A Real World Approach To Decorating

Planning and decorating a home to suit your lifestyle and budget doesn't have to be an all or nothing proposition. It doesn't have to be stressful or budget breaking. Decorating your home can be a fun creative project the entire family can become involved in.

Your home will never be static. Lifestyles change, children grow, interests evolve and your home will reflect these changes.

You probably have a vision or some ideas of what you want your home to be. This could be anything from a grand colonial to a southwestern ranch or a seaside cottage. It could be a formal traditional look or a "come in and put your feet up" atmosphere. Whatever your plan is, you want your home to exude a sense of comfort, peace and usability.

The first step toward achieving your vision would be to be realistic. If you live in a small ranch home with a beer budget, a grand piano and a twelve foot dining room table just won't fit into your plans no matter how you slice it.

Yes, your lifestyle may change; you may move into a larger home, you may get a promotion and a large raise. But for now, be realistic and work within the framework that is available at this time.

The first step in realistic decorating would be to go through and do a total assessment of the room you want to decorate. What is the main function of this room? Set up your plan and priorities according to this foundation. What do you absolutely need in this room? Do the walls or ceiling need painting? Is the flooring adequate? Does it need refinishing? What furnishings are absolutely necessary to meet the function of this room? A sofa for sitting? A bed for sleeping? A table for eating? Set your priorities according to YOUR needs and the needs of YOUR family.

If the wood flooring is soft wood and loaded with splinters and you have an infant crawling around, carpeting would be a priority for you. On the other hand, if only adults use the home, a coat of paint and some area rugs may be all you need. You decide the priorities in your home.

If there is one piece of advice I would give you it would be: Don't skimp on the major items in your home. Buy the best you can afford These major pieces will be with you for many years. Look for sturdy construction, great design lines and colors you can live with a long time.

Take your time and design and fill out your room in three phases

Phase One

Do what needs to be done with ceilings, walls, floors and windows. If you really want textured wallpaper but can only afford paint, paint the walls with your final color choice. This way when you upgrade to textured paper everything will still be coordinated. If you have your heart set on a brick tile floor in the kitchen but it is not in your current budget, settle for vinyl in a brick pattern if you must. You are still achieving the look you want until you can move up to your first choice.

Your main furniture concern in Phase One should be your major pieces. This is where you should spend the bulk of your budget. Buy the best sofa, bed or dining room table you can afford. Always remember, you don't have to buy an entire set of anything. In fact, the most interesting rooms are made up of individual pieces rather than sets. This is an important fact. This is most obvious when shopping for dining rooms. Chairs do not have to match tables. It is possible to buy a great table without any chairs and use inexpensive chairs for a while.

Phase Two

Once the foundation is laid, it is time to move on to Phase Two. Once you have bought the main pieces, fill out the room with inexpensive pieces until your budget catches up with your tastes.
For example, in the living room director's chairs and wicker trunks could substitute for side chairs and end tables. As you replace them they could be moved to the back porch and form a comfortable place to relax on a balmy evening. Wooden side chairs and inexpensive end tables could be used in the bedroom and flea market cabinets could be used to hold china in the dining room. Again, all of these pieces could be put into use in other parts of the home as you upgrade your furniture.

Phase Two is a transitional phase that is continuously evolving. Because you have a vision and made a plan before you started your room, you know where you are going and Phase Two is the journey.

Phase Three

Phase Three is the destination. You have been filling in and replacing items over time. Eventually you reach your final goal and are living in the home you envisioned years ago. You are still adding accessories and refreshing items, but you now are in a home that is completed according to your plan.

Don't feel everything has to be accomplished in a month or even a year after you move into a new home or apartment. Life is constant change and always in flux. Enjoy the journey. You may look back and see that the journey was actually more enjoyable than the destination.

By: The Home Dec Lady

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Gloria Daniels has worked in many areas of the home decorating field and has been helping clients decorate their homes creatively for over 20 years. For more help and hints about decorating with eBay visit her website at Home Decorating Room by Room. While there feel free to sign up for her ezine Home Decorating Workshop Each month receive a dozen home decorating tips.