10 tips for furnishing & decorating your first home

Aurora, James Hare James Hare Espacios
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Choosing your first home is one of the biggest decisions you will ever make. Picking an area, then finding a suitably sized house that will accommodate you and your family in the coming years, and finally settling on a property, is a huge process. It will be stressful, exhilarating, time consuming but most of all, it will be highly rewarding.

So what next? You've settled on a house, and are now ready to move in and make it home. The house is bare, and needs to furnished and decorated from top to bottom, and this is a huge task in itself. The best thing about buying your first house is being able to furnish and decorate it exactly how you want.

If the task ahead is looking a little daunting, never fear. We decided it was about time we put together a list of our 10 best tips for furnishing your new home. With a bit of careful planning, list writing, budgeting, and not rushing into things, you can make your new house a home, while not spending more than you can afford, and hopefully with a few less headaches and sleepless nights.

Start neutral

A good starting point is deciding that neutral is a good palate to get you off the ground. Choosing whites and blacks, timber tones and everything in between we think is a wise initial decision. Neutral tones will always work, and can always be easily dressed up with a dash of colour in elements such as floor rugs or cushions in the future.

Make lists

Expensive and time consuming tasks such as decorating your very own home need careful planning and budgeting. You cannot simply dive in and 'wing it'. Write down all the items you currently own, write down all the items you need, and write a wishlist of things you would love to own in the future.

Invest in a quality bed and bedding

We spend a third of our lives in bed, so it seems logical to own a quality bed and bedding. Now that you wont be moving for a long time, and if your bed is one thing that you have been reluctant to replace, maybe now is the time.

Have a budget

As mentioned before, just like making a list, it seems sensible to have a budget (and to stick to it). After dropping however many thousands of pounds on the deposit, money is going to be tight. When you go shopping for new furniture and decorations, its easy to become over excited and spend money you don't have. Don't let a showroom or a salesperson let you go over your budget, and shop around for deals and value for money. And, if you have some money to spare after sticking to your budget, you can happily buy something from your wishlist without the guilt.

Know your rooms dimensions

This might seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at how many people bring home a new couch or table, only to find it doesn't fit well in the room. A large open showroom will make items look smaller than they actually are, so be smart and measure the dimensions of your rooms, and the hallways/doors to ensure you can actually get the furniture in.

Dont buy everyting at once

This ties in with the wise move of making lists,and sticking to a budget- don't buy everything at once. Of course, if you are going to get a discount for buying lots furnishings for one room in bulk, for example, then go crazy. But as a general rule, it is better to shop around to see what is available, and to live in your home for a period of time before deciding what you actually need, and what will work best etc.

Paint

Painting is often the easiest, most affordable, and most impactful way to bring a room to life. This brand new kitchen immediately stands out from the crowd with its bold choice of colours. The eye popping green and black seen here might not be for everyone, but you get an idea of the visual impact a simple lick of paint can have.

One room at a time

Much like a teacher at school would have told you when preparing a large assignment- spread it out over time, and break it down into smaller, more manageable parts. The same concept can be applied to decorating your first home. The overwhelming cost or fear of getting it 'right' will be suppressed if you take your time, and do it one room at a time.

Mix and match

If you are unsure of exactly how to decorate your new place, why not opt for a mixed-and-matched theme, and change it up often with smaller decorative elements, until you find what's right for you?

Relax!

And last but not least, relax. You only buy your first home once, so enjoy it. The best part of buying a new house is the endless freedom to do what you like with it, so embrace this freedom and have fun with it.

Want some more inspiration for your new home? Then take a look these ideabooks:

White kitchens

9 ways to add value to your property

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