Eight Super Steps to Optimal Room Design

What is the first question you should askwith light colors.
yourself? What is the feeling you want this roomStep 5: Purchase You Window Treatments Next.
to grant you? One of people's most commonWait, you thing to yourself, people tell you to do
design mistakes is they let someone else pick outthat last. Be different this time, do it first. You
their room colors, or they let the roomalready have your three contrasting colors or
décor style dictate the color. Then theythree colors of different hues. Dress your
can't figure out why they grew tired of the roomwindows with a matching color to the floor, a
in a few months.contrast, or an accent color. For example, in my
Step 1: Find Colors for Your Perfect Room.room, I bought the windows drapes in the dark
How do you do that? Look within, and I don'tbrick red. I painted the walls a light tan. Imagine
mean within your mind. Look within your closet!the boldness the dark brick red drapes gave the
People buy clothing because they are attracted toroom. In this room, I actually had six windows
the color or style. What color are your favoritethat broke up the walls. By the way, the picture I
pair of shoes? Do you have a favorite shirt, orfound was a favorite painting by T.C. Steele titled
dress? Check out the colors in your closet. You"A Child With Flowers." It was painted in 1918.
purchased these colors by emotional passion. ILook it up on the net, and you will see why I
love tan and black, and my favorite coat is tanloved those colors and the feel of that painting. It
with black trim. Use the hues of your favoritetook me back to my grandmother's strawberry
colors to design your room. Start with just threefarm where I spent many happy, safe, and
colors, one for walls (the lightest color,) one forbeautiful moments in life.
furniture, and one for window treatments.Step 6: Measure Room Before You Buy.
Step 2: Get Samples of Your Colors.Before you order, measure the room, so you
Take a quick trip to any department store, andknow if the furniture will fit into the room. Do not
go to the bath towel area. Look for washcloths inrely on a guess. Most furniture you purchase
the three colors you have in mind. I love earthtoday is ordered and takes six weeks to be
colors, and never grow tired of them. I wanted adelivered. The last thing you want is to wait six
green sage sofa, with a bold burgundy contrastingweeks and then return it because it was too large
color. I discovered during my sample hunt thatfor your space. Measure again and write down
green sage came in many different hues, fromthe measurements. Double-check the
greenish gray to greenish gold to greenish brown.manufacturer's measurements also.
I hate greenish gold. I also discovered thatStep 7: The Fun Part; Go Buy the Furniture.
burgundy went from reddish purple to aFurniture is negotiable and even more so when
raspberry color. What I really wanted was moreyou purchase a group in the same store. Take
of a dark brick red. Thank goodness, I only paidyour color washcloths with you. I looked at over
$3.50 for those washcloths rather than $1800.00200 fabric swatches before I matched my
for a new sofa in greenish gold!washcloth colors. Make sure you sit on the
Step 3: Determine Your Décor Style.furniture, and it is quality made. Ask to see all the
What style of furniture feels the mostfabric swatches for that furniture. Often a sales
comfortable and inviting? Again, don't let the latestrepresentative will not tell you fabric options. The
fashion create your room. This is your room, yourcost to pick a different fabric is not that much. If
perfect room. How do you find your style? Go toyou have children, pick a polyester cotton blend. It
different pictures in books, art galleries or roomwill wear like iron, and clean up great too. Pick
galleries on the internet. Do you like the traditionaltables that match each other. This gives the
type of furniture? Do you like the overstuffedroom a continuity of style. If you are the
contemporary sofas? Do you like the straighttransitional type and don't want matching tables,
lined, no curves of the modern furniture? What ifthen at least match the wood color. I went with
you like a mixture of furniture styles? That islight oak wood, very plain tables.
called transitional approach. I personally likeStep 8: Pick an Accent Color.
transitional flair, our web site is a great place toThis would be a color you want thrown in for
discover your style. We take one room andelegance or flamboyance. I actually used black as
design it using the different styles, traditional,my accent color. I used very little, but I found a
contemporary, modern, southwest, andbrick red rug with my sage green, and black
transitional. When you find what you like, print theaccents. Therefore, I purchased black vases, and
picture.a stunning black lacquer pot. In addition, pictures
Step 4: Find the Paint Color and Paint.were framed in black. When the room was
Take your washcloth color sample to the paintfinished, it actually looked like a room from 1918.
store. Purchase and paint the walls before youMy husband sealed it with the old fashion style
furnish the room or put in window treatments.lampshades. Why did my husband love it too? I
You don't want paint spills on your newlooked in his closet. He not only wears those
décor. Remember paint may lighten orcolors, but his favorite wood is light oak!
darken as it dries. That is why it is best to work