| When it comes to furnishing and designing the interiors | | | | do you much good to buy big furniture pieces if you |
| of your new home, it pays to have a plan. Without one, | | | | can't get them into the rooms. |
| you're like a ship without a rudder - you may have a | | | | * Think Carpet when you Pick Paint - Matching your |
| rough idea of where you want to go, but may not | | | | paint to the carpet is easier than vice versa. The |
| have a clue how to get there. | | | | reason: there are more paint color options to choose |
| Having an idea ahead of time of the kind of look, color | | | | from than carpet colors. |
| and style you want for your interiors will save you | | | | * Stick with a Scheme - Choose a color scheme for |
| headaches down the line. | | | | your house. Go with three primary colors -- red, blue |
| Some tips on how to come up with your interior plan: | | | | and green, for example -- and you usually won't go |
| * Set a Budget - Decide at the outset what you can | | | | wrong. Try to include some of each color in each |
| and will invest. Determine the spaces (e.g., the family | | | | room. |
| room) and the pieces (e.g., sofas or bedroom furniture) | | | | * Find the Focal Point - showcase the key attraction in |
| in which you'll spend the most time, and build your | | | | each room. Whether that attraction is a fireplace or a |
| budget around those. Don't skimp on the sofa, but | | | | huge window overlooking a canyon, arrange the |
| figure to save on smaller pieces like end tables and on | | | | seating around it. |
| accessories. | | | | * Pick your Piece - invest in a "signature" piece for |
| * Select a Style - Contemporary, traditional, formal, | | | | each room, and design around it. That item can be an |
| casual, eclectic - what turns you on? Figure out the | | | | antique cocktail table, a desk, an armoire, or just a |
| look you're drawn to, and go with it. Understand that | | | | piece of furniture with emotional value. |
| each has its advantages: contemporary, for example, | | | | * Put Things in Perspective - A large sofa just doesn't |
| is more "in" right now, while traditional is more | | | | work in a tiny family room. Nor does it look right to |
| comfortable. | | | | have only a small settee and two small armchairs in a |
| * Focus on Functionality - Do you want to dine in the | | | | two story room. Furniture that's too big overshadows |
| dining room - or would that room work better as a | | | | a room; furniture that's too small gets lost in it. |
| library? What will you use the living room for? Assign a | | | | * Hire a Designer - What's right for your space? |
| "purpose" to all the rooms before you attempt to | | | | What's in, what's out? What's hot, what's not? Interior |
| furnish them. | | | | design professionals have the expertise to answer |
| * Get out the Tape Measure - Know the size of the | | | | those questions - and to save you time and money as |
| rooms, windows and walls before you go shopping. | | | | you furnish your new home. |
| And don't forget to measure your doorways. It won't | | | | |