Getting Started
How To Have A Game Plan

Have a game plan before you start the job. Don’t get side-tracked when you go into huge furniture stores. Take your time and stay with your plan. If the idea of re-doing a room looks like a major chore, start with small changes or additions. Pick a certain element to focus on. Sketch out a floor plan that includes where new furniture, as well as existing furniture, will be placed. Include the position of lighting fixtures, plants, window, floor and wall treatments. Keep in mind the color theme you have chosen.

Measure each wall and pieces of furniture. Using graph paper, draw your room dimensions including window areas, doorways, etc. Then, using the dimensions of your furniture, cut out little samples of your furniture. Also include floor plants and lamps. Place your cutouts in your room and you’ll be able to see how they will fit. Remember to keep the traffic flow open and create a balance. Another way is to use masking tape on the floor the exact size of the furniture. Measure the furniture in the store and mask it out in your room before buying it.

Every room needs a main attraction, a focal point that you can build around. When you walk into the room, it should invite you to stay. If it’s a room that will be used mostly for TV watching, you’ll want to create a seating area for the best viewing. If the room will only be used for company or getting cozy around the fireplace, arrange your furniture where people can group in easy conversation areas.

The size of the furniture should be in proportion to the size of the people in the family. Everyone needs to feel physically comfortable. If you have a grand piano, put it in an important area and make a real statement of its
importance. Arrange some floor plants around the area and a few comfy chairs for listening pleasure.

For long, narrow rooms make several grouping areas. Avoid putting furniture all along the walls. Angle some pieces. It will break up the room and create a larger, more pleasing visual appearance. If you live in an apartment and are not permitted to paint the walls, you can have color too. Purchase some material the length of the wall and double or triple the width of your wall measurement. Then staple the panels of material to the wall at the top, folding over periodically to make pleats. Glue cording or ribbon across the top to hide the staples. When you move, you will only have some small pin holes to touch up. Try it on one or two walls. There are also some decorative rub-on decals on the market that can dress up the walls. They can easily be pulled off without damaging the surface.

For More Decorating Tips, Order Our Book Decorate Your Home On A Budget!