To Make Your House A Home (Beyond Decor)
• Designing A Kid-Friendly Home Without Sacrificing Style
• 10 Ways To Give Your Home A Refresh Without Spending Any Money