The Case Against Instant Gratification

I was listening to The Skirted Roundtable podcast ( http://skirtedroundtable.blogspot.com/) the other day and Joni, Megan, and Linda touched on a subject dear to my heart: when on a budget (we all are!) do we buy cheap or wait until we can buy better? As the designers pointed out, we as women often use shopping as entertainment; "retail therapy". In the process of recreational shopping, we are often tempted to fill our homes with a lot of Target, Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Stein Mart and the like. Nothing inherently wrong with these type stores, I shop there myself. But as Megan pointed out, spending many twenty dollar bills on cheap home decor can actually hinder us from buying something of better quality and design. It's a dilemna between instant versus delayed gratification.

Filling spaces with just anything is like feeding junk food to your kids every night, it just never really satisfies. It is so much better to wait for the right piece to be found or budgeted for. Something perfect and meaningful. Something that really speaks to you.

In their session, the designers talk about buying one great piece for a room, and building from there with possibly less expensive things. I think this is great advice, similar to fashion where good shoes or a great piece of jewelry elevates lesser pieces in a wardrobe. I often try to categorize things into good, better, and best. (And of course there is the category called "really bad".) A good rule of thumb is to try to have at least one thing in a room that is "better" or "best", even if it is something small such as an antique container for flowers or a good quality piece of art, or maybe a lamp. If you can't go for expensive curtains, maybe have some pillows made from a yard or two of a really beautiful fabric. Taking something with good lines and refurbishing and restyling works wonders, too, like my two dollar yard sale chair that I love. (You can read the story about this chair in my archives, "Confessions of a Chair Junkie", January)

Here are a few things that are wonderful pieces; some are splurges and some are inexpensive with a lot of bang for the buck, (and hopefully you won't see them in all your neighbor's houses).

This is sconce by Currey and Co. retails for $590 and is so beautiful. A splurge, but lighting can make or break a house.


Here is the Garin Candle Sconce by Uttermost, retailing for $135. It is large with an antiqued finish and gives the look of way more expensive hard-wired sconces.



Gorgeous 19th c. French Trumeau from Bremermann Designs on 1st Dibs for $7200. Statement piece, obviously.




"Belle Epoque" photograph of Paris by Irene Suchocki on etsy. An absolute steal for $30 for an 8x10 print, unframed. (She offers matting and framing services, too.)






Reproduction French Butcher's Presentation Table $1290

Antiques on Old Plank Road, 1st Dibs



When a more expensive piece of furniture won't fit the budget, a pretty monogrammed slipcover can always update something you already own.

Swedish Mora Clock, Ebay $2550



Wall Clock, 60" Tall, Uttermost,$297 retail



There are so many wonderful things out there. It just takes a little searching, but the results are worth it!