Has your design dilemma gone from bad to worse? You’ve moved in, unpacked, arranged, and rearranged the furniture, hung some pictures, watched endless design shows. Family and friends are trying to help, but......you’re frustrated and ready to pack up and move to the smart sophisticated model suite you fell in love with!!

Start by keeping it simple, one room at a time and prioritize. Gather pictures from magazines, revisit the model suite and focus on the room you like best. Taking pictures as a reference helps guide you through the process. Make notes and take measurements of the space and furniture.

List what you like about the room. Colour of the walls, style and placement of furniture. Is the sofa against the wall or centered in the room? Arrange your furniture in relation to your activities. Whether it’s conversation, TV watching, reading, family fun or homework, keep in mind your dream room. Is there an area rug? What’s the colour, size, texture or pattern of the rug? Drawing a little floor plan will help you.

Window treatments are the perfect opportunity to create a focal point! Do you see draperies, blinds, shutters or a valance in the picture? Your dream room may be more airy with a shade, softened with drapery panels and a decorative rod for detail. Do the drapery panels go to the floor? Is the rod small or large, metal or wood? Does it have finials adding a little bit of glam or sparkle? Consider fabric colour and pattern, add some toss cushions on the sofa or bed in the same pattern or colour as the draperies creating a custom look.

Your exposure and privacy needs for your room are key. Inquire about motorization for hard to reach windows or cordless shades for small children and pets to prevent choking hazards. This is where a lot of people go astray; choosing the wrong window treatment can be a costly mistake you probably won’t change.

Artwork makes a statement! Is there one large piece of art over the sofa, two side by side or a grouping? Make a drawing of the art arrangement in your notebook. Arrange your art on the floor to get a better idea of how it will look before you hang it on your wall.

Accessories are the jewelry that completes your space and it’s what people love most about a well designed room. Arrange items on your Cocktail table by grouping something fairly tall, with a large round plate and a small box close together. If you have photographs, place different size frames on your end tables, the frame style should compliment everything else in the room. Does the room you love have lamps, what size are they?

You’re well on your way to personalizing and decorating your space!! If you find the process is overwhelming and time consuming, consider hiring a Professional Interior Decorator who has the expertise and experience to guide you through the process and work beside you every step of the way.

Carolyn Goldberg is a Professional Interior decorator, lead consultant and owner of Interiors By Carolyn Inc. for more information and to view a portfolio of Carolyn's work, browse through her web site at www.interiorsbycarolyn.ca or call 416-568-3127.