Decorating your home is fun and exciting. There are so many possibilities, so many forms of expression. The possibilities are endless.

On the flip side, it can be quite frustrating deciding the best approach for your home decoration. Where to start? What to use? What to ignore?  Which is why we came up with eight essential tips you should know before taking that big step.

These steps are basic and would definitely reduce the burden of making the right choice from the myriad of choices out there.

Estimate the Cost

Don’t be so quick to make those drastic changes. Slow down. Make a list of the changes you wish to make and estimate the cost. You may be shocked to see just how much it costs to turn your home into a Martha Stewart inspired home. Drawing a budget helps you decide if the project is feasible or not.

It also helps you think of possible ways to reduce cost.  Budgeting also helps you make smarter choices, forfeiting unimportant changes for drastic ones.

Always Seek Advice

Before you start decorating, seek advice from friends, neighbors and experts.  These days there are tons of expert advice on home decoration on the Internet.  And a good number of them are free.

As humans, we tend to be biased with our ideas, until someone points out the blind spot and loop holes in them. You don’t want to be stuck with a depressing decoration for months so ask for the opinions of others. You will be glad you did.

Less is More

It might be confusing to choose a style for your home and you may be tempted to try it all. To make it easy for you, remember that less is more. Before going overboard with shelves, flowers, drapes, table top decorations, lighting and all that, remind yourself that less is more.

You can never go wrong with the basics and once you get the right colors that suit your mood, you are good to go! Basic changes like a new coat of paint, change of drapes and changes in furniture arrangement go a long way in making profound changes.

Declutter

You probably want to check your home styles and ideas again.  Are they adding more clutter? If they are, then it’s probably not a good idea. The best home decoration ideas declutter your home.

Shelves, lockers, baskets and better storage options are just a few ideals of the perfect home decor.

Individualize Your Style

The home decor ideas in style magazines are simply gorgeous. But who says you must copy exactly what you see on those glossy pages? Add some style. Add your signature and don’t be afraid to give some persona to your home decor. In a world of uniformity and copy cat, originality is king.

Resourcefulness is the New Creativity

Resourcefulness is essential in creating your dream home. So your dream venetian blinds are a couple of dollars above your budget. Who says you must use that sort of venetian blind? Come up with creative substitutes.

Are there cheaper versions available? Can a drape make a perfect substitute? Are there DIY substitutes available online? Think outside of the box! Cheaper versions, DIY versions, substitutes and even the simple method of foregoing the idea altogether are resourceful ideas you have to consider when decorating.

Color is Everything, or Almost

When it comes right down to it, home decor is all about color. Or most of it. Once you understand this principle, you are on the right path to exploring feasible and cost effective ways to play with colors.

Colors also say a lot about your persona. So you will want to spend some time reflecting about your current persona before making huge color decisions. Imagine a reflective person stuck with bright and loud colors for a long while! Take some time to make the best choice of wall paint to use. Quality paints may be expensive but in the end they save money and add the perfect finishing to your decor.

Start Small

Take baby steps before making huge home changes. Little experiments help you learn and make adjustments as you go. Instead of decorating your entire home at once, start with the bedroom or kitchen then slowly progress into other parts of the home. This makes it easier to cope with the expenditure.

Also taking baby steps allows room for flexibility. The smaller the projects, the more time you have to make adjustments, changes and improvements.

Decorating your home is adventurous and worth experiencing. And the end results are most times satisfying, if you know what to do. Which is why we came up with these tips to make sure you have an enjoyable experience. Good luck!