Veronica Solomon
Decorating your home is fun, but it is definitely serious business. It requires a financial investment as well as time and energy. If you decide to tackle decorating as a DIY project, there are certain things to consider and it is essential to have a plan. It is basically being your own client, where everything like the budget and your needs have to be considered.
This plan serves as your roadmap and is essential to the success of your project.
My biggest advice
Never go shopping without a plan. It leads to spending money that you didn’t plan on spending or purchasing things that will not work. Sure, that pink velvet sofa looks amazing in the showroom, but have you considered things like – Is it soil resistant? Will it still look great after a year of Fido sitting on it? Is it too trendy? Will it work with the other furniture that you already own?
Here are some great questions to ask yourself before running out to the furniture store
How long do you plan on staying in the home? The answer to this question will help you set a budget and the direction you want to take the project in. If you are planning to move in a couple of years, you may not want to invest into items that you can’t take with you
Who will be using the space and what are their ages? This is important especially if you have elderly parents living with you or a child with special needs. You may need to install grab bars in bathrooms or arrange furniture to make proper traffic for a wheelchair
Do you have pets? What is the breed?. This is important to consider because if you have a dog that sheds a lot, then you need to really consider the finishes that you use. Dark wood floors tend to show dust and of course dog hair much more than lighter floors
Do you have family and friends over for entertaining alot. This will affect the way you arrange furniture and the amount of seating you need in the room
What type of activities do your family typically do? Do you need a table top for board games or puzzles? Do you play video games together? Do you need a space for reading or homework?
Do you have adequate storage? Will each room have more than one purpose?
What are your favorite colors? Or it might be better to figure out what colors you absolutely don’t want in the space. Remember that each family member may have different color needs
Can the entire family agree on the same design style or are you polar opposites? How will you reconcile the differences?
What style will the furniture and accessories be? Do you want classic or trendy?
What is the architectural style of your home? It helps to keep the decorating style in the same style as the home’s architecture
What will serve as the inspiration or jumping off point for the design plan? Do you have a favorite fabric, or rug, or an antique piece of furniture that you absolutely love?
What is your budget for the project? Will it cover the entire project in one shot or do you need to work in phases? Which pieces will you start with for the biggest impact if you will decorate in stages? Have you researched actual costs versus guesswork? Always add an extra 10-20% to cover the inevitable incidentals that always pop up
How much of the project can you do yourself to save money and how much will you need to hire out?
How much time to you have to invest into shopping for furniture and accessories? Whether online or local retailers.
How much time will you have for researching and finding resources on how to complete the project?
If all the above does not sound like your cup of tea, then you may have to call in reinforcements. Our Mail Order Decorator Service (eDesign) is perfect if you are not local to the Houston area. It is a cost-effective way to utilize the services of a professional Interior Decorator and still get the satisfaction of implementing the project yourself.
If you are local to the Houston area, we can meet with you in your home for a design consultation.
Or if you know that you’ve got this, you may want to take advantage of a helpful resource, our eBook “How To Create A Beautifully Decorated Room For Under $5000” This handy guide gives you step by step instructions on how to decorate on a budget
Do you have any decorating projects planned for this year? Do tell
Wishing You beauty and Inspiration!
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