From Home to Haven: A Beginner's Guide to Interior Decorating
We get it – starting to decorate your home can be overwhelming at first, so we’ve compiled these expert insights to help guide you through the process. At Ánimo, we believe that your home should be a reflection of you (not just what you find on Pinterest), and we're excited to help you get there.
1. Define Your Style
Go With Your Gut (Not What The Internet Tells You To Do):
At Ánimo, we emphasize the word "your" in "your style." It's easy to fall into trying to emulate someone else's aesthetic, but the key is to define your unique style. Start by discovering what resonates with you, whether it's a minimalist, classic, or eclectic vibe, and use inspo pictures on Pinterest, Instagram, or Magazines to establish what you love and don’t love in a home.
Actionable Advice:
Make a List: Know your "must-haves" and "nice-to-haves" for your space. This helps establish priorities and aligns your design with your style and budget.
This list can incorporate both functional and aesthetic needs, but we recommend investing most in foundational elements for everyday living.
For example, investing in a high-quality and durable couch will impact you more than spending the majority of your budget on wall decor. Focus on what you will use the most and then spend time decorating from there!
Mood Boards: Craft a mood board using tools like Pinterest or magazine cutouts to get your creative juices flowing.
Our recommended strategy is to start big and then trim. Begin by creating a mood board of a ton of different styles, furniture pieces, colors, etc. that appeal to you, then combing through it once you are done to delete anything that you may appreciate but don’t necessarily want in your space.
2. Plan and Measure Your Space
Find Comfort in Boundaries:
Before jumping headfirst into a shopping spree, remember that a bit of planning goes a long way. Sketch out your room layout, including the placement of windows and doors. Accurate measurements are crucial, so grab a measuring tape and get those numbers down (and bring it with you when you furniture shop!). This will create informed choices you can be confident in. During this step, you should also establish your initial budget to further guide you in your home decor and furniture decisions. Remember, you can always add more to your budget later!
Actionable Advice:
Room Layout: Sketch your room layout, including window and door placements. Use it as a reference while furniture shopping. Take a picture and save it in an album so you can easily reference it!
Measurements: Measure your space accurately to ensure everything fits perfectly. Put these in a space you can access from your phone, like the Notes app!
Budgeting: Set a budget to maintain control and confidence in your choices. You should also put these next to your measurements for ease of reference.
3. Mix & Match Your Furniture and Home Decor
The Ultimate Balancing Act:
Don't be afraid to mix different styles and materials in your design, but always maintain a cohesive theme. It's the balance of contrasting elements that creates an inviting room with character, giving it that designer look and feel that you see in Architectural Digest magazine issues. For example, having two different but complementary wood nightstands is common for primary and guest bedrooms!
Actionable Advice
Start from the Ground: Begin with a rug or flooring that sets the tone for your space. People subconsciously pay attention to flooring to help dictate how they move throughout a space. And, this will help you tie together the furniture you purchase.
Statement Pieces: If your heart is set on implementing a statement piece, use that as your anchor for the design, after tying in the floor design!
Interior Design Insights from Experts
To further assist you, we've gathered advice from some of our favorite home decor and design sources:
Start with a Color Palette: Begin your design by selecting a color palette that resonates with you. This is crucial to ensuring your space looks put together, no matter the patterns or materials you choose to go with.
Invest in Quality Lighting: High-quality lighting fixtures set the mood in your space and are typically one of the first things guests notice when they visit your home. If changing permanent fixtures is not an option, opting for quality lamps is a good alternative!
Take Your Time with Decorating: Allow your style to evolve and don't rush to fill your space with furniture and decor that doesn’t truly resonate with your style.
We have seen our customers be happier in the long run by being patient and waiting to find the right piece than making an irrational furniture purchase that impacts the entire look and feel of their space.
Do More With Less: Sourcing Luxury Used Furniture Pieces
It is possible to go for a designer look and feel while still staying within budget (exciting, we know!!) by shopping for quality, gently used furniture and home decor pieces. If going this route, we recommend asking local friends and family for store recommendations and doing a quick online search for local fine used furniture, vintage furniture, or consignment furniture stores near you.
Before going to a used furniture store, you should:
Read through online reviews
Browse products on their website and/or social media before making the drive to ensure the store has a similar style to what you are looking for
Reach out to the store if you can’t find what you are looking for on the website or if you have any questions (especially as there may be new arrivals not yet posted!)
If you live in the Greater Atlanta area, be sure to browse our product line, Casa Ánimo. We have plenty of unique, conversation-starter vintage and modern furniture and home decor. Also, we love what we do, so if you want to chat about any questions or if you need assistance with a current project, we'd love to set up an initial phone call to better understand your needs!
Our team is committed to helping you create a home that's uniquely yours – a place that tells your story. Get in touch today! 🏡✨
