Decorating Guides
Decorating Styles
Decorate with Intention: Create a Vision for Your Home
Make sure your home is a true reflection of yourself by following these helpful steps
If you crave a home that not only looks beautiful, but feels warm and personal and perfectly you, it's time to start decorating with intention. In this new series, we will be exploring ways to tap into your unique personal style and decorate from the heart. This week, we are working on creating a vision for your home. Let's get started!
Working on this step will help train your eye and give you a place to collect all of your ideas. It may take you anywhere from a single weekend to several months, but the time put in at this stage means fewer regrets down the road.
Seek inspiration.
Look through your favorite magazines, books, catalogs, websites and blogs for images that inspire you. Keep magazine tear sheets in a file and bookmark your finds online so that you can easily find them later.
If you find most of your inspiration on websites and blogs, you can use online tools to organize your finds, like creating an ideabook on Houzz.
Look through your favorite magazines, books, catalogs, websites and blogs for images that inspire you. Keep magazine tear sheets in a file and bookmark your finds online so that you can easily find them later.
If you find most of your inspiration on websites and blogs, you can use online tools to organize your finds, like creating an ideabook on Houzz.
An important tip: Be sure to note down what it is you like about each image as well as the source. Just like the cool floor lamp or the paint color? Write it down! You do not want to realize at the wrong moment you lost the name of your favorite paint color or the phone number of a shop that carries your dream rug.
Visually organize your ideas.
If you have lots of magazine clippings, you might want to try creating an inspiration board. Any cork or magnet board will work beautifully. You can also clip photos to art wire or a simple length of twine strung between two hooks.
If you have lots of magazine clippings, you might want to try creating an inspiration board. Any cork or magnet board will work beautifully. You can also clip photos to art wire or a simple length of twine strung between two hooks.
If your collection includes heavier items like fabric swatches, you could create a style tray instead, or even hang larger items from hooks or pegs. The point is to get all of your ideas in one place, where you can begin to make connections and soak in your inspiration.
Look for patterns in what you love.
Once you have amassed a large collection of inspiration images, sit down and take some time to begin picking out themes and similarities in what speaks to you. For instance, my inspiration file almost always includes lots of pictures of open shelving in the kitchen and chalkboard paint. This is an important step, because it will help you hone in on what you really love.
Once you have amassed a large collection of inspiration images, sit down and take some time to begin picking out themes and similarities in what speaks to you. For instance, my inspiration file almost always includes lots of pictures of open shelving in the kitchen and chalkboard paint. This is an important step, because it will help you hone in on what you really love.
Edit, edit, edit!
Take one more look at those inspiration images and this time, be ruthlessly discerning. It is so much better to end up with a handful of images that perfectly capture your style rather than a bin full of so-so examples.
That said, no one image is likely to encompass everything you want, and that's good. The unique way you combine things is what puts your personal stamp on your home.
Take one more look at those inspiration images and this time, be ruthlessly discerning. It is so much better to end up with a handful of images that perfectly capture your style rather than a bin full of so-so examples.
That said, no one image is likely to encompass everything you want, and that's good. The unique way you combine things is what puts your personal stamp on your home.
Make room for your passions.
Love to sew? Surf? Dance? Wherever your passion lies, be sure that it has a place in your home. This could mean carving out a nook to write in peace, organizing a hall closet to hold your knitting projects, or simply hanging inspiring artwork and photography that reflects the loves in your life. Take a moment to jot down a few ideas while they are fresh in your mind.
Love to sew? Surf? Dance? Wherever your passion lies, be sure that it has a place in your home. This could mean carving out a nook to write in peace, organizing a hall closet to hold your knitting projects, or simply hanging inspiring artwork and photography that reflects the loves in your life. Take a moment to jot down a few ideas while they are fresh in your mind.
Take a trip down memory lane.
Think back to your childhood home, and anywhere else you spent a great deal of time. What about the space itself do you remember most fondly? I loved a round table full of family photos my grandmother kept in her entry hall; I always paused there to look at the old black and white photos. Today I might take this idea and give it a fresh spin by placing loose photos in a bowl — more my style, but still honoring the memory.
Think back to your childhood home, and anywhere else you spent a great deal of time. What about the space itself do you remember most fondly? I loved a round table full of family photos my grandmother kept in her entry hall; I always paused there to look at the old black and white photos. Today I might take this idea and give it a fresh spin by placing loose photos in a bowl — more my style, but still honoring the memory.
Focus on color.
Look over your inspiration images, this time paying special attention to color. Are there certain colors or color pairings that show up often? Are you more drawn to rooms with richly colored walls or spaces where color is an accent?
Look over your inspiration images, this time paying special attention to color. Are there certain colors or color pairings that show up often? Are you more drawn to rooms with richly colored walls or spaces where color is an accent?
Take a step back.
Sometimes we are just too close to our own homes to determine what needs to be changed. When this happens, I find it helpful to take photos of the space; it's much easier to have an impartial eye when you are critiquing a photo rather than the room in which you are sitting.
Sometimes we are just too close to our own homes to determine what needs to be changed. When this happens, I find it helpful to take photos of the space; it's much easier to have an impartial eye when you are critiquing a photo rather than the room in which you are sitting.
Enjoy the process.
This is decorating, it's supposed to be fun! There is no need to rush or seek absolute perfection. In fact, as far as I am concerned, a house is never "done." Experiment, make mistakes, dive back into your inspiration files when you need new ideas, but also commit to enjoying and using your home as it is right now.
This is decorating, it's supposed to be fun! There is no need to rush or seek absolute perfection. In fact, as far as I am concerned, a house is never "done." Experiment, make mistakes, dive back into your inspiration files when you need new ideas, but also commit to enjoying and using your home as it is right now.
Now I would love to hear from you. Which magazines, books or blogs are currently inspiring you? Do you prefer to create mood boards on your wall at home, or are you more of a virtual organizer? How are you doing with this step? What challenges are you facing?
Next: Browse thousands of home design photos
Next: Browse thousands of home design photos
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