Tips on How to Make a Room Look “Decorated”

I always find the time between Christmas and March the hardest time to decorate.  It’s not the tree and glitter season and it’s not the soft pastels of spring yet.  It’s that weird in between time that gets me a little stumped. When that happens to me I always go back to what actually makes a room look decorated.  Once I remember that concept, it’s easier to know where to start my project.

I always ask myself,  “what will this room be used for?” Are we gathering to watch tv or is it a quiet reading nook?  Think about the way the space will be used.  That answer usually takes me to my focal point of the room.  I usually call it the show stopper.  Is everything kind of anchored around a tv or a large sectional sofa?  This will help me know where the design will start.

Next, I want to add some medium pieces such as window treatments, lamps, and wall decor.  These pieces bring some character and life into the room. It shouldn’t look sterile and not lived in.  Your home should be a reflection of you.  It should tell a story of your journey.  You want your personality to show through and reflect who you are.

Lastly, add your finishing details.  These really make the room look pulled together.  It’s like when someone walks in a room and you’re not sure why they look so good.  They just do.  That’s what accessories do for a room.  It is your pillows, flowers, and items that you would style your coffee table, side tables, and shelves with.  These items pull the room together and bring cohesiveness throughout the space. Think about pulling metals, colors and textures together in your accessories.  This is always the fun part for me.

If you decorate seasonally and don’t have a specific idea of how you want to proceed, go back and start with these points.  I think they will really help you think of a way to focus in on what you are looking for.  Then you can do the fun stuff which is buying and decorating.  If your budget is on the thin side right now, here is a post that will help you in that area.  Also, soon I will be doing a post on how to get the biggest return on your investment for a small design budget.  So look for that in the coming weeks.