Anybody have a good decorating tip??

Question

Just got a new house!! I need ideas to decorate rooms, bathrooms, living room, etc. The walls will probably stay the beige color they are now. The carpet is light beige as well.

Links to pictures would be great!

Thanks!!

Answer 1

hello! (:

my sister has just moved into her new house, and i have helped her with some ideas.

firstly.

bathroom - black and white! this looks actually amazing!

here is a few accessories that would look good.

>BLACK+GLITTER+TOILEThttp://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/sto...

^this is so nice.

http://wallpaperandborders.co.uk/wallpap...

^one wall wallpapered like this, and the rest all white.

living room -

brown sofa. and oak (fake or real) tables cabinets etc.

(:

i hope this helps!

Answer 2

Decorating a whole house on your own is a big challenge and can be overwhelming.  

Don't get bogged down in the details.  Start by outlining your plan so that you don't go over budget on time or money and get discouraged.

One thing I know for sure... you will get tired of beige.

You need a plan.

$$$$$$$   BUDGET   $$$$$$$$$

Very few of us can say that we have an unlimited budget for decorating our homes.  

So...the first step is to have a realistic budget for the overall design.

Second, divide that budget up for each room.  It may help to start with 100% and then make a pie chart with the name of each room on the slices.    Then figure out what the actual dollar amount is for each room based on the percent of importance of your design.  

Third, and the toughest.... is the make realistic choices about the design of each room while staying within your budget amount alloted....and DO NOT go overbudget.

@@@@@@@ DESIGN  @@@@@@@

Have you ever done an outline for organizing information?  To outline your design... get a piece of foam board, maybe two or three.  This is where you will organize all your ideas.  You should do plenty of planning before 'buying' anything.

This is where you will pin on your ideas for each room.  The things you add do not have to be 'exact' ... this is just an idea board to keep your brain moving in the right direction.

Get a small plastic shoe box and label sections of it with index cards....

*living room....*bedroom....*bathroom...*kitchen...  

Add color samples, pictures of furniture and accessories, lighting solutions, window treatments.... anything and everything you find and like.... BUT DO NOT BUY until you complete your whole plan.

You could have small pieces of posterboard for each room.  Then use the large foam board for the whole house.

First...

Plan the house as if it is one room.  

The colors in the house should maintain a 'flow' from one room to the next so that your house isn't designed in pieces.  

You wouldn't wear pink shoes with daisy duke shorts and a half shirt with a green hat to a wedding....right?  Think of your house the same way.  It is all apart of one 'outfit' ....or one 'design plan'.

Think about what you like in terms of ...  colors.... styles... function.

COLOR-

Go to the paint store and find the color pallets they have on cards there.  Choose what colors you think go together.  Take a friend with you to help you choose the colors of your new home.  Paint is the cheapest way to achieve this.  Leave your carpets beige if you want.  That will maintain some flow throughout the house.  BUT....you can change the walls.  Just...choose colors that compliment each other from one room to the next.

Ask yourself...

Do I want natural colors like browns and greens?

Do I want cool colors such as blues and purples?

Do I want warm colors such as reds  yellows and oranges?

Whichever 'color' pallet you choose... just make sure that all those colors coordinate from room to room.  

STYLE-

Do you like  a more contempory style?

~or~

Are you into a more country motif?

~or~

Do you like a more funky artistic type of style?

~or~

Are you into nature and more natural zen or feng shui design styles?

FUNCTION-

Is the color and style that I chose realistic when I really think about what this room will be used for everyday?

Think about this one hard.  

Example:

For a bedroom... you would not put black and lime green checkerboard paint on the walls with a disco ball in the center of the room with sheer curtains on the windows for a bedroom.  These ideas just would not be practical.

For someone who works night shifts and sleeps in the daytime... they may want to have layers of curtains.  Something bright and cheerful for when they are not sleeping.. and dark curtains to draw when they are getting some rest.  They would want to be able to block out the light.  The walls may need to be a cool blue color to keep the mind in a relaxed mode while in the bedroom.

PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER-

Now you...

Go through all that you have 'collected'  and use your posterboard ... foam boards... and plastic box of pictures and paint chips and other goodies.... and seriously think out your design.  

We are forming the design concept now.

1.  Pick out paint colors

2.  Pick your style...even if your form your own

3.  Choose the main components of the room based on functionality and practicality

4.  Choose accessories

Now... take your boards with you when you start to shop.  

Hold that pillow up to your color scheme to figure out if it REALLY DOES match.  Don't be afraid to take items back later if you decide it just doesn't match the room style.  

KEEP ALL RECIEPTS in your plastic box.

Suggestion:

Take a notepad with you.  Take notes at stores that you visit to write down the name of the items you like but are hesitent to buy... write many details so you know where you saw what.

You may want to come back later and buy that item.

Take a friend with you who understands your design concept to bounce ideas off of and to get more suggestions and input.  

Get all ideas organized... then balance that with the budget for each room.  Cut corners where needed so that you get the most complete interpretation of design idea while staying within your budget constraints.