Your first home is a huge milestone in your life, and one of the biggest decisions, not to mention financial commitments, you’re ever likely to take on. There are so many steps which are hurdles to overcome – selecting the area you want to live in, saving up a deposit, finding a suitable property, negotiating the purchase, dealing with conveyancers, even sorting out the logistics of the move itself. It’s pretty stressful, but also one of the most exciting times of your life. Once you’ve finally gotten through the process and been handed the keys to your own front door, choosing how to decorate is a hugely rewarding experience. It’s the first time you’ve really been able to make your mark on a place and create a space that you’re truly proud to call your own. However, if you’ve never decorated a house before, you can be in line for some pretty expensive mistakes without a little guidance. Knowing quite where to begin can be tough. This guide is a collection of tips to help you focus your thoughts and begin the process of creating a home which truly suits you and your style.
Start From A Neutral Base
Taste in interior decoration is a hugely personal thing, and finding your style when it comes to home furnishings is a process which can take years to refine. Some people simply adore a riot of colour and patterns, while others prefer to keep it simple and make a restful scheme. If you aren’t sure which direction to go in, it’s always best to start off with a neutral decoration palette. This is because it’s very easy to then layer in more colour and prints as you become more confident about what you like. If you stick to classic neutral paint tones for the walls, you can always inject personality using artwork. Likewise, an engineered wood floor, restrained tiles or even something super modern like poured concrete can be dressed up using hard wearing rugs to define spaces and add vibrancy. It’s much harder and more disruptive and costly to change the big ticket items like that, whereas furniture, pictures and the like are both easier and cheaper to switch up. As you discover more about the signature style that makes your heart sing, you can always add in statement pieces as you come across them and collect them.
Take A Planned Approach
In your first home, there are all sorts of new and unexpected costs that you may not have planned for, and if you start getting carried away and splashing the cash on random pieces of furniture that catch your eye, you may find yourself without some pieces that you really need and will get the most use from. Take a more methodical approach by listing out what is needed, room by room, from a larger dining room sideboard to the perfect pair of bedside tables. Create a wishlist of key items and sign up for the mailing lists of shops you like, so you get notified when there are sales events and can make your budget go further.
Stagger Your Purchases
Most people need quite a few things going into their first home, but buying everything at once is quite a mistake. Not only does it produce a very lifeless overall effect that can make the place look more like a retail outlet than an actual home, but often you’ll make mistakes because until you’ve lived in the house a while, you can be sure what the space really needs where. You may have thought you’d use a dining room all the time, only to find out it’s actually better use as a playroom for the kids or a study space. Living in a space for a while gives you a much clearer picture of what you really need.
The Power Of Small Touches
Sometimes, it’s the smallest details which have the power to make the largest impact on how a room looks and feels. Striking decor doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune. Simply giving your rooms a fresh coat of paint can really change the feel of your home. Adding in a focal point, like a grouping of framed black and white prints or a collection of vintage glassware can look super chic. The key is to group similar objects together to create visual impact. And if you can’t get afford the art you’d like for your walls, then get creative. Raid your local second hand store for silk scarves with a beautiful patterns to frame instead, or use box frames to showcase objects from your travels, old maps, great artwork from vinyl record covers or books you love. Think outside the box and your decor will be original, vivid and very personal to you, all without costing a fortune.
