Ninety-nine percent of the time your first impression is the best gauge by which you should guide the rest of your design choices, no matter the room. If you are not used to making design choices on your own, it can be easy to second guess yourself at every turn of the page and every stroke of the paint brush. However, here are few ways to keep color, pattern, and design anxiety at bay.
Getting Comfortable with Trusting your Choices
For some of us, the simple anxiety of having to make a decision that we have to live with can be completely overwhelming when it comes to design. It’s true; you are entering into uncharted territory, but fear not. Even if you are not trained in design, we each have a unique design DNA that is innately in us. The longer we go without trusting that instinct the longer we will spend in rooms that don’t inspire us.
Here are a few tips to get comfortable in your own design skin:
Remember that paint is relatively inexpensive and can be reapplied if necessary.
Before you start to second guess your choice of paint, finish painting the whole room. Do it before you head back to the store for round two. Even seasoned designers question their color choices when the paint job is only half done because your eye naturally fails to settle until it sees the whole picture.
Don’t judge your design choices until you bring your furnishings back in. The color you have chosen changes when you bring back your furniture. The light of the room and the other colors in the space can change the tone of the paint entirely. Much like a chameleon, your furnishings will take on the hue of your paint and all will blend better than you could have even imagined- but you have to give it the chance.
The Mind and the Matter: Training Your Design Self to Think For Itself
Don’t put too much emphasis on the process. Some people make every choice too important, and thus feed into their mistrust of their instincts. Before you even think about your color or pattern choice blending with your décor, be brave, bold, and understand that the home you live in reflects your personality. You don’t have to be afraid to let it shine through.
Understand that there is a psychology to design. Beware of other people’s opinions. Design is such a subjective animal, and one person who loves shabby chic design elements may hate the modern look of more contemporary spaces. While it is important that those who visit feel comfortable in your home, remember that it is your home- and that the only person who has to live with your design choices all year round, is you.
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