You’ve just got the keys to your new house – congratulations! Whether you have purchased the house or are renting, the place is still yours! Now it is time to make it your own.
It can seem overwhelming when trying to pick out the furniture and wall colours. However, these 8 tips will make the process smoother than you thought!
Make it your own
Remember, this is your home. Not your mother’s or your mother in-laws. This is your sanctuary. Now, your mother might like the idea of Turkish style sofas, but you would rather something more modern and comfortable. At the end of the day, you will be the one living in that house. You can design the house however you’d like! There is no right or wrong answer. Put your personal touch on things. This space needs to reflect you.
Use inspirational mood boards
By gathering images from magazines, Instagram and Pinterest, you will be able to transform your interior from boring to fresh and modern.
Once you have a mood board of all the looks and pieces that you like and find inspiration in, it will take a load off your shoulders, making it easier to design your dream home.
Mood boards are a great way to unleash your creativity and visualise what you want your home to look like.
Whether you buy a large board and pin the images and sample fabrics on them, or stick a few pictures in a notebook, these are both great places to start. This will allow you to see what the room will look like when it comes together and make it easier when you are out shopping to pick things that go with your style and complement the rooms.
Analyse the look
Collect the pieces that catch your eye. This way, you will ensure you are spending your hard-earned cash on things you’ve fallen in love with, rather than picking whatever is available.
This will allow you more time to analyse the look you are going for and see how the colours will work together. The more time you spend, the more your interior design knowledge will expand, allowing you to understand how certain things work best together.
Switch up the colours and fabrics
When designing your house, hone in on which colours and fabrics you want to use. Do you prefer wall paint as opposed to wallpaper? Blinds or curtains? Metallic or pastel?
It’s a good idea to go with 3 colours as opposed to 2. The first 2 colours should be your base colours: i.e. the colour of the walls, floor and furniture. Whereas the third colour should be used to add a pop of colour to your home. For example, if you are going for a red and white room, add a pop of black or silver to give the room some dimension.
Try before you buy
It is important to note that colours may change depending on the lighting. So, to overcome this, buy a few samples and paint an A2 sized patch on the wall – on a darker part and lighter part – to see how the colour would look in natural lighting.
Use this trick even with wallpaper. Tape some of your sample wallpaper on different parts of the room to see how the lighting affects the colour.
Make the old pieces work
When it comes to decorating your home, there are many hidden costs and sometimes it is easier to reuse and keep what you already have than throw it out and buy something new.
Measurements are key
Nothing is worse than having the wrong measurements. We have all been there, buying that piece that you’ve had your eye on for a while and then realising it completely blocks the window. Make sure your measurements are correct. Measure it yourself, then get someone else to measure the same spot. This will avoid any heartache and unnecessary heavy lifting in the future.
Add the finishing touches
This is the fun bit! Once you’ve built the furniture and painted the walls, it’s time to pick out the lamps, rugs, cushions, paintings and plant pots! These will make a huge difference to your home. Make sure these complement each other and the existing furniture to get the best result.
And there you have it! Follow these tips to give your home that special touch it deserves!
