Buying your first home is an exciting milestone, no matter what age you are. Once you sign on all the documents and you now officially a homeowner, the next thing that is probably on your mind is how to decorate your house. You may have some ideas about what you want but don’t know how to go about it. In this article, I shall give you some home decorating tips that will help you with your first home.
De-Clutter Ruthlessly
I am not sure you would consider this as a home decorating tip, but it will help you a lot. Most of the time, first-time homeowners make the mistake of moving in with a lot of stuff they don’t need and will never use. This makes it difficult to decorate your house since it has that cluttered feel. You bump into stuff everywhere you are. The key to this is to avoid moving in with clutter. Anything that you don’t use should be left behind. You can give it out to a friend or to charity or hold a garage auction to sell it, or post it on eBay. Remember, clutter doesn’t mean something is useless; it may help someone else. Some experts recommend leaving out as much as 50% of your stuff.
Paint Your New House
If you need to do some particular painting in the house, the best time to do it is before you move in. Some homeowners make the mistake of thinking that they’ll do it after they have moved in but never seem to find the right time to do it. Decorating your home starts with a fresh coat of paint. Your new home may have been painted by the previous owner or the developer but you may not like the color and want something more personal. Painting an empty house is easier and quicker. Each room can have its own coat of paint to suit the use of the room. The living room should have a vibrant hue that brings you to life. The kitchen is best suited with warm colors. The bedroom should have a relaxing color theme. For the best results, if you wish to have some personalized painting, do it before moving in. You’ll have all the space to do it without the distraction and effort needed to move heavy furniture to create space.
Prioritize the Bedroom
When decorating your new house, you may be tempted to focus on the living room. However, the bedroom is where you’ll spend most of your time. Don’t neglect it at the expense of other rooms. Having a well decorated bedroom gives you some serenity and peace. You can choose to have the beddings, walls, and curtains follow a certain theme. Even if you may not have all the money to do it when moving in your new home, settling on a theme helps when buying later.
Still, in the bedroom, you’ll probably need a new bed that suits your new home. Beds serve a functional and aesthetic need. There are many types and styles of bed to choose from. The secret here is to go for one which will fit in your bedroom, and you are comfortable in.
Don’t Go All Out with the Renovations
You’ll most likely want to renovate some areas of your new home to fit your preferences. This doesn’t mean there is anything wrong, but you probably would want a certain kitchen design or a certain type of bathroom. The key here is first to move in and spend some time in the home then decide later what type of renovations to make. Some homeowners make the mistake of splashing out the cash for some renovations before living in the house only to regret later.
Quality over Quantity
Consultants from Paradise Developments will tell you that quality beats quantity any time. This doesn’t appear so for young homeowners; they want to have a lot of stuff in their house as soon as they start living in it. Always go for the best quality items you can afford. Here I am talking about things like rugs, artwork, furniture, etc. you’d rather wait a while to get enough money to buy a certain item, than buy cheaply then replace soon afterward.
Consider DIY Projects
Decorating your home doesn’t always involve buying stuff. DIY projects can improve the appearance of a home with the added appeal of a personal touch. Some people are so good at DIY projects. Actually everybody should try something in their new home. It gives you some satisfaction that buying doesn’t give you. What’s better, you can involve the whole family and teach your kids how to decorate a house. It is a fun way to bond and spend time.
Lighting
We cannot talk about how to decorate your house and fail to mention lighting. You are likely to ignore lighting until you move in and realize what lighting does to a home. Not only does it serve its functional purpose but serves to decorate your home. A poorly lit room is no fun to live in. Location of the lights, the color of the light are some decorating tips you need to consider. Natural lighting does wonders for a home. The key is to know when and how much to let in. This is achieved by curtains and window tinting.
Decorating your new home may seem a daunting task at first, but it isn’t. You may have spent all your money acquiring the home, but you can still have style without breaking the bank.
