A Case for Making Your Home Like Really, Really Weird
Or, Why You Shouldn't Decorate Like You're Always About to List
I’ve always proudly shared the philosophy that your home should always be “market-ready” (rules for thee, not for me, right?). Neutrals only. Avoid bold paint choices. Don’t hang the hood of a Honda Prelude in your dining room. It may scare buyers away in five to seven years when you decide to sell.
My modified philosophy: no thanks.
I’m in dozens of homes a month and the reality is - that isn’t reality. Your home isn’t a showroom waiting room for the next owner. It’s yours. If you’ve been dreaming about painting the kitchen aubergine or installing a disco ball in the breakfast nook, do it. Basement arcade? Whatever.
It takes an extreme amount of confidence to display personality, and owning your wacky taste in a world of instagram sad beigeness is a flex. My great friend Meg recently let a toddler add some, let’s call them “expressive touches” to her guest bedroom walls. Splotches of vibrant color and streaks of creative vision makes her joy-soaked fingerprinted space feel exactly what it should feel like: home. Not a museum enshrined to minimalism and resale value. She is one of those rare humans who makes everyone feel like they’re more than enough, always bringing out the individualism in people without even trying. Encouraging a bold outfit choice, celebrating an offbeat hobby, or cheerleading enthusiastically when you tell her you’ve always wanted a pet rock collection. She’s a reminder that it’s not only okay to be yourself, but it’s something to be proud of. Outwardly, loudly, unapologetically. Channeling my inner Meg energy, I’m reminded that my home should be a reflection of myself, curated for comfort, creativity, and real life.
Make your home so unapologetically you that it couldn’t belong to anyone else. You can always “neutralize” things later. Or not. Maybe you’ll attract a new tribe of people, the ones who love the weird shit just as much as you do. Nothing gives me the warm and fuzzies more than when I’m touring homes and my client mentions that based on the decor, they would be BFFs with the seller.
And if you ever decide to sell? I will help you find a buyer who appreciates good weird when they see it.
