Audit Your Decorating

When someone comes to your home for the very first time, what do they see?  What’s their first impression? Would they find your home to be beautiful, comfortable and inviting or are there areas in need of some serious IRS-type scrutiny?

If you’re anything like me, you perform mini-audits in your home every day without realizing it. There are cleaning audits, closet audits, garden and seasonal item audits, heater vents, air conditioning filters, holiday decorations, water filters, etc. But when’s the last time you walked through your home with a keen eye and thoroughly audited your decorating? Take 20 minutes and complete this easy home decorating audit to insure your guests feel comfortable and welcome when they are in your home.

Let’s Begin. To avoid overwhelm, conduct your audit one room at a time. With a pad of paper in hand, walk through each room and ask yourself the following questions carefully.

1. Clutter – The number one way to uplift and add life to a room is to remove the clutter. Take time to review model homes in your area or magazine pictures. Notice how clean and uncluttered the rooms are. The number one thing realtors tell home sellers is to clear the clutter before putting their house on the market because no one likes it. Put it in the garage, store it or donate it.  Out with the old to make room for the new.

2. Floors – Is it time for new carpet throughout or would a good cleaning suffice? What about the tile, wood or linoleum? Are they in need of repair or is it time to upgrade to today’s colors and styles? As one of the largest surface areas in your home, the flooring you choose can greatly influence the overall style and feel of your home. It’s important to keep it clean, current and up to date.

3. Walls – When is the last time you painted? Is it time to patch and paint and add some new colors? Paint is the quickest, easiest and least expensive way to dramatically change a room. What about wallpaper? I’ve been hearing that it’s making a comeback, but if you’ve had yours since the last time it was popular, it’s probably time to replace it with something new.

4. Window Treatments – Are your window treatments broken, in need of repair or replacement? Can’t get the shade to go up or down? Still have those temporary paper shades up? It’s time to get moving. The window treatments you choose are a major focal point in most rooms. If you skimp there, it sets the tone for the room to look skimpy and unfinished.





5. Furniture – Does it still go with the style of your home?  No need to go out and get all new furniture if you love the style and it fits well within your room. If need be, have it cleaned by a professional service, or have it reupholstered. It’s amazing what a good upholsterer can do, especially if you’d like to slightly alter the style of your existing furniture. Another way to dramatically change the look of a room is to have slipcovers made for your existing furniture. Oftentimes, they’re washable and they easily give you the look and feel of a brand new room, in no time flat!

6. Lighting – Do you have a few table lamps, something glaring overhead? Use a combination of lighting styles to create a warm and inviting room – task, overhead, spot, dimmers, accent.  Don’t try to solve all your lighting issues with just one lighting style. Use them in combination. Think about relaxing in front of a fireplace and how mesmerizing that feels. But if you tried to read with that light, you’d get a headache. Remember to use the correct lighting for the task at hand whether it be reading, relaxing or for decoration.

7. Accessories – This is the fun part. Mementos, gifts, artwork, photos, heartfelt pieces, these are what make your house your home. Accessories are important, but placement is key. Try not to overdo it with too many small pieces scattered around the house. Remember less is more and then put them groupings. Larger accessories carry more impact like a large urn, a tall plant in a corner, etc. Remember to keep item #1 above in mind. Then, have fun with this, it’s the icing on the cake!
 
Once you conduct your home decorating audit, you’ll have a great place to start. You’ll know exactly what needs to be done and what to do next to insure your family and friends enjoy the beauty of your home. Have fun and enjoy the decorating!

(c) 2008 – 2010 Barbara Deckmeyer

As owner of The Shadey Ladies, Inc for over 19 years, interior designer Barbara Deckmeyer specializes in providing beautiful shades, exquisite draperies and sumptuous bedding for her clients, which include some of the most prestigious interior designers and homeowners in the world. As a specialist, she’s been flown to exotic international locations for her client’s projects and been published in magazines, newspapers and industry publications for over 20 years.

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Audit Your Decorating
By Barbara Deckmeyer