Find your style and stick to it. My style is a mix of cosmopolitan and bohemian. I incorporate glamourous and international pieces to achieve this. I recommend that you figure out what you truly like and what suits you - what makes your surrounding environment feel like home? Have your refurbished furniture adopt your style.
Incorporate personal details. My favorite parts of my room are the details that reflect who I am. I love to make a space my own. It is what separates a room from being a cookie-cutter show room to being individualized. For instance, in my room I have twine with dip-died clothespins. Attached are Polaroid-style photos of my friends, family, and life. Put your personal artifacts on display and the room becomes more personal, fun, and interesting.
Research the psychology of color. I painted my room faint coral, but can you imagine how different it would look if it is ballet pink? The colors are only a shade different, but have completely different connotations. My coral was much more worldly and chic than a little girl’s pink. Think of what your color represents before you paint and accessorize accordingly. My black chalkboard wall and deep, dramatic details (reds, purples) added a layer of maturity that would not have been apparent if I had used a pastels palette.
Do not be afraid of power tools. Learning to use saws, drills, and many other power tools made me a much handier furniture decorator! Have an experienced person explain how the tools work, and then go for it!
Hunt for deals. Exploring abandoned sheds, picking pieces of the street, and asking around is how I spent barely any money on furniture. Go to local yard sales and call construction companies - they will usually be willing to help! Also, most craft stores have coupon magazines at the entrance. I saved fifty percent of fabric by checking the coupons.
Ask for help. A lot of my supplies were given to me by friends, family, and teachers who no longer had use for it. Let people know you are re-decorating and they will be willing to give! Also, seek advice from those who have attempted similar projects. When I was making my chevron rug, I was originally using cotton fabric. My art teacher, Ms. Lynn Kirby, suggested canvas instead. It turned out way better than my fabric would have! Ask for advice from art teachers, decorators, carpenters, constructers, etc.
Get creative. Look on Pinterest for cool ideas, but think of your own, too. For example, I tried to create my chevron rug with an ombre, gradient style. I attempted that, but it didn’t turn out as expected. So I switched the colors to black and faint coral and it looked better than expected! Take your own personal, quirky twist on the directions. “Color outside the lines!”
