Rachel’s question is a really great one. You can find articles on decorating anything from your kitchen to your maid’s quarters but many people get stuck right where it all begins. They simply don’t know where to start. When you buy a new home or are even doing a large remodel it can become really confusing. Are you supposed to choose paint colors first or carpet? The cabinet finish or the countertops? In this article we are going to help you get started.

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Before you can even begin you need to find some design inspiration. Check out online sources, such as our blog :), buy decorating magazines and visit friends homes. Create a folder with everything you like so that you don’t lose it and you can keep referring back to it.

Once you have some sort of concept of what you like and what colors talk to you than you can really start. Unless you have an unlimited budget, which unfortunately most of us don’t, it’s really important to know what your limit is. Make a list of all the rooms that need work and what needs to be done in them. If you are on a tight budget put the rooms that receive the least traffic on the back-burner for a later date, once you have some more money saved up. Don’t worry; many homes take a very long time to complete. Sometimes its even more fun this way because you gain experience and knowledge as you go along and you have a chance to learn from your mistakes.

So you’re in touch with your financial situation and you know which rooms you are going to begin with. Now you have one more step before you can actually begin decorating. It’s time to refer back to your “design inspiration” folder and decide on a style for your home. You’ll want to keep the style uniform throughout your home. There are many different styles and you may like a few of them but you will probably feel yourself being pulled toward one or two most often. Try to imagine which style will make you feel most comfortable in your own home and which style you won’t get bored or dizzy from.

Color is a very important element of any home. It should be the first thing you concentrate on in the actual decorating process. There is a debate on whether you should start with your floors or walls but truthfully you can begin with your color selection anywhere. You can start with a favorite piece of furniture, an accessory or anything and pull your color palette from there. If you are working with a blank slate and have no old furniture or anything that you are working into the design I would suggest starting with the flooring. Floor options, especially carpets, are limited in color. Paint is virtually unlimited and not as difficult to match-up.

Now that you know how to get started I hope that the ball keeps rolling smoothly. Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions. Keep checking back for great design ideas and tips.

For help choosing your colors read this post on creating the perfect color palette. For some kitchen inspiration check out these pictures.