Home decorating can be the most exciting part of creating the perfect home for your loved ones. It challenges you to use your love, enthusiasm and your vision. It will also demand a great deal of time, skill and thought..
Four things are of equal importance in home decorating. They are character (or personality), comfort, function and atmosphere.
What makes a room successful
- Character - Many components go into giving a room character: imaginative use of unusual color schemes that are entirely your own; strategic placing of furniture; clever use of paintings, sculpture, books, collections, and the truly individual touches that stamp your personality on the room.
For instance, if you like books, don't scatter them in bookshelves throughout the home. Bring them together in one massive library arrangement. You can add shelves from floor to ceiling, on two walls if possible, leaving space among the books for pictures, a plant, a piece of pottery, or a sculpture.
- Comfort- Perhaps your family prefers a casual way of living; ensure their comfort by consulting with them to make sure that your home decorating schemes suit them too.
If you have only one family/living room make sure that there are "personal" corners where different members of your family can pursue their activities and hobbies, seating arrangements should be well-placed for easy conversation; and lights are strategically placed and positioned; Test a sofa or chair before buying them, make sure they are comfortable and relaxing.
- Function - For a home to succeed it must function properly for all family members.
- Teenagers who want their own room for entertaining their friends?
- Younger children who need a playroom, where they can be "messy"?
- Suitable home office space?
- Atmosphere - The atmosphere in your home is largely created by the combination of function, character and comfort.
Color is extremely important in the creation of atmosphere. For instance, the more vivid, darker colors can create a feeling of peace; pastels and softer shades always seem to create a feeling of serenity.
Textures are also an important factor. The fabrics you choose for furniture and for drapes should blend with each other and the rest of the room. Lighting kept soft, subdued and well placed is the third vital home decorating ingredient in creating a pleasant atmosphere.
All these factors are important when planning your home and will play an integral part of your decorating theme. As soon as you recognize your needs, your home decorating plans will clarify themselves, and you will be able to provide for all the activities your family enjoys.
Paintings, flowers and books also add atmosphere to any room
One of the most basic things to remember is that the way you decorate is a reflection of you. A carefully planned home is a creative way to express some of your interests and tastes, as well as those of your family.
A few things you might consider including in your country home are: baskets, scented candles, folk art clocks, lamps, grapevine & twig items, shelves, quilts, wall borders, rusty metal items and wooden items.
