The Ultimate Guide to Create a Dream Home for You and Your Loved One
Furnishing your first home is a romantic and exciting time for any couple. However, with all the choices and knowledge needed, it can also be daunting.
To make the transition into your first home together easier and more enjoyable, here are a few tips:
Budget
The most important aspect to begin your journey together is to create a budget. This will keep you newlyweds organized and in the honeymoon state, for as long as possible. Discuss what items you might be bringing from a previous living space and what items need to be purchased to furnish your home. When discussing budget, think about key pieces you need first, i.e. sofa, mattress, dining tables, etc. Creating a detailed budget, with how much you are willing to spend on each item, will help to keep yourselves from getting in over your heads.
Investing in key pieces in a room first will help maximize your budget. For example, your key piece in a living room is a sofa or sectional. Investing in a statement piece, sofa or sectional, can help fill up a room without having to buy too much. In a bedroom, finding the right mattress will make all the difference. We spend 30% of our lives on a mattress; which is more than any other piece of furniture. Our health depends on a good night’s sleep, so investing in a good quality mattress is equally as important for newlyweds as is the box spring. A durable box spring will keep the spring in your relationship!
Measurements
The next most important thing to check off on your to-do list before purchasing furniture is getting all the measurements. You will need to measure the space of your room, the doorways, stairways, elevators, and even hallways. While the furniture measurements are important, to know whether or not the items will fit in your space, even more important is knowing whether you will be able to get the furniture to the designated room!
Using a room planner to get an idea of how much space you have and of your layout is always a good idea. The Decorium website offers a room planner to help you bring your ideas to life. We suggest you bring all your measurements with you when shopping for furniture, and, if you have a newly built home, bring your blueprints! Experienced design consultants will know how to read your measurements and know how to work with them.
Style
Styling your home is a true test of a couple’s willingness to compromise and find that middle ground. Partners need to discuss what direction they would like the style of their home to go in.
For young couples, industrial and urban chic are styles which are trending right now. This means mixing different materials to create a cohesive style. This includes mixing metals with material, fabric with leather, and warm distressed wood pieces with exposed cold metal pieces. These styles incorporate a mix for both feminine and masculine tastes. For example, fluffy, soft accent pillows can add a touch of femininity to a strong clean lined sofa. Mixing shapes, patterns and colours can create a style which allows both sexes to express themselves. There are many places to get inspired by style. Decorium offers a 100,000sq. foot showroom where you can be inspired by all of our room vignettes.
Colour
Going in the direction of a neutral pallet is versatile, chic and simple. White is a perfect backdrop to show case any type of furniture and décor and ensures it gets the attention it deserves. Once you have established your colour pallet, pull colour from accent pieces like art and area rugs. Use colours you love and that make both of you happy.
Texture
Making a home comfortable and inviting means using texture. Texture adds sensory richness and creates layers of comfort. It’s also another way to incorporate both masculine and feminine touches into any room.
Accessories
The way to make a house a home, other than filling it with family, is accessories. Think of accessories as the icing on your wedding cake. Nothing will tie a room together, and add style from both partners like accessories. They can bring a bland room to life. Using different colours, textures, photos, artwork, lamps, rugs, and so on, can not only brighten your home, but it can help tell the story of your relationship.
By: Ellen Zworth, Design Consultant at Decorium,
Ellen@decorium.ca
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