Still not done, and that’s ok – finding beauty in the cracks, the dust and the endless to‑do lists in our renovation journey

Committed home renovators David and Andrew Harrison-Colley (better known on Instagram as The Home Boys) are part of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing their thoughts on making a home together and living through the tricky parts. See the rest of their articles here.

If there’s one universal truth about renovating, it’s that the finish line always moves. One day you’re fitting skirting boards and hanging pictures; the next you’re ripping out a ceiling because the joists look suspect. We’ve learned (the hard way) that a house is never really finished - and that’s not a bad thing.

After years of living through the messy middle we finally have rooms that feel close to complete. Yet as we chip away at phase two of the cottage, there are still patches of bare plaster, missing door handles and an entire side of the house that resembles a dusty time capsule. We’ve decided to stop seeing those imperfections as failures and start seeing them as part of the story.

Finding beauty in the imperfect

This mindset shift has a name in Japanese philosophy: wabi‑sabi. It’s the art of appreciating the imperfect, impermanent and incomplete. Instead of striving for flawlessness, wabi‑sabi invites us to notice the quiet dignity of weathered surfaces and the marks of time.

The concept has its roots in the Japanese tea ceremony but its influence has spread worldwide - searches for wabi‑sabi grew significantly from 2023 to 2025 as more people sought authenticity and simplicity.

Embracing this idea has been surprisingly liberating.

That hairline crack in the plaster? A reminder of the house settling around us.

The slightly uneven terracotta tiles? Evidence of our own hands at work.

The patchwork of vintage plates on the kitchen shelf? A collection built slowly rather than a matching set bought in one go.

Styling the unfinished

One of the biggest lessons we’ve learned is that you don’t have to wait until every job is ticked off to make a space feel intentional. In fact, styling around the chaos often makes the imperfections fade into the background.

Here are a few ways we’ve learned to celebrate the in‑between:

• Layer textures. Bare plaster looks less like a building site when it’s softened with linen curtains and a cosy throw. Natural materials - wood, stone, rattan - emphasise wabi‑sabi’s appreciation of organic forms.
• Highlight patina. Rather than hiding scratches, chips and worn edges, make them part of the story. Our reclaimed pantry cupboard has a few knocks and dings, but the warmth of the aged wood makes the whole corner feel grounded and lived in. Even kintsugi, the art of repairing ceramics with gold, celebrates cracks as features.
• Mix old and new. We’ve always loved combining vintage finds with modern pieces. In an unfinished space this contrast works wonders: a wool rug distracts from missing skirting boards; a sleek new lamp lifts a thrifted side table. It also stops the room feeling like a show home - wabi‑sabi values authenticity over perfection.
• Create rituals. Light a candle on an old stool doubling up as a side table and enjoy a cup of tea amidst the chaos. Wabi‑sabi encourages us to slow down and savour small moments. We’ve started taking five minutes each evening to appreciate the progress rather than obsess over what’s left to do.
• Curate thoughtfully. We hung a vintage style map of Paris and a few other vintage prints above the sofa; suddenly the eye goes to the artwork rather than the missing skirting boards.

Lowering the pressure

When every Instagram post seems to showcase perfectly finished homes, it’s easy to feel like you’re failing if your skirting boards aren’t caulked or your grout lines aren’t straight. But studies show that accepting imperfection reduces stress and improves wellbeing.

We’ve found that letting go of perfectionism gives us more mental space for the things that matter: cooking a meal for friends, curling up watching a good movie, or simply enjoying the sunshine streaming across that slightly dusty, unfinished floor.

None of this means you stop finishing rooms. We still believe in the magic of the last 5 % and the emotional boost of a finished space. But between those milestones there’s plenty of life to be lived.

Our advice? Stop waiting for someday. Embrace the wonky edges, the bare plaster and the half‑painted doors. Buy the flowers, hang the artwork, light the candle. Make your house feel like a home now, not when it’s “done”.

Lessons learned

• Progress over perfection. Tiny steps add up. Celebrate every skirting board you attach and every door you paint.
• Patience is a virtue. Renovations take twice as long and cost twice as much as you think. Accepting that makes the journey less painful.
• Your home should reflect you. Don’t rush to fill it with matching sets. Let it evolve with pieces that have meaning.
• A finished home is a myth. Even when phase two is complete, there will be something else to do. And honestly? That’s part of the fun.

So here’s to the cracks, the dust and the endless to‑do lists. They are evidence of a life in progress, of a house becoming a home. And there’s beauty in that, if we choose to see it.