Talk about good timing, with a beautiful Victorian to decorate here in San Francisco I literally jumped with excitement when given the chance to partner with Target on a few home decor posts this month.
This week I’ve been reminded that turning an empty apartment into a home is no easy task. If you couldn’t tell by my recent onslaught of Pins, I’ve been mulling over colors and patterns all week -picking the right colors and pairing patterns can easily overwhelm a novice decorista like myself. With six rooms to tackle, I needed some sort of a game plan so I put together some simple steps to choosing colors and pairing prints, one room at a time.
headboard | chartreuse pillow | white/grey pillow | throw | wall art | clock | lampshade | lamp base
1. Choose a color scheme
Doing so will allow you to explore different color combinations and also guide you when you’re shopping for home decor items. Design Seeds is my absolute favorite source for color schemes. The author is constantly coming up with new color palettes using beautiful photographs. Simple but effective! Select your favorite color on the website and explore the different color combinations you never knew existed. Once you’ve found one or two you love, Pin them so they’re always there for you to refer to -say, on your phone when you’re out shopping.
2. Buy the basics
Purchase large pieces of furniture first. Keep in mind that solid colors are generally more versatile than prints. Think of a basic white tee. The ways to wear it are limitless when incorporating different patterns, colors and textures into the look -it’s the same principle with furniture.
3. Prioritize your patterns
Three or four patterns per room generally will add interest without being over-the-top. When paired, patterns look best in a variety of sizes. Generally bigger patterns work better for larger items such as rugs & drapes and smaller patterns for smaller items like throw pillows & blankets. Don’t forget to include some solid colored items in the mix. Use your color palette to help narrow potential patterns for curtains, rugs, throws, lampshades and wall decor.
4. Experiment with accessories
This seems intuitive but the best way to pair patterns and colors is to experiment. Some combinations just won’t look right but others will suddenly speak to you. I’ve been known to bring home 6 or 7 throw pillows and return 4 of them after deciding which combination looked best. Trust what you love! Remember to keep your color palette handy when shopping -it will minimize the number of items that need to be returned simply because they weren’t the right color. Oh and hang on to those receipts.
I certainly have my work (and shopping) cut out for me over the next few weeks but these tips have already helped me off to a great start decorating our bedroom. New apartment tour photos to come as I finish various rooms but I hope these tips help should you decide to do a little redecorating yourself this Spring.
Colors & patterns: Prefer vibrant and bold or sweet & simple? Can you guess what I’d answer?
PS. Ombre Easter brunch inspiration if you missed last week’s decor post
It’s Time for Springtime.
Compensation for this post was provided by Target via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Target.
I love this! My roomie and I didn’t really decorate our current apartment – we accepted couches, a rug, and table from our parents, and it’s too small for much else :( But we may be moving when our lease is up and posts like this make me excited for the opportunity to do some real decorating!
Great tips. I just love Target for decorating. I can never seem to walk out of there without spending money on something from the home decor department! Even at Target here in Australia, it’s impossible!
Coming from someone who has no clue when it comes to decorating, the step by step in this post is sooooo helpful! Love the cute accessories you picked out too! :)
I love decorating rooms! Thanks for this post! :)
Wow! I never would have believed those items were Target. I love the white bedroom suite. I really want an upgrade.
this is awesome! pinned it!
For being a novice decorista, this sure it a great post :)
Great Timing! We recently rearranged our living room and I took down most of the decor and would like to start decorating our home (a mobile home) to “feel like us”. If that makes any sense? All of our windows have the same grey/beige and black valances (with mini blinds) and our living/dining room/kitchen is open concept. One wall is green in the kitchen and the rest is a tan/ yellow color (not how I ordered the house at all, but that’s a whole other issue). I would really like to decorate in a coastal color scheme with teal and silver. I just can’t figure out how to pick out curtains to get the whole design process started. Would you have any suggestions for that?
I’d say fix the wall color to how you like it and then choose some solid, neutral curtains. Accessorize with coastal colors and beachy accents!
Sounds like a plan! Thanks! I just kept thinking fixing the curtains and accessories alone would fix it!
Great post, Elle. I’ve never been on Design Seeds but I’m thinking that it will help me settle on a color scheme for a bedroom makeover. Thanks for the tip!
This post is perfect! I’m getting ready to move next month and will have a bunch of empty rooms to attend to. Decorating is not really my thing, so I’m really happy to have these tips. And I love Target! Can’t wait to get shopping! Happy decorating to you!
I love the Target home products, and I’m kind of obsessed with all those pillow patterns! If I didn’t have a dog laying on our couch pillows everyday I’d totally update mine.
Target is my only rescue for stylish, affordable colors, patterns and decorating items up here in the rural corners of Maine! :-)
I never thought of it this way! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on decor! It certainly seems overwhelming.
I LOVE this color scheme! Great tips!