Home Decor Ideas: A 3-Step Process

One of the many things I have learned along life's way is how to decorate a home using what you already have. I took a course sometime within the past decade, but am not sure of its name.

Redesign? Rearrange? Something or other. It was a certification course, but I have mostly used it since in my own homes and with friends and family.

In this post, I'll show you how to save money on redesigning your home, by using what you already have. Toward the end, I'll talk about the point at which you would go shopping, but if you wait until you have done everything you can do with these tips I will share, you won't spend nearly as much money as you might have otherwise.
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3 Steps to a New Decorating Look

Before you begin, see if you can get clear on what it is you want to change, and why you are no longer satisfied with the way it is now.

And then, think about what you wish was different. How do you want your home to look and feel, instead?

(1) The first step is to choose place a big empty box in each room of your house. 

I know, you probably don't like the sound of that, but bear with me. Because the first part is not as fun as the reward you will have later.

The goal is to strip each room of its decor, and place as much of it in the big box as you can. Label the boxes just in case you end up deciding to restore a room or more to its exact former glory.

Once you have done this step in each room, they will probably look bare, and you won't feel good about that. But the reward is that you will be able to see each room with new eyes.

If it is possible to move the boxes to a central location, so that you can easily look in them all at one time, do that, in a hallway, or a landing, etc.

(2) The next step is to make yourself a cup of tea, take it outside to the veranda, and have a think about which room you want to start with in Operation Redecorate.

I recommend one that everyone in the family uses, so you get the biggest bang for your buck, right away

Once you have both finished your drink and decided on the first room to redecorate, go to that room and have a look around.  How do you feel about how the furniture is placed? Is there anything you want to change?

Next, ask yourself what it needs. What could be its focal point and where will that go?

You may find yourself thinking of something that used to be in another room. Grab that one item and try it out in the room you are working on.

If you aren't sure what it needs, go to the central location and start looking at the boxes until something catches your eye. 

(3) The third step is to try it out. 

Walk out, then walk back in. Sit in the chairs and look at it at different angles. You might also try each new piece in a few different spots in the room before settling on its new home.

Each time you add something, consider the room with just that one new item, until it feels finished to you.

(4) Once that room is finished, move on to the next most important room in your home. Repeat the process until you feel complete with each new room you choose.

(5) Once you have redecorated every room in the house you wanted to change, I recommend stepping outside your home for a moment, and then, come back in and take a tour.

Ask yourself these questions...

-does it look the way I want my home to look?
-does it feel the way I want it to feel?

When the answers to both questions are "yes," your work is done.

When to Go Shopping

If you can't get to "done," in either a specific room, or in your home, in general, that would be the moment when you might consider looking for something new to add. But even if you do, you are likely to spend far less than you would if you just went shopping without having gone through this process first.

What are some ideas you have had for your own home, as you read this post? Which room would you choose first?

See you next time!

Love, Jeanine
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