Interior Design: Getting an Idea

If you're ready to take on the challenge of redecorating your home's interior, start with the basics to help with those important decisions

Redecorating or moving into a brand new home has many challenges and pitfalls. Designers and decorators can help for a price, but you can also handle the transformation yourself. A little ingenuity and understanding of your own personal style will go a long way toward bringing a unique look into your home.

The style you choose will not only be selected according to your taste but to the structure of your home. From contemporary to Oriental to traditional or somewhere in between, you'll have many choices. We will be discussing many of these styles in separate articles. Often, it helps to go from room to room and inspect your furniture. If you plan to keep it, then that can determine not only style but also colors.

A color scheme is important and you should try to maintain unity throughout each room. They do not have to all look the same, however; the focal color - from the selected range - can vary from room to room. Some people enjoy the contemporary starkness of monochromatic hues and add a splash of color while others utilize a range of complementary colors to create a cottage or Tuscan style.

Texture is important in a room and you will want to assess the existing window treatments along with the style of fireplace if you have one.

Lifestyle should also be considered - do you have an active family? Do you lean toward a more casual family-gathering style or are formalities more important? What type of entertaining do you enjoy and how often?

And within each style, you can still impose a mood and your own personality. You'll accomplish this with lighting, art, accessories, and floral or sculptural groupings.

You'll find many creative ideas from studying magazines and visiting home showrooms. Don't forget to stop by carpet and tile stores, where you can get plenty of helpful information on the latest styles and trends. If you plan to reupholster, you will also want to visit fabric shops.

Begin by window shopping and, even though you'll be tempted, don't purchase anything until you have a specific style and color scheme on paper, along with an inventory of furniture and accessories that you already own.

Now, you're just getting started. Take photos of each room, along with the focal pieces. Create a color chart with your chosen hues. When you start browsing and gathering information, feel the textures of swatches and play with the combination of colors from your chart.

Don't be afraid to experiment - mistakes happen. More often, though, something that seems not quite right at first may grow on you - give it time. Relax and your own personal style will develop right before your very eyes!