A new home is a mile stone in anyone's life, a fresh start in a new neighborhood and a mailbox full of advertisement for window blinds and decorating.
The biggest mistake a homeowner can make when moving into a new home is rushing into painting, and window coverings.
The worst part of these mistakes is the cost involved to fix it.
A home is like a new friend, it may take a little while to get to know it.
The mistake that is the most common, is putting up window treatments in a hurry.
They can be pricey and once they are up it is hard to replace them, so many people just try to decorate around them and the snow ball effect begins.
My suggestion to my clients is to purchase temporary shades.
They are white and have a sticker at the top of the blind so they can easily fit on any window.
This will allow you to have some light control and privacy.
Once you have moved into your new home you will get a better feel of the style and privacy issues with the window.
There are so many choices available on the market today for covering your windows.
Blinds and shutters may be an option for a bedroom, but lose the appeal in a dining or living room.
Let's talk about blinds because there are so many different styles and functions.
If you are on a budget and want a functional but nice look a wood blind will do the job.
The good part about wood blinds is that you can adjust the light, the bad part is that if you want to lift them up and down they are cumbersome and take up a good portion of the window.
Never put wood blinds on a sliding glass door.
If you have more of a budget and like the wood blind look but want to roll your blinds up and get it out of the way, a great product is the Silhouette by Hunter Douglas.
I have been using Silhouettes on my client's homes for years.
They come in room darkening and light filtering and have a vast selection of colors to choose form.
The other product that Hunter Douglas just came out with is the Pirouette: I recommend this blind as well.
The Pirouette when in the closed position looks like a soft fold roman and in the open position looks like a blind with the ability to roll all the way up into a neat head rail.
Shutters can make a room or break a room.
Once you put a shutter in, it generally stays there for life and decorating around it can be difficult.
When having a shutter built for a room, try and make it the only part of the window, adding heavy draperies to them later can look like you made a mistake.
A good quality shutter is also important: you want it to be able to last for years.
Make sure that the shutter is made from Bass wood and has a tension control.
Fabric choice, color and style can also be added to any window.
If you decide to put a blind in you can always add a valance to it.
A fantastic look for a dining room could be silhouettes with beautiful swags and cascades over the top of them.
There are so many options available with fabric.
Working balloons in a bed room can change the entire mood of the room, transforming it into a romantic get away.
Flat fold romans in soft linen can make a beach house feel even beachier.
A kingston valance with tiebacks for a living room can be elegant and timeless.
An office paneled in wood with a heavy soft fold roman would complete the look.
When buying furniture for a new house, the first thing to do is access what you already have.
You may want to hire a designer to help you place your furniture, they could have some idea's that you did not think about and this could save you thousands of dollars.
A sofa can always be reupholstered and placed in another room.
Once you have settled into your new home then you can purchase that new bed or dining room table that you have always wanted.
So enjoy your new home, with the economy and the housing market the way it is, many people will be in their homes for the next twenty years, so take the time to decorate it right the first time.
Take a room or two at a time and invest in it.
We spend so much time in our homes, that we might as well enjoy it.
The biggest mistake a homeowner can make when moving into a new home is rushing into painting, and window coverings.
The worst part of these mistakes is the cost involved to fix it.
A home is like a new friend, it may take a little while to get to know it.
The mistake that is the most common, is putting up window treatments in a hurry.
They can be pricey and once they are up it is hard to replace them, so many people just try to decorate around them and the snow ball effect begins.
My suggestion to my clients is to purchase temporary shades.
They are white and have a sticker at the top of the blind so they can easily fit on any window.
This will allow you to have some light control and privacy.
Once you have moved into your new home you will get a better feel of the style and privacy issues with the window.
There are so many choices available on the market today for covering your windows.
Blinds and shutters may be an option for a bedroom, but lose the appeal in a dining or living room.
Let's talk about blinds because there are so many different styles and functions.
If you are on a budget and want a functional but nice look a wood blind will do the job.
The good part about wood blinds is that you can adjust the light, the bad part is that if you want to lift them up and down they are cumbersome and take up a good portion of the window.
Never put wood blinds on a sliding glass door.
If you have more of a budget and like the wood blind look but want to roll your blinds up and get it out of the way, a great product is the Silhouette by Hunter Douglas.
I have been using Silhouettes on my client's homes for years.
They come in room darkening and light filtering and have a vast selection of colors to choose form.
The other product that Hunter Douglas just came out with is the Pirouette: I recommend this blind as well.
The Pirouette when in the closed position looks like a soft fold roman and in the open position looks like a blind with the ability to roll all the way up into a neat head rail.
Shutters can make a room or break a room.
Once you put a shutter in, it generally stays there for life and decorating around it can be difficult.
When having a shutter built for a room, try and make it the only part of the window, adding heavy draperies to them later can look like you made a mistake.
A good quality shutter is also important: you want it to be able to last for years.
Make sure that the shutter is made from Bass wood and has a tension control.
Fabric choice, color and style can also be added to any window.
If you decide to put a blind in you can always add a valance to it.
A fantastic look for a dining room could be silhouettes with beautiful swags and cascades over the top of them.
There are so many options available with fabric.
Working balloons in a bed room can change the entire mood of the room, transforming it into a romantic get away.
Flat fold romans in soft linen can make a beach house feel even beachier.
A kingston valance with tiebacks for a living room can be elegant and timeless.
An office paneled in wood with a heavy soft fold roman would complete the look.
When buying furniture for a new house, the first thing to do is access what you already have.
You may want to hire a designer to help you place your furniture, they could have some idea's that you did not think about and this could save you thousands of dollars.
A sofa can always be reupholstered and placed in another room.
Once you have settled into your new home then you can purchase that new bed or dining room table that you have always wanted.
So enjoy your new home, with the economy and the housing market the way it is, many people will be in their homes for the next twenty years, so take the time to decorate it right the first time.
Take a room or two at a time and invest in it.
We spend so much time in our homes, that we might as well enjoy it.
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