Don’t Wait For Your Forever Home
The three important reasons you shouldn't put off making family art.
Aaaah…
That was the sound of the sigh in my being the day that I moved into my home after a long spell of being in transition.
This was a place to rest my head, dream my dreams and put nails in the walls.
I could settle in, unpack my life and invest in this nest.
Most moms I work with desire to create family art for their “forever homes” or, like mine, the house they foresee raising their family in, and aren’t planning on move from any time soon. They deem the investment in hanging framed artworks of their children and family worthwhile, because they’ve worked hard to style and decorate the home they plan on spending many years in with them.
Many moms put off family art because they’re planning to move… at some point.
I understand the practicality of that line of thinking: Who wants to invest in art to feather a nest that you don’t love, or will move on from?
While on its surface, this rationale makes sense, however, it ignores bigger, meatier truths of a mother’s heart. And it also feeds the biggest lie we tend to tell ourselves.
But let me explore some truths with you here.
1. Your children are changing and growing at heartbreaking speed.
Toddlers develop more in one year than adults do in a decade. By waiting to be in your forever home to make artwork of your children, you are missing the beauty of them in the here and now.
One day, the baby curls will fade away. Her crawl will turn to a run. Her toothless smile will fill in, and she’ll outgrow the special dress you bought the day you found out you were having a girl. Family art preserves the idiosyncrasies and characteristics of your children so you can celebrate them for who, what and how they are today, and cherish them for who they once were tomorrow.
2. They only get one childhood.
You only have so many years to spend with your children under your roof. Fewer still are the formative years when you can impress upon them the love and belonging that family art fortifies.
Your children don’t know that your starter home or rental isn’t bound for the Pinterest boards. What they do know is that it is their safe haven, and within its walls, they feel protected. Use those walls to show them where they truly belong in this world, regardless of where they reside.
3. Gallery walls are surprisingly adaptable and repurpose-able.
While I do offer customized gallery walls, I don’t push them on my clients. Most of my clients walk away with one of two configurations of framed art prints that fit nicely on standard sized walls, typically above the sofa or in a hallway.
My frame choices are classic, adding subtle beauty to your home. Rest assured, the gallery wall we create in your temporary home is transportable. It will look even more beautiful in your forever home.
If a gallery wall really doesn’t feel right—maybe you live in a rental with a traditional aesthetic, but you’re moving to a modern new build in six months—you might consider a single framed piece to top your dresser, or a Legacy Box. These heirlooms are beautiful and can transition from home to home without any stress.
“I really wish I hadn’t waited so long.”
Don’t wait for your situation to be perfect before investing in family art, or you run the risk of feeling the same regret I hear from so many moms.
Stop missing opportunities to stockpile the beauty of your family—as it is now—and start showing them just how much they matter. That their portrait belongs on the wall of your home, even if it’s not the home you’re going to live in forever.
Let’s take advantage of the glorious weather that’s arrived to create meaningful treasures for your home. Schedule your free Family Art Plan consultation with me now.
