| You’ve moved into your new home, | | | | what many people love most about the model |
| unpacked the boxes, arranged and rearranged the | | | | homes or magazine pictures that inspire them. |
| furniture, hung a few things on the walls. | | | | The details, the little things we all love to collect |
| Hmmm. You know, or think you know how you | | | | and buy when we shop. This is what pulls the |
| want your rooms to feel but can’t get from | | | | room together and gives it your personality. In |
| the builder white walls and your old stuff to that | | | | the room you love, what kind of lamps are |
| wonderful comfy inviting look you got when you | | | | there? Is there a place to store the things you |
| were in the model of the home you purchased? | | | | will need to put away? Are there several things |
| Before you panic and true anxiety sets in know | | | | grouped on the coffee table? What sizes are |
| there are more easy solutions at your fingertips | | | | they? Is there something pretty tall, a large |
| than ever before. There are decorator | | | | round platter set on a stand and a box all grouped |
| magazines, home decorating shows, web sites, | | | | together? If there are photographs on the end |
| retailers, great books with very good | | | | tables, how big are they and how does the frame |
| instructions. Visiting model homes again will help. | | | | style work with everything else in the room? |
| “Okay, “ you say, “I see them, I buy | | | | What is on the walls? Is there one large picture |
| them, I visit them, I like them, but how do I do | | | | over the sofa or is there an arrangement of |
| it? I don’t know where to begin.” | | | | black and white photos in different size frames? |
| Start with one room you love in a magazine or | | | | What color is the matting and how much space |
| model home. We’ll call it your dream room. | | | | from the photo to the frame? Details, details, |
| If you can go to the model home to feel and | | | | details. Draw a sketch of the picture |
| study the space or the room you will get the | | | | arrangement and the sizes in your notebook. |
| best results. Ask if you may take pictures in the | | | | Congratulations. You have just completed the |
| models too. This will help when you get home | | | | first step to decorating your own home. |
| and when you shop. Take a tape measure and | | | | You know what you want, how it goes together |
| a spiral notebook with you to make notes and | | | | and what it will look like. You don’t have to |
| draw sketches. I like the ones with plastic tabs | | | | break the bank now to create your room. You |
| and pockets inside. | | | | probably already have the furniture pieces and |
| Let’s start decorating by seeing what we like. | | | | accessories. You may already have the lamps |
| Are all the walls the same color and the ceiling | | | | and area rug as well. You may just have to |
| too? What color(s) is the room? Write this | | | | recreate and rearrange. |
| down. Is there a chair rail or decorative molding | | | | Get started. Go to the paint store and select |
| at the ceiling, wall covering or faux painting? What | | | | the paint chips you think best match your dream |
| is on the floor? Is there tile, wood, carpet, area | | | | room. Grab several samples, color can be |
| rugs? What color and texture and pattern? | | | | deceiving and they can look different depending |
| Is the area rug braided or a Persian rug or a | | | | on the light. Take them back to the model |
| contemporary design diagonally placed partly | | | | home and see which ones match the best. Buy |
| under one of the chairs and sofa? | | | | the paint and paint the room. |
| What style is the furniture? Is it all a matching | | | | Your window treatment. If you copy your |
| set? Do all the woods match? Maybe the sofa | | | | dream room exactly make sure you have the |
| and club chairs are the same style and wood | | | | right privacy and exposure considerations |
| finish but the chairs have a patterned upholstery | | | | covered. This is where a lot of people go |
| and the sofa is a solid or striped fabric. Write | | | | astray. They think they like shutters and buy |
| this down. | | | | them. Then they don’t like them and also |
| How is the furniture arranged? Does the sofa sit | | | | wonder how their dream room went wrong. |
| in the middle of the room separating the | | | | Your dream room may have been more airy with |
| conversation area from the game table, or is all | | | | a shade and drapery panels on large wood poles. |
| the furniture pushed up against the walls? Draw | | | | The wrong blinds, shutters or draperies and |
| a little floor plan so you don’t forget when | | | | hardware can be a costly mistake that you |
| you get home. | | | | probably won’t change. |
| The windows. Are there blinds, shutters, a | | | | Arrange your furniture for conversation, TV |
| valence or draperies? Are the rods large or | | | | watching, family fun, reading, eating or homework |
| small, wood or metal with huge finials? Make a | | | | keeping in mind your dream room. Was all the |
| note of it. If there are panels at each side of | | | | furniture lined up on one side of the room? Your |
| the window, do they go all the way to the | | | | sofa may be the wrong color and your chairs |
| floor? What color are they? Do they match | | | | may need to be redone. That doesn’t mean |
| the walls or are they the same fabric as the toss | | | | you have to buy all new; consider slipcovers. |
| pillows on the sofa? Is it the drapery hold back | | | | You can buy them or make them. Be sure your |
| that catches your eye? You will have to | | | | accessories are things you want around you and |
| consider the exposure and privacy out your own | | | | are of a grand enough scale for your space. |
| windows when you make your final window | | | | Voila! You’re on your way to decorating |
| treatment selection. | | | | confidence and living in the home that makes you |
| The pizzazz is the accessories. This is often | | | | and your family happy. |