The most successfully decorated rooms do two things. They're beautiful and they meet your needs. Before you start choosing wall color and fabric patterns you need to define your needs. Answer these six simple questions and your decorating plan will easily fall into place.
Which room are you going to decorate? You may already know exactly which room you're going to start with. Or, if you're like some, you may be worried about experimenting with a new paint technique in a kitchen or living room right off the bat. Be kind to yourself and choose something smaller, like a master bath or a guest room. By the time you're finished with that, you'll have the confidence to tackle a bigger project!
How do you intend to use your room? Will it serve multiple functions? Do you need to create separate areas to accommodate homework space, a message center or a space designed with the little ones in mind? Home offices are popping up everywhere, in kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms...you name it. Use your imagination and maybe you can find a way to create that craft space you've always wanted or a little nook just for your hubby.
What kind of storage do you need? Now that you've decided how you're going to use the room, it's time to decide how you're going to deal with storage issues. This is the perfect time to get honest with yourself about clutter! Purge, purge, purge. What's left is what you'll need to store. Storage can be functional and beautiful. Think about media centers, hutches, cabinets, shelving, armoires and baskets to name a few.
Will you be using furniture you already have, buying all new or a combination of both? Perhaps you have furniture that's not quite working for your space? This is a good time to think about how you might re-purpose some of those pieces. For example, turn an old headboard and foot board into an entryway bench. Or add doors to those ugly old book cases. Dress it up with a little trim, and suddenly you have a great storage piece.
What kind of lighting do you need? Will you need bright task lighting or soft, warm mood lighting? Kitchens and bathrooms tend to need brighter lights while bedrooms and living rooms fare well with soft light. Almost every room can benefit from a combination of both cool and warm light. This is also the time to think in terms of Wow factor. Up lights and picture lights are an effective way to add drama and interest to a room.
What about your budget? I know, you'd rather not think about it, but it's a fact of life. Once you have the basic needs of your room identified, it pretty easy to guess in round figures how much it will cost. At least you'll know how much you have left over for extra's, upgrades, and "I gotta have its"! As always, this is a time to get creative. You can trim your budget by re-purposing items, making things yourself and bargain hunting. Then you can be sure to have enough for that beautiful vase you've had your eye on. Remember, beautiful rooms are well thought out, balanced and creative. And those things don't cost a dime!
Congratulations! You've just answered six key questions that any professional designer would address. Once you have the essentials of how your room will function, you have the basic structure from which your whole design will spring. Because rooms aren't meant to be just a pretty face. You need to live in them as well. Now if you could just decide what color to paint the walls.
By:Cathy Robertson
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