Interior Design: What to Do About Your Room When You Don't Know WHAT to Do

By Julie Nolta

If you're like most people, you have a room in your home that could really use a makeover, but you haven't done anything about it because you don't know WHAT to do about it. You need direction, but don't know how to find it. The simplest way to set things in motion for your room makeover is to use something you absolutely love as your inspiration.

Your design inspiration could, literally, be anything at all. Maybe you have an area rug with some great style and color. Maybe you have a treasured souvenir from an unforgettable vacation. It could be that flirty, floral party dress in the closet. (One of my favorite commercials featured a woman who loved her cat so much, she took some fur to the paint store to have it matched!)

Let's say your inspiration piece is a painting you could stare at all day. Analyze what you like about it. Is it the subject matter that you love? Is it a color that you can get lost in? Does it put you in a specific mood when you look at it or remind you of something or someone special?

Now take the answers to these questions and work them into your room.

First, what are the colors you like best in the painting? Pick two or three of those colors and use them in different intensities and textures all around the room: maybe one color for your walls and upholstered furniture, another color for your throw pillows, your carpet, curtains, etc.

Back to that painting. What color is the picture frame? If it's a wood-tone, use that same wood for an end table or cabinetry. If it's a metal, use that metal in a lamp base, drawer pulls or plumbing fixtures.

What is the painting's subject matter and how does it make you feel? If it's a beach scene for example, pull in a couple of beach-y accessories like a bowl of sea shells or an arrangement of grasses. Just know your intentions for the room. If you want a serene getaway, don't go overboard with the props (oops, sorry about the pun!). Keep it subtle to keep it classy. However, if you're going for an adventurous, tropical island kids playroom, go for the gusto!

Find your inspiration and use its color, subject, and mood in your room to express who you are and how you want to live.

I am an interior designer based in Portland, Oregon, specializing in helping people like you solve your home design problems - - taking the stress out of the process and creating a space that reflects your personality and how you want to live.

I listen carefully to what you need and want, and then I don't stop until you get exactly that. I provide floor to ceiling services including space planning, flooring, countertops, cabinetry, furnishings, and remodeling plans. Contact me about how I can help you create a beautiful place you'll love to come home to.

 Visit my website at: http://www.julienolta.com

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