Decorating Tips For First Time Buyers

DECORATING TIPS For First Time Buyers PLANNING MOOD BOARDS Introducing Colour A mood board is simply a collection of pictures, swatches, paint samples, tile samples and sketches that draw together the ideas you have for your design. Do one for each room and move bits around to experiment with style combinations before you settle on your final look, and keep your mood boards to hand once your decorating gets underway to keep you on track. Choose wisely, make sure you plan how you're going to use your colour before you buy your paint, wallpaper or tiles. Re-decorating can be costly and time consuming, you don't want sit back at the end of your efforts and regret certain choices. If you can, create tester patches on the wall using colour or a few tiles before deciding for definite and taking the plunge. Ideally select a colour or pattern that will unify your furniture and create synchronicity with your furnishings. INTRODUCING ITEXTURE When using block colours in larger spaces, adding texture can add an extra dimension to your decorating. You can achieve this by experimenting with brush strokes, wallpaper or tiles on your walls, but also by adding soft furnishings. Simply adding a throw or cushion to your sofas and chairs can lift a room, as well as accessories such as glass bowls, vases and even books. To keep your wood décor from getting out of control, follow a basic rule: no more than three different wood stains in one room. If you have particular pieces of furniture you're just dying to fit in, you can always re-stain to change their hue, or better still lay new wooden flooring which matches the tone. AVOID Once you've decided on your theme, stick to it. Avoid bringing in unnecessary pieces which stand out - they'll make the room look cluttered, making the space feel smaller and less comfortable. Many people add too much, so take it step by step and add a piece at a time until your look is complete. CLUTTER FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT The natural tendency is to use the lines of your walls to arrange furniture, but this may not be practical, and can make your living space feel more like a waiting room than a home. Try and think of ways to arrange upholstered items differently, making them a more engaging part of the space. MANAGING COSTS • Mahelists / Set a Budget • Prioritise Tasks. Once you have your design in place, list everything you will need then tally up how much it will all cost. It is a fact of life that budget restrictions may mean you have to rethink your ambitions and priorities. Make sure you choose carefully and invest wisely in the areas that you won't change as often, such as flooring or wall tiles. These will continue to act as a foundation for when you update your furniture in a few years, or add a new lick of paint to refresh the room. Adding The FINISHING TOUCHES HANGING ARTWORK Artwork can finish off a design perfectly, providing an eye-catching feature that adds an extra dimension to the other pieces in the room. However, remember that the style of the art and the colours used need to complement the rest of your design. Also, artwork that is too large can be imposing, so choose pictures which fit the space you have. A good rule is to hang a picture eight to ten inches above a piece of furniture. ACCESSORISING IS THE KEY Accent pieces are the key to any design, but it is easy to get carried away when buying them. Yet you may be surprised about how many accent pieces you already have in your home, from old fruit bowls to statuettes and lamps, and you might be able to give an old piece a new lease of life by bringing into the heart of the room. LARGER PROJECTS Redoing a kitchen or bathroom can seem daunting but project managed correctly it can be relatively simple and ultimately very rewarding. Whether you plan on ripping out the old and investing in a complete refit or plan on refreshing the walls with new tiles, an attractive kitchen or bathroom not only makes a house a home, but for savvy investors it will also add value to your property in the long term. FINAL POINTS STAY FOCUSED & BE PATIENT A perfectly decorated home doesn't happen overnight - it might not even happen within the first year. But if you remain patient and keep working towards your long-term goal, you'll get your home just how you want it. ENJOY THE PROCESS This is your first home, so decorating it shouldn't feel like work. Enjoy what you're doing and don't feel rushed to finish - inspiration can hit us at any time. So while you shouldn't let projects drag unnecessarily, finding the perfect finishing touches should be an enjoyable journey of discovery.