Do you have one or more friends whose homes always look pulled together, much to your envy? Perhaps you have just moved into your first home and you’ve decided it’s time to move on from the college student decor, given that it’s been a few years since you were in college. Maybe you’ve never paid much attention to your home decor or you’re tired of what you have. How do you find your new home decor style? The tips below can help.
Look Around
Look at everything, especially if you are someone who tends to not notice your environment. Look at how offices, stores, restaurants and other people’s homes are designed as well as parks and other outdoor spaces. Check out interiors online and in magazines. Look at rooms in movies, TV shows and commercials. Everything is a source for inspiration, and when you have spent some time really paying attention to what you like and don’t like and why in all these different rooms, you’ll begin to get a sense of your own style you can incorporate.
Know Your Budget
The bad news is that some things are simply going to be out of your budget. The good news is that you can still get an imitation of many things that you like, or you can get a downsized version of them. For example, you might not be able to afford a home theater, but you might be able to get a great flat-screen TV or a projector, a terrific sound system and some comfortable seating. Whatever it is that you hope to do, you’ll need to know what your budget is. If money is tight, you may be able to get a home equity line of credit or a home equity loan to pay for your remodel. You can review a guide that will give you more information on the best rates and the top lender choices to utilize for your budget.
Be Yourself
Let’s say you’re starting to get a strong sense of what kind of decor you want throughout your home when you talk to a friend or read an article that suggests your choices are out of date or just ugly. Keep in mind that the latter is a truly subjective judgment and as for the former, everything is going to be out of date at some point and then come back in again. Think of all those lucky souls who hung onto their mid-century modern furniture for decades only to find themselves back on the cutting edge of home design after 50 years. Of course, the point is that it doesn’t matter whether what you like ever was “in” or ever will be again. You’re the one who has to live with your choices, so go with whatever you love.
Start Small
You don’t even have to start by redoing an entire room. Just start small and do one corner of one room or a few shelves. This can start to give you a good idea of what you really respond to. For example, you may find that you have a very minimalist approach, or perhaps you are drawn to natural materials and colors. You can expand outwards from here.
