Eight dos and don’ts of decorating your first home

So you have the keys to the front door, and you’re finally in the home! It’s a great and exciting time for you, and you’re eager to mix things up and create that perfect pad. But before you whip out the paintbrush here’s eight tips to consider for getting everything right.

Do… have a plan

What will your home look like? Will it feature one, constant theme, or will each room have its own distinct character? Will the colours be bright and vibrant, calm and considered, or a blend of both? How will it be laid out? What furniture will I need? Before steaming in and buying a glut of DUY items, think of your future. Some of your plans might work, and some might not, but you’ve got a better chance of success with a little forethought.

Don’t… rush the process

You may be absolutely desperate to get your property into a shape ready for a housewarming party, and that’s fine. But a ‘rush job’ of quickly buying furniture that you don’t really like, or painting walls and fittings quickly in a slapdash fashion, will not serve you well down the line. If you have to, concentrate on decorating one or two rooms at a time – and decorating these well – and then open these up to your friends.

Do… get your paintbrush out

Once you’ve decided on your them, it makes perfect sense to get the walls painted or wallpapered as soon as possible – and definitely before you’ve moved major furniture into the room. Covering chairs and tables in plastic sheets, or scraping paint off with a knife is a drain on time that you don’t need when there’s so much to do.

Don’t…. forget lighting

Whatever style of rooms you plump for, consider the quality and type of light and how that will affect the look. Think of colour, and mood, and the amount of sunlight – a lack of light can destroy the cosiness and warmth of a room with dark furniture. If you have the means, consider getting a new window or skylight installed, or perhaps different doors, through a company such as Ken’s Yard.

Do… choose a bed early

A persistent lack of sleep can lead to illness and weight gain at best, and depression, heart disease and cognitive dysfunction. So don’t spend too much time sleeping on the floor or couch. Indeed, choosing a bed is one of the more exciting aspects of building a home. Go for something that fits in with the intended style of the room, and don’t skimp on a good mattress.

Don’t… be afraid to experiment

This is your home. There are no parents or landlords to stop you any more, and that means the shackles are off. A bathroom decorated entirely in pink or purple? Fine. A front room styled entirely on the films of Quentin Tarantino? Great. A garden that’s completely paved over and garnished with statues from eastern mythology? Go for it – these people all did, albeit with a lot of cash behind them.

Do… fight the temptation that only matching furniture will do

As much as you may wish to live in a symmetrical, uniform home, where all the lamps and chairs and tables and carpets and other furnishings match up, a little randomness and quirkiness here and there isn’t a terrible thing. You don’t want your home to look like a set of showrooms or something akin to a catalogue home, do you? Trying to find items that perfectly fit in with their surroundings can lead to over-complication, or perhaps worse, a drastic let of space.

Don’t… buy everything at once

Not only will it cripple you financially, there’s a good chance that you’ll miss out on good deals or offers. Prioritising what needs to be done first – ie the bedroom – gives you time to plan out the home, and also measure up exactly what would fit well in any given space as you move along. You might move existing furniture around and realise that you can swap some items into rooms rather than buying new.