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SubscribeThe keys are in hand, and the excitement is palpable – moving into a new home is a thrill of its own! Now, picture this: the walls are blank canvases ready for you to style. Decorating might seem like a maze with multiple rooms and endless possibilities, but fear not – we've got your back!
As you finalise the paperwork and embark on this thrilling journey, our designers have shared their top tips to make the decorating process seamless. From conquering all the half-complete rooms to knowing where to start, we've got the best insider tips on the best home décor ideas..
Say goodbye to stress and hello to the all fun bits of transforming your new abode with these ideas for decorating a house!
1. Be selective about what you take
3. Avoid designing around existing furniture
4. Give yourself a blank slate
5. Inject your personality on a budget
7. Time to find your design direction!
8. Which room should I decorate first?
10. Don't forget window treatments
Decorating a new home can sometimes take over life for a while... why not save time and let us help?! We can transform your home for just £395 per room:
Where to start when decorating a new home
If you aren’t hiring a seasoned professional (here's 14 reasons why you should!) to help you complete the space, then we’d strongly recommend you take a few months to live in the space and get to know exactly how to get the most from it.
It’s so common to have a strong urge to immediately transform your new home into somewhere that feels more ‘you’. This can be how expensive mistakes are made though!
In this guide, we've outlined our steps to decorating a new home and threw in some quick and affordable new home ideas to help you personalise it from day one!
1. Be selective about what you take
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
This stage might not be super ‘sexy’ but it’s incredibly important and we promise it will pay off! Moving home is such a great opportunity to clear out all the bits and pieces you no longer need in your life, and certainly won’t need cluttering up your new home.
When sorting, create three piles: keepers, donations and rubbish. This is also the time to sell on any furniture that you’ve outgrown or can’t see working in your new place. (Put any money you make toward new furniture for your new home.)
Don’t leave it to the last minute though. Start the decluttering process early so that there’s not a last minute ‘shove everything you can see into a box’ panic!
Just 10 minutes a day can really reduce stress from the whole process and will mean you can start your next chapter clutter free.
When you pack up your belongings to move, group them in boxes depending on whether you’ll need daily access or not. For example, one kitchen box would have cutlery and a few essential pans but another might have that crock pot you haven't used since in 2012. Make a note on each box so you remember which are ‘touch access’ and which can be stored. This will really help you when you reach step 2...
2. Don’t unpack all at once
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Image credit: My Bespoke Room
We get it, it can be tempting to surround yourself with all your personal things immediately so you feel at home. But try to resist!
The reason is you’re far less likely to find the time and energy to redecorate if it means packing your bits and bobs back up.
It’s extremely common to grow complacent with a wall colour or carpet over time and it will be more likely that the effort of finding ideas to decorate your home will lose the battle. The longer you leave it - the less likely you will change it!
Want to discuss your new home ideas with an expert? Book a free call with a member of our team today:
3. Avoid designing around existing furniture
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
It's common to feel the need to design your new living room around your existing sofa, and we get it - those things ain't cheap!
But chances are, the sofa you bought worked beautifully in your old home, but doesn’t quite fit (literally and visually!) in your new abode. The last thing you want is to spend time and money trying to make it work and then do it all over again in a year or two.
So rather than trying to shoehorn an old sofa into your new vision, consider selling it on and putting that money towards something that is the right scale for the space and suits your new home's décor style.
Naturally, there are always exceptions! If the sofa in question is a piece that still brings you joy and you simply can’t live without it, then use it as a starting point and inspiration for your new home's design.
4. Give yourself a blank slate
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Wait, so you don’t love that purple floral wallpaper and orange carpet combo?!
Unless you’re moving into a shiny new build then you could be faced with some, let's just say ’questionable’ design decisions from the previous owners. Even if they had a fantastic taste, it might not be ‘you’.
It can take a professional with a well-trained eye to be able to see the potential in a room and give it a new lease of life that fits the personality of the new owner. The rest of us might need a helping hand to see the wood for the trees!
Paint is an extremely inexpensive way to transform a space and can be done over a weekend. If you’re struggling to see the potential in a room then consider using a neutral colour and create a blank canvas.
You can then give yourself a bit more time to live in the space and truly understand what would work in there. You'll be able to see what the light is like throughout the day and importantly - how you actually use the space to come up with the home furnishing ideas.
Wondering how we can help you with ideas for house decorating? Book a free call with our experts to find out:
5. Inject your personality on a budget
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
But just because we suggest not unpacking everything you own on day one doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel at home in your new space.
In addition to painting, there are other ways to personalise and decorate new home that don’t cost the earth.
If you’re going with a neutral palette on the walls to begin with, it doesn’t need to be boring. Soft furnishings like cushions and throws are an inexpensive and extremely effective way to inject personality and colour into your new home.
Picture ledges are also wonderful things - they give you a great deal of flexibility to change up your artwork and photos when the feeling takes you without having to reach for the hammer!
Low level plug in lighting is also crucial to creating that ambient, cosy vibe in your home. Combine it with plenty of texture and you’ll be feeling right at home in no time.
6. Plan your layout
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
You've now spent a while in your new place and you're starting to get a feel for which rooms you use the most and how you use them.
It's all very well dreaming of a large kitchen island in your new kitchen but perhaps now you're realising that the space just isn't big enough and being able to move around freely without bumping into things is more important!
To work out the most functional layout for you and your family, draw out a rough sketch of the space. You’ll want to add in all the elements that can’t or won’t be changed such as windows or kitchen cabinets if you’re working with an existing one.
Then you can start testing out different layouts from a more objective 'birds eye view'. You might be surprised to see that you had more space than you thought. Or it will force you to be realistic about what you can actually fit in the room.
The next step is to use masking tape or boxes (you must have plenty of these left over from the move!) and mark out where you're thinking of placing large items like your sofa or bed. Live with it for a few days and make sure you leave plenty of room to move around the space.
Also, consider where the light travels around your home. Is there a lovely sunny spot in your bedroom mid-afternoon that would make a wonderful reading napping nook?
Getting the layout right can have a BIG impact on your space. Get it right the first time by booking a room design with us from just £395:
7. Time to find your design direction!
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Now that you and your new home are fully acquainted, it's time to start working on your design direction and interior design themes.
This isn't a one-size-fits-all answer - there are a few different ways to settle on what style you'd like your new home to be. Sometimes it can be through taking an existing piece of furniture that you love as the focal point for the room such as a bright blue sofa or a mid-century sideboard.
Art is also a wonderful inspiration. Pull the colours and shapes from the artwork and apply them to your room.
Don't forget about your wardrobe! Which colours are you drawn to? Is it mostly black and white or is there pattern aplenty?!
Using Pinterest to find your design direction
Pinterest can be overwhelming - so many beautiful designs filled with the current interior design trends, it can be hard to know where to get started!
Start off by not restricting yourself at all, search for a style you like such as 'modern decor home ideas' and go crazy adding everything that makes your heart sing, you don't need to have your realistic hat on yet.
Next, take a few days away and forget about it. When you come back, delete any of those 'what was I thinking?!' pins and take out any images that sorely stick out from the rest.
You'll now be left with a super useful board that you can begin to pull themes from. For example, what colours are you drawn to? How much pattern is on the board? Is it minimalist and clean or more eclectic styles you're drawn to?
If you're in a little doubt about what home decor style you're leaning towards, start by keeping it simple with neutral colours and patterns, because you can always build on this and layer in more details as you discover your style - however turning back from bold florals and a bright purple walls may be a little more difficult!
Need help discovering your design style? Take our easy quiz and get personalised inspo straight to your inbox!
8. Which room should I decorate first?
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
There's no right or wrong answer to which room you should fill with all your beautiful home decor bits first.
If you're moving house with kids, we'd recommend getting their bedrooms sorted first, allowing them to adjust quicker and have a safe space in your new home.
Then think about which room will see the most use, most often this is the living room - having this space can allow you to relax and feel at home, giving you a retreat to sit and watch TV or even eat your dinner whilst the dining room is in the works!
9. Plan your storage in early
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
There's nothing worse than emptying out the boxes in your new home and realising you have nowhere to store your stuff!
By planning out where your storage is going early, you can give yourself plenty of space to organise your belongings and avoid unnecessary clutter.
Incorporating built-in storage, multi-functional furniture, and smart shelving can help you maximise your new home design.
When decorating a whole house it can be helpful to have a designer come measure up, take photos and discuss your brief in person. Find out more about our Home Visit service by booking a free no-obligation call with our lovely team:
10. Don't forget window treatments
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
You don't want to be tucking in for your first night's sleep in your brand new home only to be woken up at the crack of dawn because you didn't hang any curtains or blinds.
So when viewing your home, make sure to jot down the window measurements in the important rooms to make sure you can get your window treatments organised in time.
If you're not sure what the interior design style for your new home will be, consider purchasing neutral-coloured, minimal blinds - later, you can layer curtains over the blinds to enhance the look and tie in the look with your chosen home decor style.
Decorating a new build home
Image credit: My Bespoke Room
Moving into a new build can feel like stepping onto a giant, empty canvas—those blank walls and rooms can be a bit daunting. And with so many interior design trends to explore, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
But don’t worry! If you’re ready to turn that cookie-cutter space into a house that outshines the show home, we’ve got you covered. Check out our step-by-step guide to help you personalise every inch of your new build!
From period property to new build, our designers can help you transform any space and make it your own!
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