Where to Start Decorating Your Home

1. Know Your Style

It’s so important that you know what Interior Design Style (or styles) you LOVE before you start making any purchase decisions. When I first started decorating , I let my wallet and my feelings guide me. That led to mismatched decor and a range of colors, finishes, and styles. Don’t do what I did! Look into the various Interior Design Styles. Some examples are Mid-century Modern, Modern Farmhouse, Industrial, Eclectic, Scandinavian, or Transitional. See which ones really catch your eye and capture the feeling you want for your home BEFORE you start decorating.

When you know the Style that really speaks to you and will work in your home, you can start to make smart furniture and decor decisions. You can look for furniture and decor that fits that style. When you buy things that are all in one style they become more versatile and are sure to create a cohesive look for your home.

If you like more than one style, you can absolutely mix them! Although, it may be a little tricky for beginners. Pick a dominant style, like Modern Farmhouse, and then accent it with a secondary style, like Industrial. The key to really balancing style is having a common element through your home- this might be a wood texture like walnut, a geometric pattern or even a common color like blue or grey.

2. Create a Whole Home Mood Board

Most people don’t realize that when they start to decorate their home, they need some boundaries. Otherwise, every pretty thing that comes your way will be something you purchase. And those purchases will add up to a mixture of decor that doesn’t really look and flow well in your home.

When I was first decorating my apartment, I needed boundaries. I needed to define my style and what colors I loved. I needed a plan for decorating my home so I could make smart purchases. When it came to decorating my second home, I created a whole home mood board. This defined the boundaries of what I would buy for my home.

A whole home mood board captures the colors you want to use in your home, the finishes, and the style you want of furniture and decor. This is like your cake recipe that you follow to bake a perfect cake! If you don’t know what your ingredients are and how much of each to put in, your cake isn’t going to turn out very well. Same thing with decorating, if you buy random items and try to mix them together – it’s not going to turn out well.

3. Make Lists!

Once you have your “recipe” for your home decor, you want to make a list of items you want or need to buy. You wouldn’t go to the grocery store without a list, right? Why? Because you’ll inevitably buy more than you planned and forget the things you needed. So take your “recipe” (aka home mood board) and plan items you want to buy for each room in your home.

If it’s easier, just focus on one room at a time. Go through the room and determine what you want to keep and what you want to toss. Make a note of anything you would like to eventually replace or what you want to add to the room. Prioritize your list so the most needed items are what you budget and save for first.

These are some simple steps you can do today to start decorating confidently and wisely in your home. Which step do you need to take? Maybe you know your style, but need to create a whole home mood board. Or maybe you need to write down a list of purchases to make so you stick to those purchases only.

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