Decorating a home is fun, and interesting, but it can also be expensive. The last thing you need is to make a mistake, and get it wrong. If you do so, the chances are you will have to redecorate again just a few months down the line, which is expensive and time consuming.
To help you to avoid getting into this situation, I have come up with x innovative ways for you to try a new look, without spending too much money. You just need to read on to find out more. If you know of other ways to do it I would love to hear about them, so please tell us using the comments.
Use home design software
My first suggestion is to invest in some home design software. These programmes are great fun to use, once you have your head around how to do so. You can find out more about this type of software here.
However, this software is not cheap, so you need to do your research before investing. Look for a programme that offers proper customer support, and includes good instructional videos. If you know someone who already uses a home design package, take the time to sit down with him or her for half an hour and look over their shoulder.
Hire some furniture
If you want to see how your home would look with a different style of furniture, my suggestion is that you hire some in the style you are thinking of using. There are firms out there that specialise in leasing home furnishings to developers, landlords and property agents. However, many of them will happily rent out their show home furniture to private individuals as well.
You just need to go to their website, choose a suite of furniture that you like, and contact them for a quote. They will then deliver everything. Usually, if you ask them to they will even set it all out for you. It is also possible to rent soft furnishings, ornaments, rugs and the other items you need to complete the room. This option is an especially good one, because it allows you to get a true understanding of whether a certain style of home decor is right for you or not.
Call in a professional
Another option is to hire a home designer to give you a hand. Some will happily put together some design ideas for you to consider. Often they will do this for a relatively small fee. Professional designers usually have access to high-end home design software, which enables them to show you visually what a room could look like. If you see something you like, you can keep those plans, and use them to guide you through the redecoration process. Remember that hiring a home designer does not necessarily mean that you have to pay them to do the actual decorating as well as the planning.
Use other people’s homes for inspiration
When you socialise with your neighbours pay particular attention to how they decorate their homes. The chances are that if a particular look works in their property it will look good in yours too, so make a mental note of any ideas that you like.