After a few weeks, months or even years of searching, you’ve finally found your next abode – congratulations! Now it's time to start thinking about how you’re going to make your new space reflect you, your taste and your lifestyle. This is the fun part! Here are a few tips to consider when decorating and setting up your new home:
#1 Give it some thought
This may sound obvious, but the reality is that most people approach decorating haphazardly – they wake up on a Saturday morning and eagerly say “Honey, let's go furniture shopping” or “I’m going to the paint store” without really knowing what they’re looking for or what will suit their home. A better approach would be to pour some coffee and browse the net for home inspiration first. Gather a few images of a style or vibe that you’re drawn to and allow this research to guide some of your choices. You’ll enjoy decorating that much more if you have a sense of what you’re working towards.
#2 Clean & Paint
The first step to making your new home your own is to forget that it used to be someone else’s. A thorough clean along with a new coat of paint will set a fresh foundation for you and your belongings. Cleaning should include closets, drawers, appliances, light fixtures, and window frames so don’t hesitate to enlist a little help. And if you could get the cleaning and the painting done before moving day, you’ll be well on your way to settling into YOUR new home.
#3 Assign function to all spaces
An important part of making a space feel right is setting an intention for it. If you know what a room is meant for, you’ll be more likely to use it and enjoy it. And don’t forget about nooks, closets and hidden corners; sometimes these cute & unexpected spaces are the most useful.
#4 Unpack & Set the Foundation
Unless you’re wanting to completely revamp your furniture & decor, then you’ll have to first get a feel for how your existing belongings fit in your new space. Start by arranging your furniture (keeping in mind the intention you set for the room), unpack your boxes and put everything that belongs in a closet away, lean art on tentative walls and try to give décor items a home. Things will inevitably shift but if you start with a comfortable basic set-up, you’ll start to see a style coming together and you’ll be better able to visualize the full potential of your home.
#6 Create Cohesiveness
If you maintain a consistent style & colour palette throughout your home, you’ll create a sense of calm & order. Avoid getting caught up in the “what colour should this room be” game and think about your home as a whole. You can have a little fun with closed off rooms like the powder room but try to keep all open spaces cohesive. Try to remember that “a home that flows is a home that glows”.
#7 Consider the architecture of your home
No matter what, the bones of your home will impact your design so you must consider these. Look out for features that catch your eye like wood beams, dropped ceilings, patterned tiles, black window frames, etc. and allow these elements to influence the look & feel of the space. In fact, you may want to make these look purposeful by mimicking their style, colour and textures in other parts of the space. For example, if you have wood beams, incorporate a wood coffee table or other hints of natural materials to tie everything together.
#8 Don’t put it off
Try to do as much as you can right away. It’s tempting to put off unpacking all your boxes and it’s easy to create a furniture junkyard in your basement, but try to avoid this as it may become the status quo. If you set a loving tone towards your home from the get-go, you’ll be more inclined to continuously improve your space and you’ll love it forever.
#9 Consider Emotion
Design evokes emotions whether we’re aware of it or not, so as you decorate your home, be mindful of how you feel. Does a plant remind you of a great day at the farmer’s market? Do the luxury towels and sweet-smelling candles in the bathroom make you feel like you’re at the spa? Does the chandelier you splurged on make you feel accomplished? Does your kids’ playroom make them (and you) feel safe? It's these little bits of positive emotions that will make you love your home. Ultimately, good design is less about what it looks like and more about how it makes you feel.
#10 Have Fun
Some of my best Saturday nights have involved a trip to HomeSense, a glass of wine, my
favorite playlist and a few hours of moving things around to see what looks best. You don’t have to approach decorating with a sense of obligation and it shouldn’t be stressful. If you’re not having fun with it, call a friend (or me), as even if you don’t like the process, you will surely love the end result.
So that’s it! Hopefully some of these tips will help you as you work towards setting up your new space. Let me know what tip has stood out to you the most. And if you have advice of your own you’d like to share with the community, I encourage you to please leave a comment below.
Thanks for reading!
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