Home Designing Tips

Monday, September 16, 2013

Home Designing Tips

Decorate your new house with colors, furniture and accessories that create a relaxing atmosphere.

Moving into a new home can be an exciting time, as you have a blank canvas to work with. Decorate your new home---whether the house has never been lived in or is just new to you---to reflect the style, personality and lifestyle of your family. Make a plan for each room before you begin putting your house together to save time and money and avoid the frustration of wasting money or time on decor that doesn't suit you.

Planning Tips

Plan your decor one room at a time to keep yourself from feeling overwhelmed. Make a list of ideas, such as basic color schemes, themes or must-haves for each room. Cut pictures out of decorating magazines of rooms that you like. Keep a folder of ideas, fabric swatches and paint colors.

Set a decorating budget for your new home. Make a list of what you want to purchase, such as new furniture, window treatments and accessories. Go through the furniture and decor you already have to see what you want to keep and what you can re-purpose. Donate or sell the items you don't want.

Discuss your decorating ideas and ask your partner, spouse or roommate for his. Compromise if you have drastically different ideas of what you want. For example, you get to decorate the kitchen and family room, perhaps he gets to decorate the den. Allow your children or teens to help plan their bedroom decor.

Decorating a brand new house typically includes making some basic decorating choices, as well furniture and accessories. Choose flooring, cabinets and countertops that will work with a variety of different themes or color schemes if you tend to change your mind often. For example, bright red cabinets might be too eccentric, while white, black or cherry cabinets are more traditional and still work with a bright red color scheme.

Color Tips

Choosing a color scheme for your new home is an important step in decorating it, as color affects your moods. Surround yourself with colors that leave you calm and relaxed, particularly in rooms such as your bedroom, bathroom and family room. Use a more exciting and vivid colors in a game room, kitchen or dining room.

The main living areas of the home that are connected and visible from the open areas should have complementary color schemes, or at least one common color to unify the space. For example, use white on the trim and ceiling in all the rooms or use a lime green and cream color scheme in the family room, a blue and cream color scheme in the dining room, and a red and cream color scheme in the kitchen.

Putting it Together

Use one item in each room as your inspiration piece. For example, if you have a vase that you absolutely love, use the colors, pattern or style of that vase in the room. Place the vase---or whatever your inspiration piece is---in a prominent space in the room.

Decorate each room to completion before moving on to the next, starting with the room you use most often. Place the largest pieces in the room, such as sofas and chairs in the living spaces and your bed and chests in the bedroom. Add window treatments, bedding and rugs. Complete each room with accessories, such as throw pillows, candles and houseplants. Each item within the room should fit in with the theme, color scheme or basic mood of the room.

19th century paint colors

Monday, September 16, 2013