Lifestyle Matters

• Lifestyle considerations should be the first order of business when planning your space. As beautiful as a room may look in a magazine, trying to maintain a specific style will set you up for frustration and failure if it doesn't fit your personality and lifestyle. Consider a few questions when selecting your design: How many family members are there and what are their ages? Are there any pets? Don't underestimate the impact the answers to these questions will have on your overall design. If you like your home to always look spic and span with as little effort as possible, for example, you might reconsider flooring and furniture finishes that require a lot of maintenance. Select your materials for everything from counter tops and flooring to fabrics and paint finishes with your lifestyle requirements in mind to avoid frustration and possible damage to the piece.
  
  

Draw a Scaled Floor Plan

• Take the time to measure your space and any pieces of furniture you are keeping, and use the measurements to create a scaled floor plan. Alternatively, you can hire an interior decorator or designer to give you a fresh perspective on your space; he may provide you with a few different furniture placement options you may not have considered. There is also design planning software online available as a free download or that you can purchase. Whichever method you choose, use your floor plan as your blueprint for arranging and securing new pieces. Once you have determined that a piece will fit in the space, also make sure that you can maneuver it through your doorways, elevator or down the stairs to wherever you wish to place it.
  
  

Create a Budget

• Once your floor plan is created, the next order of business is to create a budget. Everyone has a threshold of what they are comfortable in spending on certain things. With this threshold in mind, create a list of the items you need, including sofas, chairs, tables and any accessories. Begin with an overall budget for the room, then break it down item by item. Consider where should you spend more and where can you save. For example, any piece that will endure heavy use should be of the best quality you can afford; save on accent pieces and occasional use pieces to stretch your dollars further.
  
  

Stay Focused

• Decorate one room at a time. Don't move onto the next room until you have finished the current one you are working on. If you need to stretch your budget, consider staggering spending, but extending the renovation beyond six months is a mistake. You will experience fatigue and personal taste changes over time; it might be tempting to modify your décor scheme as new trends emerge. Maintain your focus and the final result will be a room perfectly suited to you.