Decorating from scratch!

How does one begin???? When we move into our new house we will have to buy everything new for the living room. I don't even know where to begin. In the den we have a green couch so I don't want that in the LR as well. I was thinking maybe a gray couch...not sure. I feel like I am all over the place!

Anyway, when you are decorating from scratch, how do you begin?

Re: Decorating from scratch!

you need to find something to inspire you and then work around that

whether its the panit color, a throw rug (my usual), a throw pillow, a painting...

find your inspration, pick your color palette and work from there

Re: Decorating from scratch!

I like to live in a space first and furnish it over time so it has a layered, lived-in look rather than a matchy- matchy look. I flip through magazines, catalogues, paint chips - and get inspired.

Re: Decorating from scratch!

We're in a co-op, but when we moved in we had to decorate from scratch, literally had NOTHING.

We had a general idea and agreement to how we wanted our place to look. And I knew I wanted a "warm" feel. I decided on a neutral paint color (light beige-y tan, wish it had come out a TAD darker once painted, but oh well).

We then went looking for furniture. We found a sofa set we loved and got that. Then we decided on an entertainment center. Added a throw rug and then coordinating sofa pillows and curtains. We ended up changing the pillows and curtains to a totally different color about a year later, but since we had gone with a more neutral paint color and area rug, it all works great.

Re: Decorating from scratch!

I just knew I wanted a traditional look, watched a TON of HGTV, and bought a ton of decorating magazines.