Use these home redecorating tips to improve your home the next time you feel you need a new or refreshed living space.
Determine Your Budget
Use magazine clippings, printed pictures, or color swatches to create a vision board and bring your ideas together. Use your vision board to develop a budget and estimate projected costs. You can narrow down what items are most expensive and factor in any costs for labor or remodeling that might be required. You may want to break down a wall or install accent windows for more light. Make your budget a little flexible or set aside an emergency fund to account for any unexpected expenses. Having a budget will help devote an equal amount of money and energy to every part of your room, instead of developing one part and sacrificing another.
Measure Your Space
Before you commit to any design choices, measure your entire room. Write down the dimensions you are working with so you can easily reference back to them when shopping for furniture and decorations. You’ll want to be mindful of where electrical outlets are along with any other obstructions like radiators or stairways. Be sure not to block any window openings and keep open doorways clear. Keep in mind the space you have available to move furniture in and out of your home. Measure the width of each doorway to make sure you can get large pieces of furniture through without damaging anything in the process.
Design Your Floorplan
Put colored tape on your floors to project where pieces of furniture will be placed. This is a great practice to ensure you don’t buy furniture that is too big or too small for the room. A large sectional sofa might seem comfortable but can easily overcrowd a small room. It’s important to match the size of your furniture to the size of your room. With the tape in place, you can practice walking around and get a feel for how crowded the room may become.
Pick Your Color Scheme
Everything in your new room will need to match the color of the walls around it. Think about what types of color schemes and accents you want to see in your new room. Don’t forget to decide on a color for any doors, doorknobs, moldings, or window frames in the room. When you narrow down your color selection to a few favorites, observe each of them in different lights to ensure you will like them at different times of the day. The color of your room can influence how you feel. Bright colors can be energizing and uplifting, while lighter neutral colors and pastels can feel soothing and calmer.
Before you redo your living space, review these helpful decorating tips.