Redecorating can be an overwhelming business. Regardless of whether you have an idea in mind or are starting from scratch, deciding what look to go for can be incredibly hard. Your kitchen table will soon be buckling under the weight of design magazines and perhaps you have already whiled away whole weekends in amongst wallpaper and paint aisles. Wherever you are in the process, when it comes to actually making decisions, the sheer range of choice can be off-putting.
On the other hand, discovering what you like – and what you don’t like – is all part of the fun. Believe it or not, the creative process should be the best bit about decorating. Making somewhere a ‘home’ is such a fundamental part of our lives – and yet too often, it is handed over to someone with more expertise or experience to decide what we might or might not like.
At Susie Watson Designs, we want to unleash the 'inner-designer' in you. Decorating can be expensive, so it is worth putting aside the time to discover what inspires you. Below are three cost-effective and trouble-free tools to help you along the way.
1. Use a mood-board: This is a great way to bring together all the things that you have seen and like. (For the price of a piece of card, you can create one yourself by pinning cut-outs and fabric samples onto a piece of A3 cardboard). Alternatively, or you can do it online using our Mood Board tool.
2. Get free advice: There is nothing more valuable than feedback. Send photos of your mood-board to your friends and family, or get free professional advice by sending it to one of our in-store designers at [email protected]. They can give valuable insight on practicalities such as room size and shape, and the amount of natural light. Don’t worry: we understand that not all design choices will involve Susie Watson products and that’s perfectly okay…
3. Take things home to try: we understand that home decorating decisions are big ones. The financial outlay is considerable, so you want to make absolutely sure you like something before you start living with it. We suggest trying things out wherever possible: order samples; paint a colour sample onto a square of wall before you commit to the whole room; take a cushion or throw home and put it on your sofa… (our Harrogate store, below). Remember: it's your home. Make it your own.
