Decorating a new home from scratch isn’t as hard as you think
FOR many interior designers, decorating from scratch is ideal. They love the idea of a blank canvas to create a whole new look.
So after months of watching and waiting for your new home to be completed, you finally have the keys in your hands.
Everything is just how you wanted it from the tapware and benchtops to carpet and tiles.
There’s just one problem — you have no idea how to decorate it.
A BRAND NEW HOME
For many interior designers, decorating from scratch is ideal. They love the idea of a blank canvas to create a whole new look.
For the rest of us, though, the thought of pulling together a whole house so that it looks cohesive while still reflecting our own personal style can be overwhelming.
But there’s no reason why you can’t do it yourself with some careful planning and a little bit of discipline thrown in.
Head stylist and interior designer for online retailer TheHome.com.au, Marj Silva, says the best place to start is to take another look at your floorplan.
“We do floorplans and see what will be the biggest and best size for furniture,” she says.
“Look at the access to the room. What is the flow like? Where is the coffee table in relation to the sofa?”
It’s basic enough, but working out the function of each room will also help you decide what furniture you want to keep, if any, and what is going to go.
“You might want to keep artworks or inherited pieces like a dining table that has sentimental value or pieces from your travels,” she says. “They will provide clues to the design direction you should go in.”
WHERE TO SPEND AND SAVE
Marj says this will lead onto the next vital step — settling on an overall budget.
“Considering your budget is a good place to start so that you know whether you are going to be shopping at Space Furniture or Fantastic Furniture,” Marj says.
“If you are trying to allocate funds, I wouldn’t spend too much money on a dining table for example. Go for durability on the dining table and style on the chairs.”
If you are having difficulty working out what style you would like to pursue, Marj says there are a few sources of inspiration.
“If you’re just starting out and you haven’t looked at furniture before, look at your wardrobe to work out what direction your style is going in,” she says. “Are you more conservative and classic, more fashion forward, more girlie or bohemian?”
In some cases, the location of your home will provide some clues. A beachside suburb might suggest a coastal look while a more established area could point to a tailored style.
Before you start hitting the shops, however, interior designer and Dulux stylist Bree Leech says you should spend some time pulling together images and samples of how you would like the rooms to look.
“I would start with a mood board and collecting things that you love and see how they look together,” she says.
“It might be a Scandinavian look or a black and white theme.
“When you put them all together, you see the things that stand out and don’t look right.”
Once you have a collection of samples and images that work together, Bree suggests you take them with you when shopping.
“Some people have the confidence to walk in and know exactly what they want but I like to get my ideas together before I get overwhelmed in the store,” she says.
For larger pieces such as sofas and dining chairs, she says you should be looking for well-constructed furniture, possibly Australian made so that you can contact the manufacturer easily in the event of any problems.
And while there are some beautiful new things on the market, mixing the old with the new will transform a house into a home.
“Go to the vintage stores and op shops and get second-hand furniture pieces that you can remodel,” Bree says.
“It really breaks up that showroom feel and it will still look good in five to 10 years’ time.
“Personal things will give it a classic look.”
BREAK IT DOWN
When you’re working with a whole house, it pays to break it down into rooms says Domayne interior designer Adrianna Doueihy.
“In living rooms you start with the lounge because it is the most important thing,” says Adrianna. “Then you would move on to the armchair, the coffee table, the rug and then accessories like artworks and cushions.
“You should always do the accessories last.”
Regardless of current design trends or glossy magazines spreads, Adrianna says that you should make design decisions based on your own needs and lifestyle.
“When someone asks me how to make a space look great, it is all about their interpretation of great,” she says. “A lot of people consider blues and greens soothing but if you have grown up with it, you might be completely sick of green.”
And don’t try to rush it.
“It’s a lot to digest so do it slowly,” she says.
HANG ON, HELP IS ON THE WAY
It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re decorating a whole house and sometimes they can be very costly.
While there are a number of excellent interior design services available, there are other options.
Dulux has a design service that extends beyond choosing paint colours (pictured), says Bree Leech.
“Dulux colour designers will come to your home and help with colours but they can do the whole home,” she says.
Domayne also offers a design service for $1250 which includes two in-house consultations, two client presentations, a PDF and a schedule of works.
“If you decide to go ahead with it and purchase with Domayne, there is a VIP rate,” Adrianna Doueihy says.
Check with your retailer for details.
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