Starting Points for Decorating a Room

• Decide which key elements (sofa, rug, flooring) will stay and which will go.
• Determine a budget and consider which changes will make the most impact, such as a fresh coat of paint, new accessories or slipcovers.
• Create a portfolio by collecting images from magazines or the internet, fabric and paint swatches, pictures or pieces of art or even flowers from the garden. Anything that you are drawn to.

Determine Your Colour Preferences and Develop Your Colour Palette

• How do you want to feel in the room? Relaxed? Energized?
• Do you prefer warm tones (reds, oranges, yellows), cool tones (blues, greens or violets) or neutrals (grays, beiges, browns)?
• Do you prefer the boldness of many colours throughout your home, or a flow of shades of one colour?
• How does your colour selection work with existing elements in the room, such as lighting, the floor or large furnishings?

Editing Your Collection of Ideas

• View all samples together in the room to see how things will look with existing elements and actual lighting elements. (Lighting changes from room to room)
• Consider the size and scale of your room and its furnishings.
• Make sure your colours compliment each other or flow nicely together.
• Sample your colours on the wall with tester pots or big chips to get a better idea as to what the colour will look like (small swatches can be deceiving).
• Keep the concepts of harmony and balance in mind when editing your ideas.

If you find this process a little overwhelming, we do offer in-store colour assistance to make things go a little smoother. You can bring in anything from your collection of inspiration, such as fabric swatches, a piece of art or even an object that inspires you. We can help you pick the perfect colour for a room or find colours that flow nicely together for your whole house. Always make sure you see the colours in your own lighting before making a decision.

Once you have narrowed down your choices, try a colour tester or big chip on your wall so that you get a better idea as to what the colour will look like in your lighting and atmosphere. The small chips are great for choosing colours initially, but seeing a bigger sample can make your decision much easier. Since the big chips are only available in the Designer Classics colours, we recommend painting a tester pot (available in every colour) on a piece of bristol board so that you can move it around the room under different lighting conditions and place it behind furniture. The tester pots can also be applied directly to the wall and are very easy to cover when you finally start painting.

The Colour Preview fan decks are available to borrow or purchase. We also have the Designer Classics fan deck and the Affinity fan deck available for purchase only. Fan decks are a great tool to assist you during your decorating projects. They also make great gifts!

If you are having difficulty deciding on colour or have a busy schedule, make an appointment with one of our interior decorators by calling us or coming into the store.