Are you a recent mover? This post is for those staring at empty walls and blank rooms with anxiety. It doesn’t have to be difficult to decorate your home from scratch. These tips will help you create a plan so that decorating can be fun!
Move beyond the initial overwhelm.
One thing has been constant in your thoughts from the moment you first walked through your dream home to that surreal moment when your brand-new keys are in your sweaty hands, all the way to the final walk-through.
How will I decorate all these rooms?
A ‘dream home’ is not a collection of empty spaces with no floors or walls. It looks just like the designer homes you have been reading about for months.
You’ve been thinking about the lines, colors, textures, and light. Although the house is now yours, you’re unsure what to do or where to begin.
It’s all suddenly overwhelming.
Don’t worry, help is available! It should be fun, something you find enjoyable and that you love. This shouldn’t be a stressful or worrying process. It may take you several years to finish decorating every room in your home.
Heck. My house has been my home for five years, and I am only now at the end of it all. Time and budget are both real limitations for many of us. Both should be considered. You will be satisfied with your home decorating choices if you take your time and enjoy your decorating journey.
Below is a map of how your decoration journey will look over the next few months or years. ).
Do not skip steps. Everything plays a part in decorating decisions. It will be easier to plan if you do.
Personalize Your Style
Set a vision for your home. You must be clear about your personal style as well as your design preferences so you don’t get distracted or confused by other styles.
Coastal-style dining room
It doesn’t matter what decorating style you have, just take the time to discover it. There is no need to conform to a certain style of decorating, such as farmhouse, boho, or boho. It is important to know what you like and dislike and not let other people’s opinions or tastes dictate how you decorate your house.
I know that I love a light and airy coastal vibe with some traditional/transitional elements. It’s Pottery Barn meets Serena & Lily. It will help you stay focused and able to identify your style.
Set your Color Scheme
Once you have a clear idea of the style you want to decorate in (boho or farmhouse, transitional, or a combination of these styles), you can choose a color scheme.
Are you looking to make things bright and cheerful? Are you drawn to bold colors, cool tones, or warmer tones? You can choose one color or very similar colors for your walls. This will ensure that your color scheme flows from one room to the next without having to look at a million different paint samples.
A house color palette will help to ensure your home feels seamless from the start.
For example, my home has many shades of gray and white walls. It’s not possible to go from one room with green walls to another with blue walls and another with deep red. Your home should flow from one room into the next.
If in Doubt, Stay Neutral
Personally, I love neutral walls. This could be white, medium to dark gray, grey, or even tan.
The bedroom walls are painted Benjamin Moore Paper White.
No matter what your preference in color is, it is best to keep it neutral and light so it can serve as the backdrop for other elements such as furniture, rugs, or art.
A neutral background is also great for those who like to change up their decor often.
Keep Fixed Elements in Mind
These are the elements that cannot be changed. Your design choices will be influenced greatly by the color of your trim and even your kitchen cabinets.
Do you want a bright, modern home that is clean and contemporary? A bright, crisp, and white trim may be what you are looking for. You’ll need a paint color that matches the honey oak in your home. You may also want to highlight beautiful millwork with a contrasting color.
Accent colors can spice it up.
It is also important to choose 1 to 3 accent colors for your home. You might want to keep it neutral, but you can use different shades of gray, white, cream, and gray and accent with texture or wood tones.
With natural wood accents and blue, gold, and other colors, white nursery or maybe you are a fan of vibrant pops (like me!) Your accent colors could be blues, greens, and grays.
No matter what color you choose, limit yourself to three and use them in every room of your home to create a cohesive look. You don’t have to choose the same color. Vary the intensity and saturation of the colors to avoid them feeling stale and predictable.
Define the Function of Every Space
Before you commit to a design, it is important that your space plans are clear. This may not be obvious until you have lived in your house for some time. Is your living room a place where you can relax and watch TV? Will it be used as a home office or playroom? It will also be used as a bedroom. Is it a place you will watch TV? Will you have a need for a nook in your home office?
Before you begin to dream about designing, it is important to identify the purpose of each space.
Visualize with mood boards.
Create mood boards for every room in your house to organize all your ideas. Begin with the most frequently used rooms in your house (living room, bedrooms).
If you prefer to focus on one room at a time, then this is the right choice. My experience is that most people enjoy picking apart rooms to discover what works and what doesn’t. This creates an organic design.
You’ll need some inspiration, and I love Instagram and Pinterest for that! You’ll also need to have an idea of the furniture pieces you will need.
Kitchen Mood Board
As your inspiration, choose one piece. It can be furniture or a rug. Next, create the space around that piece.
The rattan counter stool was my inspiration for the kitchen mood board. The rattan counter stools were the inspiration for all of the design elements.
Shop with confidence
You’ll be happier if you take your time when shopping for furniture. It can often take me months to find the right piece. You might regret buying something only to find out that you have to replace it one year later. We shouldn’t waste our money! Wait until you have an idea.
Layer on accessories and start with large pieces.
Not all furniture needs to be matched. Although it may be easier to find a matching bedroom set than find nightstands that match your upholstered bed, your final design will look better if you have a “collected over the years” style in your space.
After you have the large pieces, you can layer on window treatments, art, and throw pillows accessories. This will take some time to get the look you desire. Do not rush!
You can take accessories and decorative items to the next step by learning simple tips such as how you mix and match patterns or how you style a coffee table.
Take a look at an online designer.
You don’t want to spend your time decorating if you are really having trouble or you simply don’t have enough time.
You just need to provide information and photos, along with the dimensions and layout of your space. They’ll then create a virtual 360-degree rendering of it. You can even shop the entire space and have it delivered right to your doorstep!
Their services have been invaluable for both my office and my bedroom. Although I knew what I wanted, I didn’t have the time to shop for everything. They did the shopping for me and designed the furniture to fit the space perfectly. It was a wonderful service!