Though decorating can be fun it can also be overwhelming, especially if you are trying to tackle an entire house. As I’ve mentioned in the past “sky’s the limit” can be more daunting than helpful. Projects without constraints can be the most difficult to complete because when the possibilities are endless, it’s all too easy to be pulled in many different directions. Here are some tips to narrow the field, guide the process and make this monumental task, fun!

Tools you’ll need for steps 1-3:

• Notebook & pen
• Pinboard (inspiration board)
• Computer/internet/printer
   

1. It’s all about atmosphere

Spend a little time pondering what atmosphere you’d like your home to elicit. You can choose one unifying vibe or vary it by room or section. Perhaps you want an overall feeling of peacefulness and calm...something spa-like. Or maybe you want that vibe in the bedroom and bathrooms but prefer to have a lively and playful kitchen and living room area. Grab a notepad and pen and walk room by room noting your atmosphere goals and then pin them to your inspiration board. 

(spa-like decor; image courtesy of adorable-home.com)

(playful decor; image courtesty of stylebyemilyhenderson.com)
 

2. What is your style?

In addition to atmosphere, it’s important to determine what style you are after before jumping in. Are you going for a rustic, farmhouse look or something airy, minimalist and modern? Keep things as streamlined as possible. While it’s OK to vary the atmosphere throughout your home, doing the same with style can destroy the harmony between rooms and evoke feelings of disquiet. It’s better to stick to one underlying style or two at most. Once you determine your style write it down and tack it to your inspiration board. 


(airy & modern courtesty of architecturaldigest.com; rustic farmhouse courtesty of bhg.com)
 

3. Get inspired!

Looking at the four above images may already have your head spinning. This next step will help. Let’s say you land on farmhouse/playful for your style/atmosphere. Now it’s time to have a little fun. Search the internet for inspiring images that match these decor goals. The resources online are off the charts these days. Pinterest and Houzz are excellent places to begin but don’t overlook magazine sites such as Luxe Source, Architectural Digest and Interior Design. Save images in a folder on your desktop. Once they begin to stack up, print out your favorites and put them on your inspiration board. Below are some images I found that fit a playful, lively farmhouse look and feel. At this stage in the game your images don’t have to match one another.


(left image courtesty of countryliving.com; right image courtesy of designlisticle.com)


(image courtesy of mallyskokdesign.com)

If you take the time to walk through these first 3 steps you will have accomplished a lot and have a good foundation for moving forward into color and beyond which I’ll discuss in my next blog. Until then, happy planning!

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