Decorating begins with basics: Know your likes, dislikes

"Once begun, a task is easy; half the work is done." Horace (65 B.C. - 27 B.C.), Roman Lyric Poet, Epistles

I have had several letters lately from young first-time homeowners and homeowners who want an entirely new look. There are a lot of questions about how to get started, furniture selection, painting and what styles to choose. In answer to basic decorating questions, (and please basic is not elementary -- it's the basis for your entire home), I will be focusing on "decorating first steps."

If you watch television at all, you can't help but run across the programs that offer make-overs and how-to ideas. As we all know, HGTV is a staple for those of us hooked on decorating and home improvement, and many other networks offer their own programming. If you go to the newsstand, there are probably 20 or so magazines offering the same advice (check out Southern Nevada Home & Garden for great ideas, ah, huh!). Each of these publications and programs give their own spin on decorating, and we as consumers seem to have an insatiable appetite for it. So, the ideas keep coming.

Caution, Caution, Caution

Very often you see things in magazines or on TV and you say to yourself, "that would never work in my home," and it may not. Or, "I would like that but I can't afford it"; "that's way too much color, too small, too big, hate the fabric, not the right style," etc. So we're going to explore what is right for you and how you can achieve it.

The main thing to remember when you are getting ready to redo your whole house, your first house, or just buy a new sofa or lamp, is that you must have fun with the project, and contrary to some opinion, you must be happy with the results. This is your space, your life and it's your money.

Most people's biggest objection to hiring a professional designer or decorator is that the professional imposes his or her tastes on the consumer and when the project is finished, it looks like them, not you. Even if you are hiring a decorator or designer, know your style and likes and dislikes first. Take the time to get educated.

Before you start

Read magazines, check out those television programs, prowl around in stores and arm yourself with as much information as possible. You also need to know your space. Measure, measure, measure. Exact measurements are a must if you are to have a successful project.

It is rare that a decorating project is stand-alone. You usually have a view from one room to another, so if you are painting or planning big pieces of upholstery, pay attention to the room colors in adjoining spaces. Different colors and patterns are great as long as they don't make your eyes cross if you see them together.

The first step

Usually, the first step in any redo or first-do is paint. It is the least expense and the easiest to achieve. Even if you want to add paper, or other decorative finishes later, paint is most likely your first project.

Unless you are trying to match a pattern in your china or a long time treasure, we are usually not positive of the exact paint color. It pays to first look at many paint samples in the color family you are interested in. If you haven't looked in the paint store lately, you will be shocked. There are millions of colors to choose from, and color can be very deceptive. Light and other colors found in upholstery or woods can affect the color.

I would recommend that you spend the money and buy small cans of several shades of paint that you decide on. Paint small areas on your walls and leave for at least 24 hours so you can see the color at night, with sunlight, shadow, etc. It's worth the investment in the long run.

My personal favorite step in this process is to buy large poster board, preferably a minimum size of 2 by 3 feet. Paint the paper and not the walls -- and move the paper around the room. Look at it in the morning with full sun coming in; check out the afternoon shadows; and look closely with your night lighting. The beauty of using the poster board is that you can move it around to see how it looks next to your kitchen cabinets, your favorite pieces of furniture, etc.

These truly are basic basics -- and I'm just getting started. Stay tuned for the next steps!

Carolyn Muse Grant is the editor of Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine. Her Inside Spaces column appears weekly in the Home & Garden section of the Review-Journal. Check out other decorating tips in Southern Nevada Home & Garden magazine, which is published the first Saturday of each month. Send questions to cgrant@reviewjournal.com.