I had a chat the other day with a good friend. We always banter back 'n forth about what's piqueing our interest in the design blogosphere, so I was caught a bit off-guard when she confessed to having Design Blog-Reader's Blues - "DBRB" if we were marketing gurus...

DBRB's symptoms include:

Feelings of inadequacy over one's own dwelling, after viewing impeccable interiors on blogs
Anxiety resulting from having a bank balance that falls within the FDIC-insured limits, and which is NOT dog-eared for designerly discretionary spending
Home-project determination giving way to lethargy and apathy

I'm not immune to bouts of this dastardly disease, but I try to keep perspective this way: Some Design blogs are like shelter mags (what few remain!) - they showcase a home that's been professionally designed on a handsome budget, then oh-so-perfectly styled in preparation or anticipation of being featured in a publication - then the home is photographed professionally...
Just as Sharon Stone doesn't look a bit in person as she appears in Dior ads...

I would wager that published homes don't look on a day-to-day basis the way they appear in mags or websites - at least if they are actually lived in. So, like photoshopped celebs, published homes may very well be a sort of mirage...

So, is there a prescription for overcoming DBRB?

There's no way I could give up my fave design blogs, so that's not an option. I think perhaps, the key may be in proper dosing... Whenever I try to run with the show ponies (i.e. - read "top tier" design blogs), I always make sure to get a fair share of "real life" posts as well - those written by people outside the bubble of "to the trade" - that focus on family, travel, or creative endeavors.

Secondly, you always hear people say "look at the Big Picture," my advice is the exact opposite - Look at The Details. When you see an image of a room or home that is so beautiful it makes you want to weep with desire (these fall in that category for me...)

HB April 2008

Elizabeth Dinkel Design

...Don't get overwhelmed by the perfection of the entirety, rather, pick out a detail or two you'd like to try to duplicate in your own home.
For example: When you're cruisin' your favorite haunts you may say: "Wow! Check out that papier mâché lamp - I wonder if I could find a knock-off?" Or, "Hey! I saw a mirror just like that the other day at X store!"
My guess is if you are able to train your eye to pick up on those essential "layering" elements, you'll be pleasantly pleased with how "accomplishable" A Look can be, and that makes for a Good Prognosis!