Interior decorating. A huge industry in Australia and around the world which can be mistaken as one which only the wealthy use. Wrong. Yes, there is a massive market in the decorating industry for people with fine taste and money to spend, but it’s becoming all the more easier for the every day person to have a home which is decorated to magazine perfection on a much smaller budget.

Big retailers have finally realised that customers want reasonably priced, on trend homewares. Small business owners now have social media outlets such as Facebook and Instagram to showcase their wares and reach target audiences.  There are magazines aimed at the every day you and me available at the checkout at your local supermarket.  Everywhere you turn, there are affordable options for the home decorator.

So where do you start? You need inspiration. Look at home decor magazines, browse places like pinterest, and follow other home decorators on Facebook and Instagram. Once your know what look you are after in your home, you can then start looking for items to decorate with. Don’t look at mansions if you don’t have one because, well you will never achieve that look! Don’t copy another’s exact interior-take ideas yes but add your own flair. It is your space and it should reflect you.

My advice is that if you need furniture, spend your money on getting well made pieces. You dont need to spend a lot on the decorations for a room, but I do think it is important to have good quality pieces of furniture if they are going to be used often. Don’t follow trends too much when it comes to making furniture selections. Stick to timeless, straight edged, sleek pieces. Buy items in timber or colours including white, grey or black. Buying coloured furniture items may seem like a good idea at the time, but it will make it all the harder when changing your decor in the futute. Instead, add colour with home decor pieces and soft furnishings.

Where do you start when it comes to selecting decorative pieces for your home? Personally, if I am starting with a completely bare room, I select the artwork first and then take colour and inspiration from that. If you have some existing pieces that you want to use within a space, use them as inspiration. Next, select your soft furnishings. Cushions, throw blankets and floor rugs. My tip is to use your soft furnishings to add in texture and pattern into your space. Add in a floor or table lamp of required and then finish off with your home decor pieces-and remember when it comes to home decor items,  less is more! You won’t get the full effect of a decorative piece if you crowd it with too many other items.

Here’s my top tips for home decorating:

1. Have a style plan and stick to it so that you don’t get distracted by new trends. If you try to combine too many styles together, you’ll end up with a cluttered mess!
2. Add in subtle patterns or textures to create more interest to a room. For example when selecting cushions you could have a fluffy one, a plain one and a patterned one.
3. Use indoor plants-guaranteed to work in any style of space! And if you don’t have a green thumb, there are some pretty amazing artificial plants and flowers available these days.
4. Use both the big retailers and small businesses to create your own unique style. This both saves you money and gets you items with a whole lot of love and uniqueness behind it. 
5. Have fun! Decorating shouldn’t be stressful. Play around with your purchases until you are happy and remember to keep receipts so that if they don’t work you can take them back and try something else. 

Happy decorating!

Zoe – THE DIY DECORATOR