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