Moving into your first home is an exciting venture. After years of saving and jumping from apartment to apartment, you are now finally ready to settle down in one place. But setting up your new home can also be a daunting process, especially when it comes to decorating a whole house. You might put all of your efforts into the living room or bedroom, leaving little energy to decorate the rest of the home. Or you might just give up before even beginning and leave the house coated with white paint and stacked with Ikea furniture. So when it comes to decorating, where do you start without getting stressed or feeling overwhelmed?
Establish your personal aesthetic
Before filling your home with new items, you need to decide what you like. Perusing home improvement magazines and design books is a good place to gather ideas from and understand what your aesthetic is. Collect the photos you like into an idea book to keep everything organized. Pinterest is also a great source for home inspiration. Consider creating a home decor board on the social platform to help you collect and sort through decor ideas.
Decide on a budget
You might have saved money by purchasing a home through mortgage companies in overland park ks, but it doesn’t mean you should splurge when it comes to decorating the home. Determine how much you can spend when you begin decorating. You might not be able to afford to deck out the entire house just yet so choose the rooms that are of priority (like the bedroom, living room, and kitchen) to fully furnish first.
Choose a color palette
Decide what color is going to dominate and start your decorating from there. You can choose the color based on the flooring, a piece of art, simplecanvasprints, or just your favorite color! Once chosen, you can make the big investment pieces like your sofa a more neutral color and then have the dominant color take over with accessories and accent pieces.
Invest in some furniture, but skimp elsewhere
Some furniture is going to stay with you no matter where you go—like your bed, dining table, and sofa. For these items invest in pieces that are of high-quality and will last. It is also recommended to purchase these staple furniture items in neutral, solid colors so they can easily match any room.
However, if you are looking to save, do it with the accessories. Shop for pillows, candles, bed sheets, curtains, mirrors, and lamps at stores like Target, where you can find cheaper options for these basics. You’ll be grateful you spent less on these accent pieces as over time your style develops and you end up swapping a fuzzy throw pillow for a beaded cushion. Plus, no one will notice if you mix cheap products with more expensive ones. With a luxurious, centerpiece couch no one is going to think the throw blankets come from Ikea.
Don’t rush in
The real key to starting to decorate your first home is not to rush into it all at once. You might feel the need to get all your decorating done within the first few months of living at your new place, but be patient. Live in the new house for a little bit and get a feel of how you are going to use the space. Sure, go ahead and furnish the bedroom and living room and paint the walls, but wait on bigger renovations. The longer you live in the home, the more you’ll understand what design needs and improvements are necessary for your lifestyle.
