Achieving a comfortable, welcoming environment in your own home doesn’t need to be a hassle!  How do you find items that represent your tastes with the plethora of options in stores?  How do you arrange your furniture in a functional way when every space is so different?  Start in your home, NOT in the store!

Take space planning into consideration as your first step.  Know your room and map it out on paper.  Having a solid idea of where your items need to be will give you a logistical footing while shopping.  Whenever I start designing in the store , I become easily distracted and make gut purchases that almost never work out in the space!

Get out a measuring tape & write down the measurements of your room.  That will be necessary for finding furniture pieces that are the correct proportion for your space.  If you’re decorating with an area rug, how big would you like it to be?  A good rule of thumb is to make sure the rug is big enough to completely fit under the furniture pieces.  I also like placing just the front legs of the furniture on the rug and leaving the back legs on the bare floor.  If your rug is too small to stretch underneath the furniture, it’s probably not a good selection!

Think about the purpose of the area.  Functional decor is ideal in most spaces.  If you’re designing an office space, consider dual-purpose shelving which can contribute to the aesthetic while storing necessary work supplies.  If you’re struggling with your entryway, consider stylish hooks for coats & purses or a bench with patterned storage bins beneath it.

Consider how the light from the windows comes into the room.  Will it reflect off the TV?  Will it land in your eyes while relaxing on the couch?  Does your space lack natural light?  If so, consider compensating with brighter bulbs & fresh plants.

Pieces like drawer handles & faucets are not permanent pieces!  They are actually quite simple changes you can make that will transform your space more than art or cluttering decor.

Define your look before purchasing.  I like to grab booklets & swatches from the paint store while selecting a color scheme.  I bring these swatches with me while shopping to properly color coordinate!  Make sure to do your research and create a list of do’s and don’t for this style.  For example, say I’m creating a rustic chic living room with main colors of blue and orange.  My personal Do’s & Don’ts List would be this:

Do’s: gold accents, patterned pillows, weathered wood, genuine antique pieces.  Don’ts: patterned furniture, solid woods, industrial piping.

Keeping these things in the front of my mind while designing has kept my head on straight numerous times!  I hope it does the same for you.  Do you have tips that will help in decorating a home?  Post your interior design tips below!

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