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I would like to redecorate my home. How do I get started?
Whether it's a single room, or an entire home, decorating can be a lot of fun, but can also be overwhelming if you do not plan well. Very often homeowners will begin shopping without a plan, they will purchase various paint colors, wall coverings, window treatments, carpet, and furniture that they love, but when all of the items are assembled, the result is not what was expected. Each of the favorite colors, patterns, textures, and elements wind up competing for attention.
Getting started with your decorating project therefore must begin with a plan. A plan should consist of:
Goal - what the objective of the project is, such as "Redecorating the dining room for elegant dining and entertaining by October 1st". The goal should include the room or rooms being decorated and the style and objective of the decorating project (elegant, informal, inviting, brighten, entertaining, relaxing, etc.). Remember to note the number of people whom will use the space, as well as special needs, i.e. home theatre, childproof, etc. Also, it is important to list a comfortable time frame for completing the project.
Itemized List - A list of the items that you believe will be needed for your project. For the dining room project this may include wall covering, window treatments, curtain rods and finials, dining room table, chairs, buffet, china cabinet, place settings, flooring, lighting, art, etc. The itemized list may be refined along the way, as the space plan, budget, and conceptual design change the needed items.
Budget - Budgets are essential. I have seen many of my own projects blossom in cost because I didn't initially set a budget. The budget should include a total target, and then divide the expenses amongst the various items in the itemized list. Also, be sure to include the cost of any room remodeling you require, such as plumbing, carpentry, wiring, or painting. You may also want to include the cost of a professional decorator to assist you in your planning. I always realize that in budgeting, over 80% of homeowners will see something they absolutely must have, and may therefore exceed the preset budget. If you are budget conscience, we recommend that you set a lower budget in anticipation that during the project unexpected costs (or that perfect item you can't live without) will drive the cost above the budgeted figure. The budget should be refined as estimates are obtained.
Space Plan - It is important to create a floor plan of each room you are decorating by carefully measuring the room, doorways, and windows, and sketching the plans. You should also include the location of all electric, cable and phone outlets. When measuring it is important to measure each element, especially in older homes, many projects have run into problems because of asymmetrical rooms and poor measurements. Once the floor plans are sketched and measurements verified, a focal point should be selected for the room. The focal point could be part of the rooms existing structure such as a fireplace, window, wall with a view, or fancy chandelier. With existing structure, the furniture should be arranged around the focal point, being conscience not to block natural traffic patterns and provide plenty of comfortable seating spaced appropriately. If a natural focal point does not exist in the room, you can easily create one with furniture, such as a striking imported armoire, art, mirror, piano or beautiful sofa. Furniture should be arranged on the floor plan using scale templates (cutouts) so that they can be re-arranged easily, experimenting with different layouts. Keep in mind that real furniture will take up more "visual space" than the templates, so leave plenty of empty space in the room.
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