Buying your first home is a huge milestone. Though extremely exciting, working out the details, like decorating, can be stressful. With the right approach, though, decorating your home can be an exciting way to create a space that is an extension of you and your family – one you enjoy spending time and making memories with them and others.
Here are eight tips to consider when decorating your first home:
1. Evaluate what you have on hand: Often, folks are a little too excited when they move into their first home to create their ideal space with their aspirational style. Because of this, some will get rid of perfectly good pieces of furniture or décor upon move in. Before you make this mistake and do a complete overhaul of what you have on hand, consider simple changes or alterations you can make to match your vision for your new home. Reupholstering old furniture or painting a dresser can be an inexpensive way to make your existing furniture “new” to you.
2. Make a plan: Decorating your first home can be incredibly overwhelming, which is why it’s important to have a plan. Consider going room by room or getting the big furniture pieces, like beds, sofas, dressers, and tables, out of the way first. This strategy will provide you a great foundation for the remainder of your decoration journey. However, don’t get too attached to your plan – it’s important to remember that your home and your taste will change alongside you over the years.
3. Start with paint: Painting the walls is something you should do before moving furniture and boxes. Nothing transforms a space like a fresh coat of paint. Think about what color palette you want throughout your home, then consider adding accent walls, or even some funky wallpaper, to spruce up individual rooms and spaces.
4. Consider buying big pieces secondhand: If you maintain some uncertainty about your style, consider buying your bigger pieces of furniture secondhand to start. After living in your home for some time, you’ll have a better idea of what you want and like, and what you truly want to invest in.
5. Fight the urge to match: If you’re incorporating a mixture of new, old, and secondhand pieces, it’s unlikely they’ll all “match.” That’s okay – great, even! Retail stores love to perpetuate the idea that everything has to match, but unless you have an unlimited budget, that will be hard to achieve. Plus, mis-matched items make your space interesting and representative of you. If you feel your mismatched pieces clash, though, consider tying them together with accent elements, like pillows, blankets, and additional décor.
6. Don’t forget textiles: Showcasing an array of interesting textiles can be a fun and easy way to incorporate different colors, textures, and patterns into your new home. Don’t be afraid to mix and match when picking out bedding, pillows, blankets, and more.
7. Take your time with art: Art and wall décor provide important final touches to your decorating process. However, acquiring an art collection that coordinates with your home and represents your style can take time. Consider buying statement pieces to start but reserve some of your wall space for pieces you’ll acquire and add along the way.
8. Embrace the unknown: The goal of decorating your first home is not perfection – perhaps it wasn’t even perfect when you moved in. The goal is to create something that is yours. Maintain gratitude and learn to appreciate the odds and ends of your home.
Decorating your home should be an enjoyable experience where you get to flex your creative muscles and create a space that’s yours. Additionally, it’s an important investment to make in your home that can raise its value if you sell in the future.
We hope these tips help you on your decoration journey – and if you have questions about buying or selling your house, contacts us at Mariott Real Estate today.