I often get asked the question “How do I choose a style to decorate my house?”

 

Well, there can be many answers to this question, because there are typically many different factors involved. For example, are you starting out in a new home? Do you want to redecorate your existing home? Are you buying all new furniture, or do you have furniture pieces that you have to work around? See, not always an easy question to answer. Maybe I can lend some advice.

 

For the New Homeowner Starting from Scratch

 

Spend some time orienting yourself with your new layout. There may already be an architectural style that is going to dictate the look that is going to work best for you. For the homeowner that just wants to make an easy transition, working off of the architectural style is the easiest way to design. Of course I know that you folks are not that easy. Most of us have lived in plenty of environments to have a pretty good idea of what feels right. The trick is pulling all of these ideas together and making them work harmoniously in your new space. Get to know the areas in your new home and what their purposes are going to be. This should help at least to fine-tune what furniture you are going to need. I know that doesn’t help with the style. I’m getting there. 

 

Go through as many design magazines as you can get your hands on, and bookmark anything and everything that you are drawn to. Even if it is a bowl on a table, it is an object that you may want to use as a starting point or as some say “your inspiration piece.” Once you go through all of the pictures, take notes on what colors you seem to be attracted to and what style of furniture you keep leaning towards. This can help you with your design decisions. Visual aids work too, and choosing a design direction is all visual.  Try to keep a binder with all of this information so when you go shopping you will be able to compare your pictures to the items in front of you. Show the sales people your pictures also so they can better assist you, because most of the time not everything that is available is on a showroom floor. This should really help you to establish your style.

 

For the Homeowner Wanting to Completely Change Their Interior Design But Still Wants to Keep Existing Pieces

Well this is usually easier said than done if your plan is to change from country to contemporary. But honestly most people don’t go from that great of an extreme to another. So, start by taking the same steps as above, and pull pictures that you like from design magazines. Next figure out what colors you will need to work with from your existing furniture, because you obviously want everything to work together. In a perfect world it would be easier to completely redo every room, but most of us don’t have that option. However, that being said, if there is any way to completely redo one room at a time and stick to your budget, I would recommend it. The easiest way to get a whole new look, is to get a whole new look. You will achieve the style you want and not have to piece things together. Another benefit of working this way is you will have a chance to see what you really love in the design and change the things that might not be what you were looking for. By the time you have gone through all of your rooms, you will be living in the home of your dreams, and it will reflect your personality. Of course I digressed. If you still need to work around existing pieces of furniture, then make sure the new items will have some sort of common denominator. It can be the stain or paint finish or the color of the fabric. Even the same type of wood on different styles of furniture can pull a room together even though they weren’t necessarily meant to go together.  Whatever design you decide to go with, try to keep everything looking intentional. What I mean by this is don’t stick that extra wicker basket up on the contemporary armoire just because you have it. Stay true to the design but still keep it personal.  

I know this was short and to the point, but I hope it serves as the informational piece that offers just a bit of help in pointing you in the right direction. If you need more help or have questions, you can always e-mail me at the address above. Keep asking those questions, and enjoy the new season. 

Oh by the way, I almost forgot…Please don’t buy anything until you have measured and know for certain that it is going to fit!

-Michelle