I used to think those people were born with some magical decorating gene.

You know the ones. They walk into a room and just know where everything should go. They pick paint colors without breaking into a cold sweat. Their homes look like they stepped out of a magazine, while mine looked like a furniture store exploded.

I was convinced I'd never be one of them.

Then I painted my living room Pepto-Bismol pink. Twice. On purpose.

That was just the beginning.

I bought a blue velvet sofa so massive it swallowed my entire living room. I hung curtains so short they looked like they were scared of the floor. I lived with a dining table I had to squeeze past sideways every single day because I was too stubborn to admit I'd made a mistake.

And you know what? Every single disaster taught me something those "naturally gifted" decorators will never tell you.

Because here's the truth they don't want you to know: They made all these mistakes too.

In this book, I'm pulling back the curtain on everything that went hilariously, frustratingly, expensively wrong in my journey to create a home I actually love. Not because I want you to feel sorry for me, but because I'm going to save you thousands of dollars and months of regret.

You're about to discover:

• The furniture-buying trap that almost everyone falls into (I certainly did-three times)
• Why that paint color looks completely different on your wall (and what to do about it)
• The lighting mistake that's making your entire home feel wrong
• What I wish someone had told me about rugs, curtains, and accent walls before I learned the hard way

But more importantly, you'll learn the thing I wish I'd known from day one:

If you've ever:

• Stared at paint swatches until they all looked the same
• Bought something gorgeous that turned out to be completely wrong for your space
• Wondered why your room still feels "off" even though you followed all the rules

...this book is your permission slip to stop trying to get it perfect and start making it yours.

Let's make your mistakes smaller, your wins bigger, and your home something you're actually excited to come back to.