Since I moved into my home earlier this year, I have constantly been searching for inspiration when it comes to decorating. Each room is a blank canvas and the possibilities really are endless. It’s amazing how with a simple coat of paint on the walls, you can completely transform a room. Sometimes making your space an accurate depiction of who you are can be much harder than it seems. Case in point, in 6 months I have already painted then repainted my living room and dining room. Once all the painting was done, I moved on to furnishing. I thought my best strategy would be to tackle one room at a time. That strategy quickly went down the drain and it now has turned into a little bit in this room, a little bit in that. But finally, all is coming together. I’ve come up with a few pointers along the way for us newbies who are decorating for the first time or even for those of us who are just looking to revive our current décor.

1. Never buy out of necessity. What I mean by this is don’t just buy the first sofa you see because you need one and you need one now. Furniture usually a) is pricey and b) is the first impression you will give someone when they come into your home. Put thought and care into each piece you buy.

2. Pick one centerpiece and build the room around it. I wanted a rustic style living room so I bought a table to set the tone and purchased pieces to match. You can start with anything, it doesn’t have to be a table. Try a sofa, a TV lift cabinet or even window treatments.

3. I have always been told to decorate the room first and then paint. I did it backwards and was very happy with the results. I feel that painting is the quickest and easiest way to personalize a space. Especially if you can’t afford to furnish it all at once. A splash of color is a great starting point.

These are just three tips I came up with based on my own experience but like anything, they won’t apply to everyone. What are some other tips for decorating that I might have missed?