I have a hard time decorating. Where should I start?
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choose one room a t a time,browse through magazines and web sites to get ideas of what you may like.
Looking at pictures is great. Either get decor magazines and start cutting/tearing out what catches your eyes and then you can see what styles you like. Or make a folder on your computer or on pinterest and save images from online of ideas/colors and decorating ideas. Use these for inspiration.
apartment I got tired of the dull environment. I am in NO WAY a decorator and know nothing about colors, window coverings, furniture etc. So I found a professional designer and asked if she helped with smaller spaces. She worked on big projects but also enjoyed small spaces. So she did it ALL up to what my budget could stand. I was amazed at how it turned out. Now about 10 years later I found an excellent handyman -- he installed recessed LED lights, glass corner shelves in bathroom, tiled the bathroom, floating glass shelves in living room, even a simple bidet in bathroom (fits under seat cover).
Look through decorating magazine and home magazine and find pictures and color combinations you like. Try to recreate these styles and "moods". Be BOLD and don't be afraid of color! Bland walls and floors are "bland". Don't be afraid to experiment. Remember you can always paint over something you don't like. Paint is the least expensive decoration medium there is! Have fun!
Let’s say your working on a living room, Start with neutral carpet and furniture fabrics in beige, tan, gray, or even brown or black. Next find an item that speaks to you, whether that’s a colorful piece of art or even a pillow or special whatnot. Pull colors from the the piece for pillows, curtains, and even change one wall to a pop of color for a focal point, scattered the color throughout the room. When choosing the paint color always try to find a grayer tone of your choice color to softened and warm the room. If you choose a bright tone it can leave your rooms feeling cold not cozy. Let’s say its a bedroom, find a gorgeous print comforter (Doesn’t have to be flowers, which guys hate, look for patterns instead) pull your wall, curtain, and pillows color choices from that.
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Start my collecting pictures of things you like right here on Hometalk or Pinterest. Once you start that, look for trends in your pictures: styles of furniture, colors, etc. Start with one room and choose a color/colors you like. The great thing about decorating is you can always change it! Hope this helps!
I have a cousin who is particularly good at this. I assembled the stuff I wanted to use (paint, cloths items, furniture, knick-knacks, etc.) and let her guide me through it over a long weekend visit. Then when she was gone I 'personalized' it a bit with books and VOILA! it was fabulous. She loved that I asked for her assistance and I loved that she had that decorator's 'eye'. Surely you know someone who has either a great-looking home or dresses beautifully (or both) that you can ask for help? Not everyone is good at everything! Additionally, I read 'Country Living' magazine, to give me some idea of where to start. You may not be 'country style' but I've found that they have some of the best-looking rooms and spaces - easily adaptable to other styles of design (modern, eclectic, boho, easy French, etc.). This gave me some photos to give to my cousin of what I had in mind. I got a 'look' from them then added my own color choices. It all came out beautifully. Good luck! JH
with a blank slate - decide what color you want to be the basic and what highlight color you want to use.
Ann is a domestic goddess -- I have seen several of her comments, and I can tell she is a talented woman. Until I started collecting pictures on Pinterest, I had no idea where to start, the total number of possibilities was too overwhelming, I was short of money, as usual. At some point, you must take a leap of faith and actually do an area ... or you will be collecting pictures for years and doing nothing. When I looked at the bathrooms I liked, I noticed I liked color and space (not too much junk). I started with the master bath, and was able to incorporate things I already had in hand, the fabric for the shower curtain and the valance, and the framed pictures - no new cost, there. I did add a window blind, the silk orchid and a new shower rod (Ross $10), and suddenly an area was actually DONE and I loved it. That feeling of success has given me motivation to move to the next area which is the entry. It small and not to hard or expensive to finish ... then the hall bath, I think. I am attaching the master bath so you can see not much needed to happen to get it done (I am still surprised by that). Also, the photo which is my entry inspiration and then my interpretation which is a work in progress. Maybe that will help your "mojo" to flow.