How to Successfully Plan a Room Makeover
1) If you are planning to redo a room in your house the first thing you should do is shop shop shop! You should know what is out there and what your options are. I like to shop at a variety of places to get the ideas flowing. Some places I go to are department stores, craft stores, Ross, Marshalls, TJ Max, Good Will, Kirkland, Bed Bath and Beyond, home decor and upholstery fabric shops and just whatever I happen to run into while I am out at those places. If you stick to your "usual" place, like Ikea (. . . not an Ikea fan. . . ) then you are likely to end up not changing anything or buying all new stuff just to end up with a room that looks like your old one! Shopping at a variety of stores will allow you compare and contrast the different styles available to you. If you only go to one place you are limiting yourself and not exposing yourself to the updated or new styles that are out there.
a) Check out furniture stores that already have rooms set up so that you can imagine the functionality of certain items you are considering. It may be a good idea in thought, but when you see how a piece of furniture functions in an actual room setting, you may be surprised at the reality of it.
2) Acquire some home improvement magazine or check out design books at the library. Have some sticky notes on hand to mark all the things that stick out to you or "speak" to you when browsing.
3) Visit model homes in your area to learn the most up to date trends and to get fresh ideas.
4) Once you have gathered all your ideas you should make a plan. Whether you are just adding a window treatment and pillows or redesigning an entire room, you should have a plan. Planning will include measuring, fabric sample, if possible, pictures from magazines or written ideas from your home and furniture store visits.
a) Your plan should be able to answer the following questions:
.1) What do my family and I want to be able to do in this room? Eat? Sleep? Watch tv? Do homework? etc.
.2) What currently is not working for me in this room? What is working?
.3) Does the room have a focal point? A fireplace? A view?, etc.
.4)
5) Choose a color scheme. Be sure to note when you are gathering ideas colors that stood out to you. If you are stuck here I recommend picking one thing to focus on:
a) Perhaps a season; Spring: light and airy tones, Summer: rich, ripe and full, Fall: warm, golden hues, Winter: whites and browns.
b) Or choose an object. Perhaps you have a favorite vase, painting or some item that has been passed through your family for generations. Select an item that is personal to you and that you are attached to and use the colors in it to choose your color scheme.
6) Then put all your ideas together and create a notebook, packet or portfolio of some kind. Your portfolio should include the following:
a) Pictures: every angle of the room and all the items you plan to keep in the room
b) Any clippings you may have acquired from magazines, etc
c) Fabric swatches and paint samples
d) Appropriate measurement information: windows for window treatments, space for couches or chairs, space for mantle pieces or other wall surround for a fireplace, space for art, and doorways for trims or molding.
This portfolio should help you tackle a redo by yourself. However, if you lack the self confidence necessary to make a change it may be worth the cost of an interior designer to offer some help. Don't underestimate the value your living space can add to your life and your family. If you lack the self confidence it will be well worth it to consult an interior designer. I am also always available for fabric and color advice. A retreat in your home can add so much to your mental health! I know it takes money, which is hard to come by these days. But there are so many affordable ideas out there to spruce up a room.
