Hi Pippiep --
I think your situation is one that applies to many, many people! I can certainly relate to it. Especially the very particular other half....
Let's assume for now there's no designer involved -- so YOU are the creative services worker, and YOUR HUSBAND is the client. Your key words for this process are inventive, flexible, and patient. You can start with a single room or craft a multi-room vision.
If you're game, here's how it works.
You distill your ideas into a few simple, easy-to-communicate directions (ideas and visuals). LIMIT 3.
Present them, 1 by 1. Then have all 3 out for discussion.
Next, he gives feedback to you, and you process it...together if it's small, by yourself if you need time to think it through and come up with new suggestions.
Re-present, discuss, get a thumbs up or more feedback.
Start incorporating changes in your house, or go back through the cycle til you get a green light.
Not sure if you've already done the below, but here are a few ways to structure your ideas to help you think through your possible directions.
CRITICAL FACT #1: Getting too many choices at once overwhelms most people.
CRITICAL FACT #2: Every time you choose, you close a door. That's ok. In fact, that's how decisions get made!
Operate on the KISS -- Keep it Simple, Sweetheart -- principle (aka Pinterest etc are not always our friends, ha). If something gets nixed, you WILL eventually find an alternative that still works with all your other choices.
To develop your 3 directions/looks, I rec starting off the computer. Write stuff down, then find your supporting visuals.
List and label everything you know is staying, everything that may be staying, and what needs to go.
Write down your key words for the space -- or each space if you're tackling multiple rooms at once. Don't worry about what the words might mean to others.
Find the visuals to communicate your idea of say, "calm" to your husband. With every visual, ask yourself if it meets the key words. If it doesn't, it's out!
Quick example of how that could look below....
LR Direction 1 -- welcoming, fresh, serene
furniture -- staying (big, QS oak)
rug, staying
pillows/throws -- new (blush/plum/grey floral)
paint, maybe -- light balanced neutral [show ONE example...obviously you'll continue your sample testing down the line]
art, maybe -- photographs of local scene for large wall; small abstract oil in pale blues and greens; charcoal portrait of woman by river [ok to leave TBD til farther along]
window covering, new [curtains, neutral stripes]
LR Direction 2 -- vibrant, unexpected, cozy
furniture -- staying (big, QS oak)
rug, maybe -- tone-on-tone grey with navy border
pillows/throws -- new (tribal print in grey, turquoise, navy)
paint, maybe -- bright navy
art, maybe -- B&W landscapes in silver frames
window covering, new [woven roman shades, same tone as furniture]
Q