Determine the function of each room. Look at the wear and tear the room will get from kids, pets or frequent entertaining?
Take stock of your current furniture. If you have family heirlooms, antiques or high quality furnishings, you have the option of reupholstering or refinishing them to restore their appearance and function. If you are living with furniture that you dislike, doesn't quite fit the space or is past its prime and not worth repairing, buy new pieces and donate the old ones to a charitable organization.
Determine your personal style. Look for ideas in your favorite colors and motifs. Magazines, books, online sources, home shows, stores and professional decorators can give you insight into the types of decor that best suit your style and make you feel at home. Start a photo collection of styles that you love, as pictures say a thousand words when you go out to find the similar look in the stores.
Identify a focal point in each room, such as your fireplace, a conversational seating arrangement, a piece of art or a window with a view. Keep in mind natural traffic patterns and arrange your furniture accordingly for ease of movement. Define spaces in open floor plans.
Choose paint colors last. Take samples of fabric, wood tones and flooring when choosing paint colors and bring chips home to view them in the room at different times during the day. When you think you have found the right color go back to the paint store and buy samples of the colors so that you can paint a sample on the wall in several places. It is sometimes amazing to see how a color changes with the light in the room as the day passes. Most of all - don't be afraid of color. With a little imagination you will be able to transform your home.
