Last week I wrote about being Dwellingly Challenged and it has become my anthem of the year. This week I moved into my first house and MAN the challenges I had not fully appreciated while sitting pretty in our little glass box apartments of recent years – tiny as they were. I have an entirely newfound respect and appreciation for our fellow architects, designers, stagers, craftsmen and contractors who’s hands are deep in this soil every day.

So here goes a few Dwelling Challenges and Tips I’d like to pass along for whoever may be able to benefit in the future.

A House is a Hobby – You wouldn’t expect to have a sweater knit overnight so you can’t correctly and genuinely build your home or even its interior overnight with a single swoosh of a magic wand – no matter what Extreme Makeover Home Edition may lead you to believe.

People Make the Difference – Talent is critical but personality is extremely important when signing up for partners to help you create your space. From the electrician, to the plumber, every painter and builder in between – make sure you genuinely like these people, or feel comfortable enough to have tough conversations with them, because you’ can be navigating many a trust and reliability based situation while doing a home project and it actually IS all very personal.

Color your world – One of the most important and emotional elements of a space is really the use and flow of color even if that color is one of the hundreds of shades of white. Spend lots of time considering your color as it will set the tone for everything else you do and how you interact with your spaces.

Enjoy the Hobby! I had to stop and remind ourselves that the passion for design, living and our environments is what brought us to this neurotic state. Enjoy the building of your nest, cultivating your style, incorporating details and recipes for beautiful living inside and out. The process IS part of the fun!