by Carol Davis
Home furnishings are the anchor of every Dream Room, which should be designed to fulfill your sense of pleasure and fit your family’s lifestyle. Purchasing new furniture can be an exciting and overwhelming experience, but by doing a bit of homework, your experience will be much less daunting and far more enjoyable.
Let’s get started with creating your “Dream Home” tote bag. You will need the following items:
- A roomy and attractive tote bag
- Note pad, pen and pencil
- A file folder for each project or room
- Tape measure
- Camera
- Zip-lock plastic bags for fabric swatches or other samples
1. Make a List of What You Want
Notice the word “want” not “need.” You may need a dining table and chairs for eating, but you want a gathering place for memory-making with family and friends. As you walk through your home or as you study your floor plans, jot down your “wants.” If we can manage to take care of your wants, the needs will easily fall into place, simply because we need it. I would be happy to share with you the list I created with suggestions of furnishings for each room that includes both wants and needs. This list helps you consider all the possibilities, making sure nothing is forgotten by the time purchasing decisions are made.
2. What is Your Style?
It’s not uncommon to be at odds with this question. The “who am I?” question, whether it be self-analysis or home interiors, has plagued many of us for years. Here is one simple tip to help you find the answer: Pick up some home design and decorating magazines and tear out the things you like, whether it’s colors, shapes, or styles. Make these selections for several weeks at different times of the day, as moods may change with daily routines. Let your imagination run wild ... if you are drawn to the ambiance of a photograph or particular color, add it to your collection of torn pages. Later, find a large surface to compile your selections, making a collection of Colors, Styles, or Dream Designs. Notice if an underlying theme or pattern emerges from your selections. Home furnishings should reflect your personality and your family lifestyle as well as make you feel good each time you enter a room. If multiple projects are in the works simultaneously, you will stay more organized by setting up a folder for each project. We will be able to keep the rooms unified through color if you change styles from room to room. So don’t be afraid to embrace anything that speaks to you.
3. Measure Up
Even if you are working with floor plans, it is a good idea to measure each room. Remember to include the size of windows and doors and how their placements will affect traffic flow. Include any permanent fixtures, such as built-in bookcases, fireplaces, HVAC returns, electrical outlets, etc. The placement of your new furnishings will be critical to these feature elements. Ceiling heights are important if you are looking for entertainment wall systems, china cabinets or bedroom armoires. Lastly, stairs present challenges for delivery technicians. Measure the stairwell width, height at the lowest point, the stair landing and its returns. Note how much space is at the top of the stairs that become the hallway which will permit or restrict delivery of furniture. Remember the carpenters adage “Measure twice - Cut once” and please measure and then measure again.
4. Smile Please
Your camera will play an important role as we create the overall design of your room. As your Interior Design Consultant, it is very difficult to accurately imagine your space, no matter how well you may be able to describe your home. So please, take lots of pictures of each room, from various angles. Include views from one room into the next, as you will want the design and colors to flow throughout the home. We can use these photos as an easy reference when you’re considering a particular item for each room. What about the view from each window? Are we enhancing the view or covering an eyesore? ... again it’s important to know all the details. Think of the fun you will have showing your friends the before and after photographs.
5. Keepers
Love Grandma’s old rocker? Or that antique desk? For all the items you plan to keep, bring photographs and dimensions. Know ahead of time if your “keepers” must remain in their intended space, or if you are open to placement in an uncommon setting. Photograph that rug, sofa, chair, lamp etc. ... anything you are keeping that will be critical to our new interior design scheme for your Dream Home.
6. It’s a Done Deal
If we are working on a new home or a remodeling project, please bring with you all the elements of the room that have been chosen. Bring samples of the following: wood floor, tile/granite, paint colors, kitchen cabinets’ style and color, and drapes. It will be best if you place wall paint colors on 12x12 samples (wall boards available at any art supply outlet). Design elements should not be left to guess work or “it’s something like this only darker or lighter,” so please bring these samples with you. Photographs sometimes distort colors, so actual fabric samples would be the best asset to have when we begin to layer additional fabrics, textures and colors.
7. Have Fun!
Lastly, I can’t stress enough how important it is to have fun and enjoy the process of creating your Dream Home. Together we will work to make this process flow easily from concept to reality. I want you to be thrilled with the end result, so let’s get started today.
Carol has over 30 years experience in the home furnishings industry through family-owned furniture companies as well as one-on-one clients consultations.
The fortune to travel and live in different areas of the country has afforded Carol the ability to create interiors with the essence of many cultures offering eclectic ideas to fit every life style. Carol has had the privilege to enjoy extensive travel throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Africa, Bermuda, Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, the Mid-East, Mexico, Greece and Tahiti...just to name a few.
In 1988 Carol began a successful 11-year career in Hospitality Design & Sales while living in New York City. Despite spending her formative years in the North Carolina mountains, Carol quickly adapted to the New York City lifestyle, enjoying the fast pace and varied neighborhoods.
Carol has worked alongside her clients to passionately offer interior design and color consultations for over 12 years. She brings the world to your design table with ideas gathered while traveling and experiencing firsthand the diversity of the world.
You are invited to have the unique experience to shop with Carol at Furnitureland South. She has vast product knowledge as well as an innate ability to bring your rooms to life. Call Carol for an appointment and enjoy a stress free and fun-filled shopping experience.
To contact Carol, call 866.436.8056 ext. 2240, or email caroldavis@furniturelandsouth.com.
