Starting with a blank canvas: how to decorate your new house

by Sandy Malbrue 05/02/2023

If you're moving to a new home and starting fresh, the thought of decorating can be overwhelming. With so many options and so much space to work with, what's the best way to begin? Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to break down the process into manageable pieces and still achieve your interior design goals. Here are some tips for decorating your new home:

Find your style

Deciding on the design style you want for your home is a major step in creating your home design. If you don't know where to start, consider the style of your home's exterior. Most designers recommend using the same style for your interior. While architectural styles don't always equate perfectly to indoor decor, you can pair styles with similar elements, such as craftsman style with the modern farmhouse style.

Plan by room

If you think of your new home as individual rooms rather than one giant space, you may feel less overwhelmed by the prospect of decorating. Break your design plan down room-by-room to make the process more manageable. Doing so will also help you highlight the major points of each room and decorate it perfectly for their respective functions.

Start big

When choosing furniture for a room, begin with the largest pieces first. Often, the biggest and most important piece in a room is the most expensive, so selecting them as a place to begin your design can help you with budgeting. In a living room, try beginning with a sofa or sectional. In the dining room, decide on a table.

Add layers

Once you have established the biggest and most essential furniture pieces in each room, begin to add layers. You don't have to add everything at once, either--try bringing in smaller elements and accessories over time rather than overwhelm yourself with an enormous shopping list. Some layers to begin with include area rugs, accent tables, lighting and window treatments.

A blank canvas doesn't have to be intimidating. By following these tips, you can approach your new house as an exciting opportunity to achieve your personal style.

About the Author
Author

Sandy Malbrue

Hi, I'm Sandy Malbrue and I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search for representation or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my 14 years real estate experience to work for you. Be it to gain wide exposure for your home with my marketing plan, negotiate offers or manage the transaction once you've accepted an offer, in a way that will get you the best price and cause the least amount of disruption to you life as possible.  

If you are a buyer, allow me put those skills to work for you to help with the pre-approval process, work with you to locate and arrange for you to view homes of interest to you , and negotiate your offer. Once you have an accepted offer, I will help you arrange inspections, I will manage the transaction for you, from helping to arrange for inspections to keeping you up to date on contingency removals and walking you through the process to a new set of keys.

Let's do this!