I’ve been in the furniture and design world for a long time, and let me tell you, there are A LOT of opinions about what you should and shouldn’t do in your home.

Where your TV should go. What furniture belongs in what room. What you should renovate first. What colors and patterns are supposed to go together.

And I love a good design conversation! But I also think sometimes we get a little too caught up in the rules.

There are things I love and there are things I’ve learned just from living in our own home, raising four boys, and helping other families figure out what works for them.

So here are a few things I refuse to apologize for loving in a home!

1. A TV above the fireplace. Yep, I said it.

I know some designers aren’t going to agree with me on this one!

But we have four boys, and some of our favorite nights are just being home together. Watching a movie, catching a game, or somehow ending up doing karaoke in the family room.

It’s where we all hang out, and having the TV above the fireplace works for us.

Would I put a TV above every fireplace? No! You have to think about the height, the heat, and whether it’s actually comfortable to watch.

But I also think it’s funny how many rules we have about where a TV should go. Every family uses their home differently.

For us, having a spot where all six of us can pile onto the couch and watch something together is pretty great. And if that means a TV above the fireplace, I’m good with that!

2. A dining room nobody uses every day.

I love a beautiful dining room!

And I know there’s a big conversation about making every single room in your house work harder.

But I also think it’s perfectly fine to have a room that’s mostly for special occasions.

The Thanksgiving dinners, birthday celebrations, holiday meals, or those nights when friends stay for hours because nobody wants to leave the table.

There’s something really special about having a space for those moments.

And if you only use it a handful of times a year? That’s okay, too!

Not every room needs to be busy every day to be worth having.

3. Keeping your original kitchen cabinets. At least for now!

When Joe and I moved to Indiana and bought our house, we knew we eventually wanted to redo the kitchen.

But have you SEEN what kitchen renovations cost these days?! 😂

So we made a decision. The cabinets were staying until we were ready to save up and do the kitchen the way we really wanted.

And you know what? We made it work!

We cleaned them up, gave them a fresh coat of paint in a fun color, and gave that kitchen a whole new personality. And honestly, we didn’t regret waiting one bit.

Now, I’m not saying everyone should keep their kitchen cabinets forever. Sometimes a kitchen really does need a full renovation, and I LOVE getting to help people create their dream kitchens.

But if your cabinets are in good shape and you’re in that season of saving up for a bigger renovation, don’t feel like you have to rush.

You can make what you have look beautiful while you work toward what you want.

Sometimes doing things in stages is the smartest decision you can make!

4. A sofa that’s bigger than you think you need.

Okay, this one might be the mom of four boys in me talking.

But I LOVE a big, comfortable sofa.

The kind where everyone can pile on for movie night, somebody’s stretched out at one end, and there’s still room for one more person.

Of course, I’m not saying to squeeze a giant sectional into a tiny room. You still need space to move around!

But I think sometimes we’re so focused on how a room looks that we forget to think about how we actually want to spend time in it.

If your family loves being together in the living room, give yourselves somewhere comfortable to do it!

A beautiful sofa is wonderful. A beautiful sofa everyone actually wants to sit on? Even better.

5. Furniture that’s not perfectly refinished.

Now, you know I LOVE giving furniture a new life. That’s literally how MegMade started!

But I also have such a soft spot for pieces that show a little history.

An old dresser with beautiful wood grain. A vintage cabinet that has a little wear around the edges.

Sometimes those details are part of what makes a piece so special.

And sometimes a piece needs a full transformation! That’s the fun of what we do.

I just don’t think every piece of furniture needs to look brand new to be beautiful.

There’s something really wonderful about keeping a little bit of its story.

6. A kitchen without open shelves.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I LOVE open shelving!

Especially in a coffee bar, a little beverage station, or even a pantry. Those are such fun places to display your favorite mugs, pretty glassware, and all the little things that make a space feel special.

But when it comes to the main kitchen, I also really love being able to close the cabinet doors. 😂

With four boys, I can tell you that not everything in our kitchen is perfectly organized or pretty enough to have on display. And I don’t need it to be!

I love having the option to tuck away all the everyday things and keep the kitchen feeling a little less cluttered.

Plus, there are SO many ways to make closed cabinetry beautiful. Paint colors, interesting hardware, glass-front cabinets, and little details that give a kitchen personality.

So yes, give me open shelves in a coffee bar any day! But for the everyday kitchen, I’m a big fan of having plenty of closed storage.

7. A formal living room.

I know open-concept spaces and casual family rooms get a lot of love, and I completely understand why.

But there’s something I really love about a separate living room.

A place to sit and have a conversation. Read a book. Have coffee with a friend. Maybe even play a game without the TV being the center of everything.

I love the idea of having different spaces in a house for different kinds of moments.

And no, it doesn’t need to be a room where nobody is allowed to touch anything!

Make it comfortable. Make it inviting. Fill it with pieces you love.

A formal living room can still be a room where people actually want to spend time.

Here’s what I really want you to know.

I love interior design. I love beautiful furniture. I love a room where every little detail has been thought through.

But I also love the fact that no two families live exactly the same way.

What works in my house with Joe and our four boys might look completely different from what works in yours.

And that’s how it should be!

Maybe you love a giant sectional. Maybe you’re hanging onto your kitchen cabinets for a few more years. Maybe you have a formal dining room that only gets used at Christmas.

You don’t need to apologize for any of it.

Your home should work for the life you’re living, not just the pictures you’re saving.

And that’s actually one of my favorite parts of what we do at MegMade. Getting to know you, how your family lives, what you love, and helping you put it all together in a way that feels like YOU.

So if you’ve been wanting to make some changes at home but aren’t quite sure where to start, we’d love to help! Our design team can help you figure out what works for your space, find pieces you love, and make the whole process a lot more fun.

Fill out our quick design form here to get started!

Now I want to hear yours!

What’s something you absolutely LOVE in a home that other people might not understand?

I have a feeling we’re going to have some very different opinions, and I can’t wait to hear them. 😂

Love,

Meg 🤍