Jen and I have been to home decor store after home decor store looking for something unique. Wherever we go it's the same accessories, the same furniture just dressed up a different way. No character, no style, no real identity. How can you as a consumer avoid the trap of the cookie cutter home decor emporium?

1) Stay away from the mall! Mall rents are a bit higher, so the chains can buy space but the average small business person is usually left on the outside looking in.

2) Bigger is not always better. If you want your home to look like everyone else's, go to a big store and buy what everyone else is buying. Read: IKEA. The only exception to the big store rule is Hobby Lobby, in my opinion, they bring unique items in all the time and the prices are unbeatable.

3) Look downtown and not just in the big city. Our smaller towns and villages are great sources for little hole in the wall home decor stores. Take a place like McKinney, TX, for example. McKinney's downtown square is an awesome source of home decor and specialty stores. Lee's Summit, MO is another fine example of a downtown square with several decor stores.

4) Don't be afraid to travel a little. Grab a couple friends, jump in the SUV and make a day trip of it. Nell Hills in Atchison, KS is one of the premier home decor destinations in the Great Plains. 95% of their customers come from over 50 miles away. If you're in St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Sioux Falls, Wichita, Lincoln, or Des Moines, consider a day trip to Nell Hills.

We make a trip 1-2 times a year and now its easier since they've opened a large store closer to Kansas City proper. We recently purchased wall sconces for our bedroom. Once we figure out what to put on them, we'll really be cookin'!

What's the best way to shop in a home decor store? That largely depends on why you're there, but here's some general rules to maximize your time and keep you from getting sore legs by the time you're done.

1) Stick to the room you're decorating for. Nothing wastes your time or empties your pocketbook worse than making a bunch of unplanned purchases.

2) Pay close attention to how the store organizes different decor elements. The best decorating tips come just from seeing someone else's idea, then making it your own.

3) Don't buy something just because it looks cool. You may get it home and find that it just doesn't go with your decor. Before you even get in the car, have an idea of the space you want to fill and what types of things would work there.

You are definitely not doomed to a life of bland, copy-cat, flavor of the moment home decor. Follow these rules and you will find those diamonds in the rough and open a whole new world of possibilities.