When it comes to home decorating, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Like an artist with a blank canvas, it's common to feel overwhelmed by the possibilities or fearful that you might make a mistake that you will have to live with every day.

The first step in home decorating is to define your personal taste and style. Invest time in looking through magazines, talking to friends and cutting out pictures of home decorating styles, furniture, and accessories that appeal to you. Once you have a collection of several dozen clippings and ideas, lay them out in front of you. You'll begin to notice a pattern of the style that appeals to you. Do you love the dark rich tones of antique furniture, or muted colors and furniture that remind you of a beach house, or bold colors and the ornate elegance of a classical oil painting?

Once you've defined your personal taste and home decorating style, choose a room in your home to redecorate first. Although you may ultimately want to redecorate your entire home, focusing on one room will keep you from becoming overwhelmed. Is there a single piece in this room that you already own and love? Often, people have one strong piece, a model ship, for example, that they purchased on vacation. The item you choose may not be the centerpiece of the finished room, but it can serve as your inspiration for the rest of the room.

When selecting furniture and wallhangings for your room, keep your inspirational piece in mind. You may have other pieces you love, but if they don't fit thematically with the antique dark wood and nautical theme that you love, you will need to move them someplace else. Likewise, you should select furniture that fits your lifestyle. A white sofa or leather chairs may not work if you have small children at home.

You deserve to come home to a place that makes you feel welcome and at ease. We hope these home decorating tips will inspire you!

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