Now that you've chosen the floors, the walls, and the lighting, it's time to decorate! Be selective when bringing back any existing furniture into the room - evaluate whether or not the piece still works with the flow and style of the room, and does it fit with the purpose of the room. Be sure not to overcrowd the room with furniture - this is a great time to downsize and remove any extra pieces that aren't necessary. Does the room need an area rug to bring it all together? Add artwork, photos, and decorative accent pieces. Take your time finding these, and don't be afraid to purchase something whether you're sure of it or not, just be sure the store has a flexible return policy. Bring it into the room to evaluate. Happy shopping!!
Home Renos 101 Day 4 - Choosing Wall Coverings - Paint/Wallpaper
Once you have chosen the floor, it's time to decide on the walls. If you are working with any existing furniture or decorative pieces, be sure to keep these in mind when choosing style and colours.
Wallpaper - much easier to hang and remove then ever, with some fantastic modern designs available!
Paint - don't be afraid to use a little colour! If you want to bring colour in from decorative sources instead of paint, there is a great variety of beautiful neutral colours that are not your typical beige. Consider grey taupes, and yellows, and even a light green.
Whatever you are choosing, whether it is paint, or wallpaper, or both, be sure bring your samples into the room that you are renovating, with the lighting you are intending to use. Do not use extra lighting to "get a better view" as the extra lighting will change how the colours looks.
Interior decorating professionals have access to a large number of paint chips, and allow you to browse through hundreds of colours on site, saving you several trips to the paint store. they can also provide wallpaper ideas and samples. Remember that the lighting at the store is different then the lighting at home, so consider outsourcing this part to a professional. For information on BTSH Colour Consultations, click here.
Home Renos 101 Day 3 - Lighting
Once again, think about the use of the room. Do you require task lighting, ambient lighting, accent lighting, or decorative lighting? Ambient lighting is meant to be soft and "out of sight", that is not from an obvious source. It works best as a calming and neutral background.
Accent lighting is used to highlight features and add interest to a room or detail. Often this is wired directly into the wall.
Task lighting is meant to provide direct light for working, such as in an office or kitchen. It provides visual clarity and helps to focus the mind on the job.
Decorative lighting is less effective if it has to compete with too much task or accent lighting. The scheme it occupies should rely on a discreet balance of elements and act as a unifier and/or focal point.
Recall your questions from Day 1 to allow you to determine what type of lighting you require.
Accent lighting is used to highlight features and add interest to a room or detail. Often this is wired directly into the wall.
Task lighting is meant to provide direct light for working, such as in an office or kitchen. It provides visual clarity and helps to focus the mind on the job.
Decorative lighting is less effective if it has to compete with too much task or accent lighting. The scheme it occupies should rely on a discreet balance of elements and act as a unifier and/or focal point.
Recall your questions from Day 1 to allow you to determine what type of lighting you require.
Happy Last Movember Day!!
I would like to thank everyone that supported Movember, either by donating to the cause, or by sporting a moustache for the month of November to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer. That being said, I look forward to December 1st :) Happy shaving!!
Home Renos 101 Day 2 - Flooring
While this is technically step two, as far as choosing the actual visual pieces for the room in question, this is step one. I can't stress this enough - always, always, always start from the ground up and select your flooring first. The type of flooring (laminate, hardwood, tiles, carpet, etc) is up to you, but take into consider the use of the room. Consider durability, comfort, cleaning and maintenance, and of course, how it looks. Before you step foot into a flooring store, be sure you understand your needs in all of the areas. Refer back to the questions you answered in Step 1 and take these into consideration in choosing your flooring.
Home Renos 101 Day 1 - Setting the Mood
When renovating any room in your home, the first step is to define the room. This will help you to determine what the overall feel or mood of the room will be. Ask yourself these 3 questions: What will the room be used for?
Who will use the room?
How often will the room be used? Be sure as you're planning out the room to refer back to these answers - these will help you to make decisions regarding functionality vs durability vs aesthetics.
Who will use the room?
How often will the room be used? Be sure as you're planning out the room to refer back to these answers - these will help you to make decisions regarding functionality vs durability vs aesthetics.