Makeover Magic

THE SIX BASIC PRINCIPLES OUTLINED IN THIS CHAPTER can help you assess, map out, and achieve your decorating goals — and have a lot of fun while you're doing it! These principles are the same, no matter who you are or where you live. First, you'll figure out the style you're going for. Next, think about how each room or piece needs to function, as well as how to keep it comfortable for you, your cohabitants, and your guests. Take stock of what you already own, what you should get rid of, and what you need to find, make, or buy. Then, look realistically at your budget and your time. Once you've considered these six points, you'll be ready to take on everything, going room by room, one makeover project at a time, until your home is exactly the way you want it to be.

Style

The first step to decorating, we're often told, is to "define your style." This is much easier said than done for most people. I, for one, have never been able to do it. I am fickle and curious and always looking for new ways to express myself through my work, my wardrobe, and my home décor. If I'm feeling "urban romantic" one day, "retro chic" a week later, and "modern bohemian" the day after that, what label should I assign to myself — and to my home?

If you're like me, and constantly changing your mind, you can't really label yourself at all, can you? If you changed your décor as often as you change your mood, it would be a very confusing — and expensive — way to live. It's easy to trade out last year's boots for this season's hottest new jeans, but what about your living space? Wallpaper stays up there, right? And you can't just pull up carpeting because it doesn't go with your dress. To decorate your home means you have to commit, don't you? Not exactly.

FIRST, remember that a successfully decorated room is really a collection of individual elements that come together. It's not a fixed and permanent definition of "who you are." Just like you, your home will grow and develop with time. It's surprisingly easy to make little changes now, allowing you to express the different facets of your personality, while maintaining a successful overall tone or vibe to your home. If you change one or two of those smaller elements, the whole room can look and feel a little different. So when you are feeling flirtatious or bored, you don't have to move or overhaul the whole house! Just throw on a coat of paint, blend in some new pieces, or move things around and watch the transformation begin.

SECOND, no one expects you to furnish and decorate your entire house overnight. Sure, we think that's how it should happen. We imagine that everyone else's home is completely "done" before they turn the key and that we're the only ones standing in an empty room without a clue how to begin. But the reality, even for folks with a big budget and a lot of help from professional decorators, is that it takes time to build a nest that feels like home. You can — and should — let your style evolve. Take the time to figure out what you like and what you don't like. Start with one thing you love and build from there. Maybe it's a piano, a painting, or your couch. Maybe it's the color blue or a pillow you made. Trust your gut and your own taste, and let your look grow.

Function

It's been said that "form follows function," and it's true. You need to consider how a space will be used before you decorate it. For instance, think of your ideal kitchen — not what it looks like, but what you do in it. Are you grabbing a snack from the cupboard and running out the door? Just passing through? Or will you be cooking regular family dinners or hosting parties? Maybe you like to work in your kitchen. Will you need a desk or tabletop dedicated to something other than typical kitchen activities?

In our kitchen, we wanted a "kid station" with ample storage for art and craft supplies, workbooks, reference books, and learning materials, plus enough room for all four of my kids to work on projects and homework. This was important to us, so we planned our kitchen knowing that part of it would be reserved for these activities. Knowing how we wanted it to function helped us determine the layout, lighting, colors, and furniture. It also helped us organize the other part of the kitchen, where we prepare and eat our meals. Everyone's needs are different. Someone else could move into the same house and turn our creativity center into a baking station instead. The point is to think about how you will use each space and then plan accordingly.

Do this for every room in the house. Do you like to read in your bedroom? That might require a comfy chair and a good reading lamp. Would you prefer to keep your exercise equipment there, so you can jump out of bed and onto your elliptical first thing in the morning? Once you've assessed your needs and mapped out the rooms functionally, you can start infusing your style and personality throughout the house.

Comfort

When we talk to friends about our childhood homes, we don't typically start off by telling them about how well the living room was laid out for entertaining. When we think of home, we think first of comfort. A good floor plan helps, of course, but what we're talking about here are the things inside our home that make us feel cozy. Sure, we know about sofas, beds, linens, napkins, and rugs. These are soothing, comforting objects that help us associate home with our personal sense of security.

Beyond the soft furnishings, we also can consider colors, textures, and building materials. Imported tiles might be gorgeous on the kitchen floor but pretty hard on a toddler who's just learning to get around. Carpeting is very comfortable unless you happen to have dust mite allergies, in which case, hardwood floors might be better. Dining room chairs should have enough cushioning and back support for you and your guests to enjoy sitting down together. A great-looking chair makes a nice statement, but an aching back after a dinner party is pretty memorable, too.

Comfort is an important factor often misunderstood, overlooked, or traded in for style. Think carefully about comfort and what it means to you. Then, look for ways to incorporate comfort into your home.

Inventory

Chances are, you already have a lot of stuff: furniture, appliances, knickknacks, and soft furnishings, such as rugs, curtains, sheets, and so on. Now is the time to go through the house room by room and figure out what stays and what needs to go. It's almost never necessary to toss everything out and start from scratch, even if you secretly wish you could do a big overnight overhaul....