Decorating. This should be the fun part when it comes to a new home, but sometimes the sheer volume of things to be done can outweigh the excitement of embellishing your home. It’s helpful to have as many resources as possible at your fingertips. A good friend with a keen eye, our handy little guide Show and Tell: Unlocking the Secrets of New Home Buying and some insider advice from the home and interior design gurus at this week’s Home + Interior Design Show will calm your nerves and set you in the right direction.
Starting today for four days only, the new Vancouver Convention Centre will be home to the Vancouver Home + Interior Design Show. Take advantage of the over 325 retailers in attendance – all of whom can give you the low down on the latest in products and techniques for your home.
And if you haven’t signed up to receive a free copy of our homebuyer’s guide, it’s not too late. Simply register here.
In the meantime, here are some helpful hints from interior designer and owner of Vancouver’s Inform Interiors Nancy Bendtsen, as outlined in Show and Tell, to help you decorate for the long term.
Be honest about the way you live
Being honest about your lifestyle can have major implications for your list of must-have furniture. “If you don’t like to cook and you don’t like to entertain, why bother having a dining room? Put your nice comfy stools up against your breakfast bar where you can sit and have your tea in the morning with your paper or laptop and call it a day,” Bendtsen says.
If you’re just starting out, ask yourself the fundamental questions: What do I touch? What do I sit in? What do I feel?
Take your time
Prioritize your spending and make smart decisions about where you can save. A bed frame, for example, is nowhere near as important as the mattress that lies on it, Bendtsen contends. “A good mattress is super important, so team it with a perfectly serviceable frame from Ikea.”
Use colour
A coat of paint is the most amazing thing,” says Bendtsen with a smile. “Or a colour feature wall. Remember that if you have a shallow nook area, if you put a darker hue on that wall, it will recede; put a lighter colour and it will move forward.”
Make the space reflect who you are
“Your home is supposed to be about you and the people in it. Break the rules if that creates what you need,” Bendtsen urges. “The exciting thing is you may come up with things that aren’t normal but really work for you. And that is very cool.”
