by Ron and Bonnie Smith

Interior decorating can be the most challenging part of a new home purchase for anyone, not just a first-time home buyer. Ultimately, you will want the interior of your home to reflect your individual style and taste as well as retain and increase its value. 

For the best advice, seek professional help from an interior designer or design consultant. An independent interior designer most often will require a retainer or charge an hourly rate. These are qualified design professionals in home furnishings stores and offer a free consultation; however, before you go any further, it is important to discuss the scope of design you are considering and confirm the fees for their services. Working with a designer or design consultant should not be costly; it should save you money by preventing you from making mistakes. 

A professional will guide you through decisions needed and the choices available for your home to fit you and your lifestyle. A professional helps you complete the process of selecting colors, flooring choices, materials, lighting, and architectural enhancements or changes that will add value to your home, all the while working within your budget.  If you have confidence in your decisions, then you may not need someone to walk you through each step, but it is always helpful to have someone with a design background, someone you trust to bounce your ideas off.

If you are considering adding or changing rooms such as kitchens and baths, the professional will assist you in the selection of products and materials with consideration of use for its durability, clean ability, appearance, and cost. You will want to discuss fees for architectural design and drawings for the professionals’ services. Upgrades such as a kitchen or baths increase the home’s value; however, the first impression of a home begins with the formal rooms such as the entrance, living room, and dining room. These rooms set the tone of your interior and the ambiance you create with the use of color and design. 

The best recommendation I can give is to begin with a plan, a scale drawing of the rooms of your home with windows, doorways, fireplaces, or built-ins drawn in to allow for furniture to be placed correctly, both for use of that particular room and for its aesthetic appeal. Very few people can afford to furnish and decorate their new home all at once; the plan will save you money overall by making the right choices, one piece of furniture at a time or one room at a time. It will help you avoid buying pieces that are too large or too small. 

The plan should include the selections of wall color and details of the architectural elements of the room, such as molding and fireplace materials, such as brick or natural stones such as rock, marble, granite, and slate. It is important to consider the type of lighting needed, and you can choose among reading, task, or accent lighting. The type and scale of table selections should allow people to move comfortably about the room and should complement the planned or existing seating.  

The selection of fabrics for upholstery and window coverings, as well as carpet, wood, or hard-surface flooring should be considered before any purchase is made. It is time-consuming and costly to paint the walls with the latest color then go furniture shopping to find a wonderful sofa in a fabric that you just love but it doesn’t match the color of the walls you just finished painting. This could be an example of a costly mistake. 

Most important is to buy the best furniture you can afford, even if it means not completing a room all at once. If you are confident in your style, then it is wise to build on your purchases now and for the future. Bedroom and dining room furniture is often purchased just once. Consider purchasing one or two high-quality pieces from a bedroom collection you like, such as a door chest and a bed or two nightstands and a dresser. You can create a timeless design by complementing pieces that allow you to add to later. It will more than likely be necessary to buy upholstery and perhaps refurnish a family room after several years of use; however, it will last longer and look better longer when you purchase high-quality construction, select the appropriate materials–either fabric or leather–and follow instructions for care.

Ron and Bonnie Smith have been designing interiors for thirty-six years. They are co-owners of Chapter I in Canton and Chapter I Designers Warehouse and Zocalo Living in West Hartford, CT.