On the exciting journey of turning a house into a home, Culmia guides you every step of the way. After all, decorating your home is one of the most exciting tasks once you’ve gotten through the most “tedious” phase of paperwork—all the red tape involved in finalizing the purchase.
The excitement is palpable, even if you have to spend entire afternoons visiting all kinds of furniture stores. It’s those little details and establishing your own personal style that give a space character and personality—and allow it to become a true home.
Decorate your home from scratch in just two steps
Whether you’re starting from scratch or redecorating a space, the first thing to do is take a moment to think things through and plan everything you need to do, since you don’t want to mess up at this crucial moment. But there are so many options available and decisions to make that it can become stressful and exhausting.
That’s whywe at Culmiaare offering you this guide to help you get a sense of the entire decorating process. It’s divided into two parts: in the first part, you’ll outline your plan of action, laying out all the steps, and then you’ll move on to the next step and decide what purchases to make.
Let’s get down to business. We need to know where we’re going… and first and foremost, we need a good plan!
Phase 1: Action Plan
What style of decor do you like?
There are people who wouldn’t know how to answer this question—either because they haven’t thought about it or because they haven’t formed an opinion on the matter. As a tip, we recommend that you explore and do some research. Dive into photos of spaces that catch your eye —and what better place to do that than on social media? Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, blogs… there’splenty of information available to help you decide what you like best.
Once you’ve defined your style, you’ll need to sit down and consider the elements you have available to bring it to life. In this case, you’ll need to decide which color and style you want to be dominant, taking into account the aesthetic of the objects you have or plan to use. Also consider materials, textures, and the architecture of the space.
Now that all of this is clear, we have a clear idea in our minds of what we want our home to look like, so everything will start to run more smoothly and we’ll be able to make easier decisions moving forward.
Your Home’s Needs
Another important issue to address involves the functional capabilities of our home and deciding how to meet our needs. Our home, in addition to being beautiful, has to be practical and functional. To do this, you’ll need to consider your lifestyle and adapt your decor accordingly. Do you prefer cozy nights in with a movie, or do you often have guests over? As a tip, it might be helpful to make a list of the activities you do at home and the requirements for each one.
Make a list of the furniture you need
The third step would focus on continuing with the lists, but in this case , the focus is on furniture. Make a list of the furniture you have and want to reuse. As time goes on, our needs change, and a large part of this decision will be based on that. If it works for you, you can mix styles, which will give your decor a more personalized touch and make it stand out—all while adding your own personal flair.
Set Your Budget
Without a doubt, the foundation of this entire first part is your budget. It’s important to be clear about how much you can spend. That said, you don’t have to decorate the whole house all at once. You can take it step by step, choosing specific areas and prioritizing the ones where you spend the most time or are most excited to decorate.
Create a general budget—be realistic and include everything you think you’ll need. The small details matter too, so don’t forget about them. When putting together this list of expenses, we recommend leaving a margin of 5%–10%, since we’re not professionals and might make a mistake or two. This will also help you avoid impulse purchases and understand that, even if you love those paintings or poufs, they have no connection to the chosen style.
Phase 2: Decision-Making and Purchase Phase
Now that we’ve covered all that in the first part—with the concepts and basics firmly in place— it’s time to roll up our sleeves, grab a tape measure, and visit as many stores as possible to find the furniture that’s just right for you.
Before you start shopping, we recommend that you draw up a floor plan of your home (you can sketch it out) and add the items you’ve previously noted on your lists. Also, write down all the measurements you take so you know how much space you have and what kind of furniture you could fit in it. In this case, there are a number of established rules, such as how to determine the perfect distance between the sofa and the TV: multiply the TV’s diagonal size by two, or leave a distance of 12 to 20 cm between the sofa and any pictures you hang above it. You can stick to these guidelines or come up with your own rules based on your home.
Buy the right furniture
Following the plan we’ve laid out, it’s time to choose the right furniture. We already have a starting point, and now it’s time to buy the furniture you like (always staying within the budget we set earlier). As you purchase items, make a note of them so you have a clear picture of your spending and can adjust if you go over budget.
As a tip, bring along the floor plan with the measurements and a tape measure so you can calculate and get an idea of whether the piece of furniture you’ve chosen will fit. Remember to measure everything a couple of times to be sure, so you can confirm your order without any doubts.
Analyze Your Home to Light It Properly
Next, let’s move on to lighting. Based on the floor plan you have and the furniture—which is now more or less figured out—it’s time to bring light to all of this. Lighting is everything in a home, since it affects the atmosphere and your mood. In this case, take advantage of the natural light you have at home and try to make the most of it.
As a tip, consider the ceiling height and the distance from the floor to help you choose the right light fixture. But don’t limit yourself to just ceiling lights—also consider wall sconces and bulb design, as well as the wall color. For example, if the walls are painted in a cool shade, you can add warmth with a bulb of that type.
Choose the colors for your new home
This is also a good time to choose the color of the walls, since you can coordinate it with the entire set of furniture you’ve purchased. That way, it’s easier to achieve the perfect combination.
You can start by choosing a color from a rug or a piece of furniture, and use that as a starting point to add color to your entire home. Choose a color palette you like and paint over and over again. You can leave one wall white or in a different shade to give your decor some personality. Remember that colors complement each other—they don’t have to match.
Define the textures and add a personal touch
Finally, we’ll wrap up this guide by discussing how to choose different textures and decorate with personal items. We’ll continue using the same basic approach: there are countless patterns and possibilities, so you’ll need to stick to the items you already have. Your choice should be practical for the intended use. Think it through before taking the plunge.
As we were saying, add personal touches that tell your story. You need to express who you are and what surrounds you. We should fill our space with objects we love or that have marked a stage in our lives—like childhood, for example. Memories are important, and decorating with them lets us do so from the heart. Don’t forget that!
The Keys to Decorating a Home from Scratch
In short, decorating a home is something we look forward to, but it can be overwhelming with so many ideas coming at you. Doing your research and visualizing the type of decor you like is a good place to start. Afterward, planning out the steps you’ll take will make this process easier and allow you to achieve your desired goal without too many problems.
Remember that here at Culmia, we’re delighted to help you along this journey, and we provide you with valuable information to improve your life. You and your home deserve the best!
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