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Congratulations on your new home! Whether you’ve just bought your first home or signed the
lease on your first apartment, it’s exciting to create a special place of your own. Just
remember to take it slow. Interesting interiors are created in layers, evolving as things are
added and removed over time.
To help you get started, we’ve collected the following ideas for affordable ambiance.
DO: Make a budget, either for the whole living space or by individual room. Then create a list
of what you have, what you need, and what you’d like to upgrade.
DON’T: Feel as if you have to fill each room with furniture right away. Versatile pieces, such
as Parsons chairs, can float between rooms—from dining, to home office, to the living room when
you’re entertaining guests.
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DO: Visit your local library for books on
decorating and style. While you’re there, be sure to check out the periodicals section and
peruse the magazines. Make a photocopy of anything that grabs you.
DON’T: Accept any hand-me-down furnishings you
don’t like. These unwanted dinosaurs won’t inspire your imagination the way empty
rooms can. Live with the open space for a while and consider what type of atmosphere
you’d like to create.
DO: Make a list of what a room will be used for and shop for
furnishings that combine several of them. For example, a sofa table is the perfect
height to use as a small bar or buffet when you entertain.
DO: Focus on finding a
terrific looking bed to make the bedroom feel complete. Everything else—dressers,
nightstands and chests—can be added over time. An eclectic mix will make your home
cozy and unique.
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Double Duty. Dining chairs, like these
versatile Parsons chairs can be easily
moved from room to room as the needs of
your household change.
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DO: Bring unique style to your home by
decorating with garden ornaments, architectural elements and old building parts.
They’re often cheap, and always distinctive. Check your phone book for salvage yards
and antique stores.
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Fantastic Focal Point. A terrific looking bed can
make even a sparsely furnished bedroom feel
complete. An eclectic mix of other pieces can be
added over time, as your budget allows.
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DO: Place a bookcase in the dining area to hold china and
serving pieces. Later, when you upgrade to a china cabinet or sideboard, the bookcase
can easily transition to another area of your home.
DO: Create your own artwork.
Add a frame to anything—a leaf from the yard or a photo from last year’s wall
calendar—and voila, it’s art. For inexpensive frames, look in discount stores for
framed prints. Remove the back (needle-nose pliers are terrific for pulling out
large staples) and replace what they’ve framed with something of your own.
DO: Sell furnishings you don’t like at a
consignment store or website, such as eBay or craigslist. Use the money you make
for the furniture you really want.
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DO: Choose a dining table that will give you choices later.
When it’s time to redecorate or move to a larger home, you may find your smaller scale table, or
table with a removable expansion leaf, is just right for the kitchen or another room.
DON’T: Limit your decorating scheme to the existing
layout of electrical outlets or phone jacks. Paying to move these features to where
you want them is an investment in convenience you’ll appreciate over and over again.
One final note, don’t try to make a room work too hard. Write down all of your brainstorms for a
specific space, and then edit the list to one or two solid ideas. Sometimes the key to decorating
is in what you remove, not what you add. And if you’re like most people, you’ll continue to fiddle
with your rooms until the next time you move. Until then, enjoy your new home.
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