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How do we create the home we want to invite others into?
Many people have said that interior design is the process by which we
connect with people, and connect with the world while staying safely
within our own space. It is safe to say that through interior design, we
connect with some energy, some force, and some thing that expresses who we
are and how we want to live. And it is through this connecting process
that we have the opportunity to use our homes to effect change in our
lives.
If we choose, we can become more comfortable or more expressive. Through
this process, we can show others how we like to live and invite them to
share part of our lives. We can focus on comfort, style, and/or art,
truthfully anything we want to express.
Here are the five steps to finding your style as well as some tips to
implementing these styles.
Step 1: The decisions
Is your home are
filled with trinkets, gadgets, and dust catchers? That you don’t need? Or
are these things treasures possessions that you cannot part with for all
the tea in china? These items (typically bought for time saving) end up
costing us precious space in our homes. We can free up space otherwise
saved for these items or display them as they are meant to show who and
what you are to the world!
For example, imagine
how much space is tied up in the books we bought but have never read? If
you’re not going to read it, find another home for it. Donate to a library
or give it to a friend that may find they will treasure it. A good rule
of thumb is if you haven’t used something in a year, you don’t need it or
want it. If the book is treasure for it’s beauty or worth then displaying
it in a room would be much better then letting it collect dust in a box
somewhere. We all need to make these decisions, love it or leave it!
Design tip #1: Most likely, it’s on your list of things to, go thru
“things”, and has been there for months or even years. Sometimes we don’t
know something unwanted because we have been putting up with it for so
long and have gotten used to it. Like that pile of stuff in a basket by
the sofa or a drawer in an old unused desk that you don’t really need
anymore even when you have to walk around to get a wanted daily used
items.
So make sure to take
care of the things to do list! A good way to do this is to stand back and
think about all the things you own and if you are unsure if you use an
item. Place a dot sticker on it with the date. If you use that item within
a year, remove the sticker. If you do not use the item within a year, find
it a home somewhere that it will be used.
Step 2: Find your style
Create a clear idea
of what it is you would like to portray of yourself. Perhaps you are a
person into comfort and easy maintenance, or perhaps you are a creative
individual who would like to use your home to highlight new projects, new
relationships, or a new career. Whatever your personality, begin now by
narrowing down the specific style you will be comfortable living with.
Remember, being specific is the key here. Make a list of qualities, draw a
picture, cut pictures out of magazines do whatever you can to get as
specific a picture as you can. Find thing that inspire you.
Step 3: Assistance
The keyword here is ASK! Asking where someone got his or her ideas will
not kill you! Look for ideas in the world around you. Sometimes we are
afraid to ask where someone we admire shop for the beautiful things that
fill their home, but if you admire someone’s interior then let them know
it! Other kinds of collaboration can include asking for help to clean out
your garage in order to build your new studio, asking friends to come over
for a dinner party because you want to get a prospective on how your
living space will be used and where people gather, or asking someone to
look over your drawing and pictures, a new look into what you are trying
to achieve can get some great ideas offered. You don’t have to do it
alone!
Step 4: Confidence
The number one
attitude you should have is confidence. This can be achieved by realizing
that interior design is something you cannot fail at, become you
are going to live in it! If you are comfortable, you can be confident and
enjoy it. So take a look at the ideas you are coming up with and whether
or not you are keeping them to use. Take a look at your ideas, pictures
and drawings. They’re full of decisions you have made. Deciding what you
really want gives a wonderful feeling. But don’t take my word for it try
it out!
Interior decorating
tip #2: Many stores have wallpaper books with great images to go with the
wallpapers. And magazines have ideas, too
Step 5: Take the first step
Start arranging and
stepping back to see what you have done! Buy something you love and put it
in the place of honor and work from there. Once you have de-cluttered and
arranged just go for it! Anyone can do interior decoration. If you want to
go by a rule, look in books and follow the steps. Many good
interior-decorating books will tell you the difference between art deco
and Elizabethan and most have steps you can follow. So you have many
options and can get your home to be comfortable for you. So jump in and
let your personality shine!
These five steps are designed to help you be more open to your own style
and the inspiration that the world holds for you. If you work with these
steps, you will be able to find a balance of comfort and design while
avoiding some of the stresses and find yourself in a real sense of home
that you love. Good luck!
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Interior-Tip.com
