Last week (wow – last year actually!) I introduced 2010 Decorating Resolutions you could personalize and adopt. These resolutions can serve as guide posts for successfully accomplishing your decorating goals this year. So how are your decorating resolutions coming along? If you need a little help getting started, this post is for you. Let’s dive into some details on the first resolution.
Resolution #1
I will define my decorating target and determine my goals by <insert date>.
This resolution basically means you’re setting a date by which you’ll have determined a decorating project and decided specifically what you want to accomplish. This resolution is your decorating starting point – and your compass for the direction you want to head.
For example, if you give yourself two weeks from today to complete this goal, your resolution would read: I will define my decorating target and determine my goals by January 21st.
Build an Inspiration Notebook
After you’ve defined your decorating target (perhaps you’ve decided to decorate your powder room, or create a nursery, or redo your living room) then your next step is deciding your goals for that room. A great tip for helping you decide what you want to accomplish is to gather pictures of this type of room that you find appealing. Cut pages out of magazines, print photos from the Internet, copy pages out of books and put all of them into a 3-ring notebook. If you like it – add it to your notebook. For the time being, don’t analyze why you like it, or if your family would like it, or if you could afford it – just go with your first reaction of “I like this” or “This is nice.” If it resonates with you put the picture in your notebook.
My personal inspiration notebook includes sections for numerous projects as well as a section of photos of things I love and want to keep on file for future reference.
Cindy's inspiration notebook contains sections for each project.
Analyze Your Inspirations
Collect as many pictures as possible before the deadline date you’ve set for this resolution. Then sort through all of your photos and look for common threads - things appearing repeatedly in the pictures. If you’re doing your master bedroom maybe you’ll notice many of the photos you selected are rooms designed in cool colors. Maybe a number of them have a 4-poster bed. Maybe most of them have hardwood floors. Maybe lots of them have floor length drapes. Maybe some of them have a chandelier. Maybe you notice lots of decorative pillows. Maybe several have somewhere to sit – a bench, window seat or reading chair.
After looking through the pictures for common threads go back through the notebook and look at each picture for individual things you like. Use a Post-It note to list the features in the photo that attract you. Note things like “love the lamps,” or “great tassles on the drape tie-backs,” or “fabulous bedspread.”
A sticky note reminds me why I was inspired for a future project.
Outline Your Goals
Review the common threads and the individual attractions you’ve compiled then use them to begin outlining your goals. When you’ve made your final decisions for this resolution, write them down. Writing your full resolution helps you clarify and commit to your plans. Using the master bedroom example, when you write your first resolution it might read something like:
My decorating target is the master bedroom and my goals are:
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Paint the room green
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Buy a new bedspread and toss pillows
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Make the bed look like a 4-poster by attaching fabric to the ceiling
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Put a bench at the foot of the bed
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Install floor length window panels
Next Resolution
Once you’ve defined your target and outlined your goals you’re ready for Resolution #2: I will get rid of clutter and make repairs to my selected space by <insert date>. In tomorrow’s post I’ll dig into the details for this resolution so you can tackle it easily.
Make sure to stop by tomorrow to continue working on 2010 New Year’s decorating resolutions – or better yet subscribe to Your Decorating Hotline.com by using the “Subscribe” menu box in the right hand margin and each day’s post will automatically arrive in your email inbox so you don’t miss a thing.
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