Decorating your home is exciting, but it can also be a little overwhelming and daunting. Orange County designer Wendy Blackband of Blackband Design culminates her series of tips on how to help make the process manageable, fun and successful, allowing you to create a home you love to live in.
The new room looks great … now what?
Congratulations! Your hard work and careful planning has paid off, and now you have a beautiful room in your home that reflects your style, personality and exquisite taste! It looks polished, balanced and inviting, and makes you happy every time you step into it. So, what should you do next?
Once we have one room looking fresh and updated, most of us experience a pressing desire to work the same magic on the rest of our home. But how do we decide what room to design next? Think carefully about this, especially when budget is an issue (and really, when isn’t it?). Ideally, you’d start with the adjacent room, letting the new look “grow” in your home. But, this only makes sense (especially from a budget standpoint) if that room is a space that you and your family use often. If not, then consider what other rooms are important in the course of your family’s day, and make your decision accordingly.
As you begin the design process, keep in mind that every room does not have to “match,” but there should be some continuity. Decide on a common thread that will create some connection between the spaces. Some ideas might be: varying shades of one color, a recurring fabric such as a floral or animal print, window treatments such as woven blinds, or the use of distinctive materials like reclaimed wood. While variation between rooms is interesting and fresh, be sure to stay within the same tone and style. It should be clear that each room belongs to the same home. For example, a transition from traditional to ultra-modern would feel disjointed and abrupt.
Call on your prior design experience, and learn from what worked well and what you might wish you had done differently. You can improve your efforts from room to room as you progress, and you will ultimately have an entire home that you love to live in!
Contact Wendy Blackband at 949.872.2234. Visit her website at www.blackbanddesign.com.
