You spot it from across the room. If you were a coffee table, you would be THIS coffee table. There has never been a more YOU coffee table.
You make your way over to it, casually flip over the tag (don’t wanna look too eager). Putting on your poker face, you brace yourself for a dollar sign and 4 scary digits. But it’s on sale. And it’s perfect. And you better buy it now before anyone else clues into this treasure right under their noses.
You get it home, you are victorious. You set it in front of your sofa and…It doesn’t fit. Well, it fits, but it’s a tight squeeze.
It’s not ideal, but it’s already here. And it’s a little awkwardly low. But you spent money on it. So you’ll live with it. That, or you’ll just have to replace all the other furniture in the room to make it make sense. It’s fine.
It’s not ideal, but it’s already here. And you spent money on it. So you’ll live with it.
I know why this happens, and I also get that making big purchase decisions can bring up a lot of fear, worry, and indecision.
I help indecisive people make big furniture decisions in their home.
Every day. It’s my job. I take the problem you’ve been stuck on for months (more like years) and guide you to the solution. (Actually I give you a couple of really good solutions, and you get to choose which one you like best. And I help with that part too).
I help you be decisive.
So if you’re tired of being indecisive or making mistake purchases (and then having to live with them), open the notes app on your phone.
Make a note on your phone called “living room measurements.”
Get out your tape measure (or my secret weapon, a laser tape measure) and measure each wall of your living room. Measure the windows. The doors. Measure that weird nook you’ve been trying to find a chair for. Don’t forget to include the molding or baseboards in your measurements,it might mean the difference between a piece fitting - or not!
Add it all to the note on your phone. Label the note so it's easy to find.
For bonus points, add a little photo of each wall of the room. Add a photo of your floors. Add a photo of your sofa.
This will remove all the guesswork next time you find an amazing office chair and you’re asking yourself “Does this color go? Will this fit under my desk?” No more question marks. Check your note.
Here’s what the note for my desk looks like.
Ask yourself: How does this piece need to function?
You've heard me say this so many times it might feel like a bore.
But ask it anyway.
And be specific with your answer.
Be honest with yourself (don’t pretend that once you get this piece of furniture you’re going to change ALL of your habits. You won't).
Add this little checklist of your needs to the note on your phone.
Now if you see a chair/table/lamp in the sale section/sidewalk/antique store - you can check your note and KNOW with certainty that it will fit the space and the furniture you already have, and serve your needs. But what about the style?
Ask yourself: Would this piece fit into ...?
Think of your favorite space. The one you want this room of your home to feel like.
Even if you haven’t been there in person, there might be one specific photo that you’ve always wanted to LIVE IN.
Would this piece fit in there?²
Add one photo of this space to your note.
And if you need more help answering this question, "Is this my personal style" then check out my Personal Style formula in the video below, I made it just for this purpose.
My hope for you in 2025 is: no more mistake purchases.
Book a Design Consultation for support making your next furniture decision. We’ll talk through layout, space planning, and how to make your next purchase with clarity and confidence.
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