Melody GrangerDoes the following scenario seem familiar? You’re in the decluttering process and your partner looks at a piece of furniture that you’d like to eliminate, and says “it’s useful”. All you see is a non-aesthetically pleasing piece of wood in a color that’s shouts outdated. Or maybe it’s a useful dish scrubbing brush that’s seen it’s day and has become an eyesore for you. Whatever the item, you’re not seeing eye to eye.
In order to speak to both people, creating utility and aesthetics is the goal, so you can both own a space that serves the purpose you both want.
It’s time to brainstorm ways to make this “useful” item aesthetically pleasing.
If it’s wood coloration that is giving the cringe factor, I can already hear the designers eye saying “paint it”, “restore it”, “change it up somehow” while maintaining the piece’s functionality and honoring the person’s value perspective. Perhaps the dish scrubber (if it’s a brush style) could be heated up and refluffed? I don’t know, I haven’t done that, but it’s the first thing that came to mind!
What are some items you have in your environment that is useful, but not beautiful?
Begin brainstorming ideas of how to make each item more beautiful. Comment below on your ideas, myself and others can feed off of these to inspire ideas they may not have thought of!
Personally, I’d update the furniture to be eye pleasing with either a makeover or some really thoughtfully curated items to decorate it, so it pops. My other thought – if the piece has open shelves and a back wall – is to use contact paper on the back walls to incorporate other color elements of the room to tie it all together. Once there’s an agreement, get to work!
Enjoy the process and working together as a team, respecting each other’s perspective. Don’t stop until it makes you both smile.
Melody