Why would you want to decorate/redecorate? Perhaps you’ve just moved into your dream home, in which case you’re going to be full of that special kind of raw excitement reserved for such occasions. Perhaps you’re selling, and therefore want to maximise interest with a lick of paint to counter that once-gaudy neo-gothic style you had going on.
Perhaps you just want a change of scenery after years of staring at the same four walls, you’ve grown up and want a change of atmosphere. Whatever the reasons, decorating a bedroom is by no means a simple process. There will be a great deal of brainstorming, deliberation and internal argument before you stand there looking at your dream room.
The last thing you’ll want when viewing the finished product is to regret something. After all, a lot of time and money will have gone into the decoration, which is why you should be absolutely sure that what you’re doing is what you truly want, and be pretty meticulous in your planning of it. You won’t want to rush into anything; instead gather as much information as you can and go from there.
It would be too easy to just head into your local department store, or that Scandinavian home of ready-made ideas, and walk out with every facet of your new room already catered for. I suspect, however, that you won’t want your room to look like just another carbon-copy of a catalogue photo.
You’ll want to retain some kind of individuality, to have a little piece of yourself locked away inside the final design. For this reason you can’t be too afraid or lazy to scour every possible source for ideas.
Firstly, think of a style. Do you want Pop Art chic, the retro style of Art Deco, or the Zen-like state of minimalism and Feng Shui? Think hard – you want your room to have a certain feeling; after all, it will be the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night.
You’ll also need to consider the thoughts of anyone you share a room with, and probably the overall style of the home too – you don’t want one room to look like a dungeon in a palace of airy light.
Use magazines and brochures and catalogues to find anything and everything that catches your eye, cut out what you do like and form a scrapbook of inspiration. Don’t be afraid to ask around for suggestions, too, and take pictures of rooms you see that you like the look of.
Once you have your general style, it’s time to go shopping. Don’t just jump into it, flashing the credit card at the first thing that you see; you’ll need to be more meticulous here, every detail is important. Gloss or matt paint? Silken or embossed wallpaper? Oak or pine furniture? Lush carpet or stylish wooden flooring?
Ceiling fan or chandelier? These are the kind of decisions that make all the difference to the overall big picture. Is cost a big factor in your choice of bedroom items? Don’t be afraid to shop around if so – it’s often better to get something similar cheaper than originally planned, and it leaves more for the bigger or more necessary items you might want.
Stick to a budget if you can – that was you’re more likely to be more careful in your choices and avoid that regret later. Don’t just consider the cost of buying the furniture either – you’ll need to factor in decoration costs if you want that professional sheen. Once you’re happy with all your decisions, then you can go happy and flash that cash or punish that credit card.
When you’re standing there, looking at the final result, you’ll want to feel that ‘wow factor’. You’ll want the kind of smile on your face that you see on a child at Christmas. Remember, your bedroom is your haven from the world – make it a place you can truly feel safe, relaxed and inspired in.