Building Blocks to a Welcoming Home

Are you looking to fall in love again...with your home? Whether you're starting in a brand-new relationship with a new house or looking to ignite the spark in your "lived-in" space, this session will teach you the ways to bring out the best in your home. Find out how to work around an object in your home by utilizing color, wall and flooring choices.

10 Tips

1. Start at the beginning. Every room has a focal point or inspiration piece — an architectural feature, a favorite piece of furniture, or a special view. Make that special point the centerpiece of the room, and decorate around it.

2. Use the inspiration piece to suggest the color palette for the room, the style of the furnishings, and the mood the room will project.

3. Let it flow. The colors and styles of one room should flow into adjoining spaces naturally. This does not mean that every space in your home should look the same, but you want to avoid the "showroom" sense where every room is separate unto itself. If you choose a mossy green carpet for your dining room, you may want to use that same green as an accessory color in the adjoining kitchen. If a bedroom is decorated in vivid blues, those tones should be reflected in the bathroom as well.

4. Mix, don't match. Use varying shades of colors and avoid attempting to make exact matches in flooring, walls, window treatments and upholstery. A room where everything is the same color can have a rigid, sterile appearance.

5. Watch the scale. The proportions of the room should suggest the proportions of the furnishings being placed in it. Large rooms can handle large furnishing; smaller rooms need lighter, less bulky items.

6. Lead with your strong suit. Highlight those items that you love in a room — the light, the view, the special accessory. Your ultimate goal is to create a space that you enjoy, so incorporate those things that please you most.

7. Borrow. Not the furnishings, but ideas. Collect photos, manufacturers' brochures and magazine pages that have room elements that you like and keep them together in a folder or scrapbook, and refer to them regularly. You may borrow specific ideas or aspects of each photo.

8. Shop your home. Look around your home for items that are not being utilized or shown in the best way. Sometimes changing the location of furniture, accents, or pictures can completely change the look of a room.

9. Pack a bag. Keep samples of fabrics, carpeting, tile, wallpaper and paint that you are using in your plan, and carry it with you. Then, when you come across something too good to pass up, you will be able to immediately determine if it will fit into your room plan.

10. Take your time. Finding just the right area rug, light fixture, or wallpaper can seem overwhelming, especially with the incredible variety of options available on the market. Never make a purchase just to be "done with it." If you find yourself edging towards frustration, step away from the project for a few days, and return to it when you are fresh and motivated.