How to decorate your home

Although moving into a new house can bring you great joy, it can also present a challenge, especially in decorating. How can you make your space stand out while still expressing your style? If you do it right, your home will be happy and comfortable. If you don’t do it right, your home will have different furniture, paint colors, and fabrics that don’t blend into one cohesive whole. You’ll be much more successful if you research and follow professional interior designers’ steps.

Do not start in the furniture store

Many people have heard that only go grocery shopping if you are hungry. This leads to poor decisions. This is also true for furniture stores: don’t panic if you don’t have a home. You do need a sofa. You can only buy a pink-striped sectional because it looks good in the store without measuring it or considering the space. You will need to build around the sofa. If it is smaller, it will make the room look more comfortable.

Begin by measuring the space you want to furnish.

Know your measurements

It is essential to match the furniture’s scale with the room. A large sectional sofa with many legs can overwhelm a small space, while a svelte table can look lost in a spacious loft. Before you begin designing, measure the room’s length and width. Also, consider the height of the ceiling and any obstructions such as columns, stairs, radiators, or other obstacles. To make window coverings, it’s a good idea also to measure the openings of windows.

David Kleinberg, the founder of New York’s interior design firm David Kleinberg Design Associates, stated that the first mistake people make is buying the wrong size furniture. These problems can be avoided by measuring the space carefully.

Make a Floorplan

Now that you know the dimensions of your room, you can put them to work with a floor plan which gives you an aerial view of the whole house. Alexa Hampton, president of Mark Hampton, a New York-based interior design company founded by her father. She said, “Every job should begin with a floor plan.” You need to understand the space.

Another option is to draw the floor plan by hand using paper, a pencil, and a ruler. However, most professional designers use drafting software like AutoCAD. Some apps make it simple for homeowners to create floor plans. Some even automate measurements with their smartphone’s camera. But double-check those numbers.

Once you have a rough idea of the space, experiment with furniture placement. Make sure the footprint of each piece matches the drawing.

Decide how you want to live

This is the most challenging part. There are no right or wrong answers. You can have a traditional or modern room, a more relaxed space, or a visually cool or warm room. “You have to think about how you want to live in the space,” said Ms. Hampton. What will you do? Are there a lot of people living there? Do you have children? How do you envision your life?

A home that hosts large dinner parties should look different from one used for casual dining. A living space designed for hosting lavish fundraisers should be different from one used by someone who only dreams of watching TV.

Copy the Pros

Look in magazines, design books, and online resources such as Pinterest, Houzz, and Instagram to find your style. “Find the style you like best,” says Brad Ford. An interior designer in New York City, Brad Ford. Then, create a collection of your favorite images.

After you have found images you like, take the time to study them, suggested Mr. Kleinberg. He said, “See where the pattern is used and where solids are used. And where color can be used with success or not.” This will help you decide what furniture you like and how to cover your windows.

Tape it Out

You can take your floor plan ideas one step further by using painter’s tape to mark the areas where the furniture will be placed against walls and floors.

Anne Maxwell Foster, a New York interior designer and owner of Tilton Fenwick, said that blue tape is used on the floor to “box out different elements.” “Where is the rug? Is it necessary to cut it? What distance is the coffee table from the wall? Although we can see everything to the sixteenth inch on a furniture layout, it’s still helpful to visualize the space and be able to move around.

Create a budget

Spending on a chair at an unanticipated price will result in less money for other home furnishings. Ford said, “You want to be strategic about how your money is spent.” “A budget will guide you on how to split the cost of items between rooms.” He said that you can still make exceptions if you find a unique dining table, but you need to be careful about what other expenses you can reduce.

Plan the Phases

Finishing drywall, refinishing hardwood floors, or painting ceilings can be messy. It’s best to complete this work before you move any furniture or accessories.

Seal large furniture with plastic dropcloths, then tape the accessories.

Entryway Ideas

The foyer, or entry hall, is the first impression. Make it count.

Make a statement

Do not be afraid to take risks. “The room is where someone walks in your home,” Suysel DePedro Cunningham, a founder of interior design firm Tilton Fenwick. It can tell so much about you and your design tastes.

A wall finish that is too in a bedroom or living room might not be appropriate for a foyer. She said, “It’s a place you can do bold colors, a lacquer, or wallpaper for a WOW moment that you might not be able to in a large living space.”

Another benefit? These products are often affordable but can be easily installed in small foyers.