Start Decorating Your New Home

Read this step by step guide to decorating your new home.

1.    Set a budget and know how to use it

After the expenses of closing on your new home and moving in, you may not feel comfortable spending money right away for decorating, and that’s okay! Decide how much you would like to put towards decorating each room and plan on completing one room per month (or just a couple in the first year). Start by budgeting your top priority room (either the one you spend the most time in, or the one that is more visible) and finish that room before starting the next. Completing one room at a time will leave you feeling accomplished and settled.

2.    Discover your own personal style

What appeals to you, your spouse and your family? Need some ideas?

  • Create a free account on Houzz.com and save your favorite discoveries in an ideabook.
  • Start a Pinterest account, and pin ideas and items for each area of your home on boards. Need help getting started? Follow our boards on Pinterest for ideas and inspiration.
  • Take notes on favorite places you have visited to recreate the feeling of vacation in your home.
  •  Find design books in your library, online, or in a bookstore.

Once you have collected a few ideas, sit down and see what common themes are in your discoveries in regards to colors, furniture styles, and patterns. List what expensive items such as lamps, tables, or decorative items you liked and research to find similar (less expensive) alternatives.

3.    Keep measurements and floor plans handy

Furniture will look smaller in the store than in your bedroom – keep your room’s measurements in your car or pocket, or snap a photo with your tablet to keep an electronic record that you can easily forward to friends or a decorator for assistance. You never know when or where you may stumble on the perfect item.

4.    Choose a color scheme and stick to it  Nuancier, ton vert & bleu

Start with something you love the most about the room. It maybe an art piece, a rug, or a pattern in the couch. Decide what colors will match and run with it.

5.    To save money, look for used items

Consider going to antiques stores, garage sales, flea markets or auctions. Some things may need fixing up but will suddenly become your new favorite new piece! Upholstering, painting, or adding accessories is easy and completely changes the look of any item.

 6.    Ask family and friends

“Pieces with history give a room personality and depth, and are what distinguish a home from a furniture showroom.” – Fred Albert, Houzz

It can take a long time to find just the right pieces for a home. Don’t be afraid to ask your family and friends if they have anything they want to get rid of. It may be a family heirloom or a friend’s piece of furniture that is exactly what you were looking for.

7.    Mix & match Start Decorating Your New Home

If everything matches perfectly, it can look like the sales floor of a retail store. Consider looking for mirrors, pillows and lamps at places like HomeGoods, Pier 1 Imports, or local boutique shops. Don’t be afraid to mix in a few inexpensive items with those bigger investments, no one ever notices, and it’s a great way to create a unique style!

 Need inspiration to get started? Follow us on Pinterest!

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