| Is your house and home feeling a little bit tired and | | | | study, home office or even a play room so don't limit |
| jaded? Does it lack that special edge that it once | | | | your thinking to using any room for its original |
| had? If so you're no doubt sick of living in a home | | | | purpose - unless it suits you of course. |
| that no longer suits you so why not convert that | | | | 4. The Shopping List |
| drab interior to something fantastic? Your home | | | | Of all the items that you could potentially list here |
| should be a place of rest and relaxation. A place for | | | | paint is the most important. Paint forms the |
| you to recharge your batteries that have been | | | | "foundation" of any room and if you rush the paint |
| drained by todays busy lifestyles. The great news is | | | | job then everything that comes afterwards just |
| that regardless of what type of look or feel you | | | | won't "work" in the room. Another mistake many |
| want your redecorated home to have there are | | | | people make is to buy the cheapest paint possible. |
| ideas aplenty available to you for use as inspiration. | | | | You might save a few bucks on the cost of the tin |
| There are several important tips that you should | | | | but you'll wind up kicking yourself later on when you |
| follow for each interior or home decorating project: | | | | realize it's going to take 3 coats to finish each wall |
| 1. Choose A Theme | | | | instead of just one - it's generally not cost effective |
| Have a very clear idea of what you want the | | | | to buy cheap paint; it just doesn't cover or finish as |
| finished "product" to look like before you begin. Get | | | | well as the more expensive brands. |
| your hands on as many home decorating books and | | | | Also make allowances in your budget for disposable |
| magazines as you can. As you read through them | | | | overalls and any cleaning or preparatory materials you |
| you'll find yourself drawn to one theme or style more | | | | might need for your project. Decorating can be a |
| than others. Exposure to as many decorating styles | | | | messy business so prepare for the clean up |
| as possible is the key to success here. | | | | operation before you even begin. |
| 2. Choose A Color Scheme | | | | 5. What To Paint With? |
| During your theme research you'll have noticed that | | | | Another important decision is whether to use |
| most decorating themes rely on specific color | | | | brushes, a roller or foam painting pads. Brushes have |
| schemes to achieve the required results; those colors | | | | their uses for "edging out" a room - for those tiny |
| are standard to that particular decorating theme. | | | | corners. For the large surface areas it makes more |
| What do we mean by this? Well for example Asian | | | | sense to use a roller or paint pads. Personally I've |
| decorating styles and themes are dominated by the | | | | found rollers to be just plain old messy and now use |
| use of red, black and dark blue. Another example is | | | | paint pads (some stores call them speed painters) for |
| tropical decorating themes which rely more on green, | | | | any large surface area that needs to be painted well |
| red and aqua colors. Your chosen theme will, | | | | and quickly. Use a roller if you really have to but bear |
| realistically, follow the same basic pattern of using a | | | | in mind that they're extremely messy so make sure |
| fixed palette of colors for the entire decorating | | | | both you (disposable overalls are ideal) and the |
| project. | | | | flooring is well covered against splashes. |
| 3. Choose A Use For the Room | | | | Don't forget to have some fun along the way too! |
| What will you actually do in the room you're | | | | For all the planning, preparation and work that goes |
| redecorating? Just because the room was originally | | | | into redecorating any room or home it should still be |
| built for a specific purpose don't mentally trap | | | | a fun experience for everyone involved. You'll have |
| yourself by only decorating to that particular type of | | | | that added sense of satisfaction knowing that you |
| room. For example if your family eats most of their | | | | redecorated or helped to redecorate your home with |
| meals in the kitchen then don't decorate your dining | | | | your own hands. Take some time out to relax in |
| room with a large dining table and accessories - it's a | | | | your new room once it's finished - especially before |
| waste of the room. It could be converted to a | | | | you start redecorating the next room in the house. |