Six Steps to Decorating

Step One: Have a Plan
A pilot does not fly a plane without a flight plan; a chef does not cook without a menu planned so why try to decorate/design a room without a plan. I like to go through each room and make notes about what needs to change (paint/fabric), what needs to go and what needs to be added. If you have a camera, take a picture of the room. A photo can really help you see the space and give you a few ideas of what may be missing (accessories, new bedding or fabrics, furniture placement).


A blank canvas just ripe for transformation. Turn brown and blah into ooh and aah.

Decorate in Phases
Most people think they need to decorate the master bedroom first or their child’s bathroom. These are actually the last places one should worry about decorating because they are considered private spaces. We usually do not entertain our guests in the master bedroom or let guests use the kids’ bathroom (unless it is the primary bathroom in the house). So why stress over areas that a majority of our guests do not see. I like to break down our homes into three categories:

Public: Front door, Foyer/Entrance Hall
Semi-Public: Living Room, Dining Room, Powder Room, and Kitchen
Private: Den/Family Room, Basement/Terrace Level, Bedrooms, Laundry and Bathrooms

Step Two: Choose the Mood
Think about how you want the room to feel. For instance, painting a dining room red increases the appetite and encourages people to gather. If you want your bedroom to feel tranquil and relaxing refrain from painting the walls royal blue or bright yellow, instead choose relaxing colors like creams, greens, light blues, even gray.

Step Three: Find Inspiration
Design is all about what makes you happy. What makes your heart sing? Is it a fabulous room you saw in a magazine? A lamp you spotted at HomeGoods or a vignette in a quaint little shop while on vacation. How about a rug you saw at Macy’s? Note: Never pick out the paint color first and then try to match it to fabrics. You’ll never get the right color and you will never be satisfied with the results.


Picture courtesy of http://www.ratemyspace.com/

Create a Folder
Go through magazines and rip out pictures that you like. Then sort them in folders by room, accessories, bedding, paint colors, etc. Put it aside for about a week and go back through the folders. You will start to see a pattern of what you like (traditional, modern, eclectic, French, Asian to name a few). Another great source is www.ratemyspace.com. There are tons of great ideas.

Step Four: Create a Budget
That nasty little detail that no one wants to follow but unless the sky’s the limit or you’ve just won the lottery everyone needs a budget. A budget allows you to see exactly what you have to spend and what you can afford. There is no sense in going to Home Expo and looking at $20,000 kitchens when you really only have $5,000 to spend. You can still achieve the look of a $20,000 kitchen if you choose wisely.

Step Five: Rethink, Reuse, And Recycle
Okay everyone talks about going green and believe me I am getting tired of hearing it; however, if you decorate a room that is timeless then you are already designing green. Buying all new furniture every few years will not help our landfills and your wallet. Spend a little more on a nice piece and it will be with you for a very long time. Rethink about a piece of furniture or accessory. Reuse it by moving it into another room. I have a chest that has been in five different rooms and in each room it takes on another life. I’ve made it into a buffet/silver chest, a stationary and book storage chest, a hall chest with linens, and now it stores crafts for the my children. When you have moved it to every room and it no longer makes your heart sing then consider recycling it. Offer it to a friend, a family member; consign shop, and or charity. Give that piece a second life in someone else’s home.

Before and After


Step Six: Consultation with a Decorator/Designer
A decorator can come in and start you in the right direction. They can help speed up the decision-making process and get you one step closer to the room you have always wanted.