Get Inspired
Put your imagination to work
when thinking about your deco-
rating project. Inspiration can
come from anywhere—from mag-
azines to nature walks—and it’s
easy to corral your ideas with
sites like Pinterest. Start by col-
lecting images and creating a
strong theme that speaks to you.Determine
Your Style
Every aesthetic has its own
signature elements, so when
you’ve assembled your inspira-
tion board, take a look for any
commonalities. Is everything
yellow? Are all the shapes
feminine? Maybe there’s a lot
of traditional woods and pat-
terns. Use any similarities to
zero in on the look you like.
Just remember to remain flex-
ible. Design projects always—
always—involve compromise.Set Your Budget
Whatever you decide to
spend, spend it wisely. It’s
a designer rule of thumb to
reserve the big bucks for sub-
stantial items that you love
and will keep for a long time—
well-made furniture, for exam-
ple, lasts a lifetime—and use
any discretionary cash for
trendy accent pieces that you
can switch out periodically. In
addition, if your plan includes
structural changes to your
room or home, make sure you
set aside enough funds to hire
professional tradespeople.Make a Plan
Any reno project will be
more successful if at least
some of the major steps are
planned in advance. If you
need to put some money
aside before you start, move
pieces out of certain rooms,
arrange for quotes with con-
tractors, investigate and
decide on products that
may need to be specially
ordered—all these consider-
ations should be taken into
account when building your
timeline. Then, add in a few
weeks of extra time for the
inevitable unexpected delays.CANADIAN LIVING SEPTEMBER 2019 | 654
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