Staying Creative
It may involve drafting and a lot of manual labor, but good decorating is nothing if not creative. To create something beautiful and livable is an art that requires imagination and inspiration. Unfortunately, the artistry of the whole endeavor can be lost in the budget and planning stages. Below are a few simple ideas on how to clear your mind and unleash your inner designer:
• Find one wonderful piece. Every room should contain at least one item that you have fallen in love with. Once you’ve found it, make it the centerpiece of your plan.
• Look for inspiration in unlikely places. Magazines, TV, and blogs are great for tips and tricks, but be careful they don’t keep you from making your own decisions. Take a walk or go to a museum. You can find your muse anywhere.
• Don’t copy! Every room is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all design. If you find an example you love, identify the elements that attracted you to it. Now expand upon them and add your own flair. The result will be purely you.
• Be yourself. My husband and I decided to turn our passion for video games into a design statement. Our console collection is proudly displayed. We even bought some retro advertisements for art and stenciled the walls with our favorite characters. You won’t see many living rooms like ours, but it makes us happy. (I even get compliments from people who aren’t into gaming.)
• Buy one-offs, vintage collectibles, and artisan furniture . There are some great mass-produced pieces, but there is something about a unique find that really sparks the imagination. You can even help the environment and humanity by purchasing wares from impoverished craftsmen in other countries .
• Take a break. Many bad design choices are made during weekend overhauls and in the rush to fill up a newly purchased house. Avoid making spur of the moment decisions. It is practically impossible for a home decorator to throw a space together in only a few days. Get comfortable. Figure out the flow of the area. Take note of the strengths and weaknesses in architecture and layout before spending time and money decorating. Done all that? Spend another week relaxing. Your subconscious will do a lot of the hard work for you.
• Have fun. This is, of course, the first commandment of designing for yourself. If you don’t enjoy the process, you won’t enjoy the room.
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