As many homeowners would agree, there’s no greater feeling than owning a home, and being able to design and decorate it yourself is like the icing on top of the cake. You can have all the fun you want with it, and the more personal you get, the more fulfilling it is. After all, it takes a lot to own a home, so when you do own one, it’s an ownership that comes with a lot of pride and hard work.

A home is where you spend the most time with yourself as well as the ones you love. It’s a personal space just as much as it is a family one. So it only makes sense that just as much time, effort and thought goes into its decor as well as its upkeep.

So, when it comes to investing in interior decor for your home, it would bode well to remember that your time, effort and money should be well spent. Your design choices will say a great deal about who you are as a person, and while you may not judge a book by its cover, the world certainly makes those perceptions and judgements of you. And why wouldn’t they? Our personalities are often on display through our own expressions, and designing a home is just like expressing oneself. It is a lot about personal expression and privilege.

When designing, it helps to give equal importance to both functionalities, as well as individualistic personal expression. Our personality traits are often well smothered across our homes' walls, giving people glimpses into who we are. Adventurous? You have it. Sophisticated? You have it. Well-travelled? Chirpy? Sprightful? Artistic? It’s all there. Furniture has the power to completely transform your home and make it a place where the heart is. 

With the many interior decor options today, choosing the right type of decor that blends seamlessly with your personality and is uber functional can be quite a daunting task. And all the more daunting if you’re someone who doesn’t know where to begin.

So, the question is, how does one choose the right furniture for a home and what are the parameters on which such decisions should be based?

Have a clear idea of what you want

Know your need

“The first secret of getting what you want is knowing what you want.” 
- Arthur D. Hlavaty

When it comes to interior decor or any design, it is good only when it is first functional. Functionality should always come first, and knowing your needs goes a long way in helping you pick the right material and styles before designing your home. Some surfaces may have more wear and tear than other surfaces, so in such cases, it’s best to give a little extra thought and research into finding the perfect material based on your household's needs.

Pick a theme

“It is in the moments of decision that destiny is shaped.”
- Tony Robbins 

Picking a theme is one of the most important steps when it comes to interior decor. Once you’ve finalised a theme, choosing the right furniture becomes a simplified process.

To begin your research, it’s good to observe and pick cues from the way friends or acquaintances have designed their homes. If you look around you, there’s no dearth of inspiration. The internet is filled with DIY home decor ideas, so even if inspiration doesn’t brew within your circle of acquaintances, the internet is a great way to do your own research and get ideas.

When taking inspiration from others, remember to add your own personality and essence into the designs you create in your head. At the end of the day, your home should be all about you - a place where your passions, desires and lifestyle preferences all blend seamlessly. Knowing your needs and preferences goes a long way in designing and choosing the right kind of furniture that compliments your lifestyle. 

Be thorough in your research

“Thorough preparation makes its own luck.”
- Joe Poyer

Consider the layout of your home. 

Once you know the layout of your home inside out, decorating is easy. To be thorough in your research, it is of utmost importance to consider your home's layout first. It’s easy to get carried away with the slew of designs out there, but knowing the layout of your house is what will determine what design elements are feasible. Once you have figured out your home's layout and needs, choosing the right materials for furnishing and the overall theme becomes a lot easier. 

Plan a budget for every living space

A well-researched plan would include all the details right from a detailed layout, a workable budget, the house's overall look, a floor plan, possible colour combinations, furniture, wallpapers, lighting and fixtures and a lot more. Designing a house isn’t easy. And planning a budget for it can get even more daunting if you don’t know how to work around one.

Discover the best material and upholstery 

Once you’ve got the layout of your home and a budget for decor at the back of your head, choosing the right kind of material for the different spaces around your home is essential. For example, a study room might require scratch-proof surfaces, and kitchen cabinets may be better off with glossy finishes. Each living space will have its own distinct need, and instead of using the same material throughout, it’s best to use different materials that could be more suited to the various needs of a house. 

Compare the prices

Having a budget is great, and being able to stick to it is even greater. However, in sticking to a budget, we may tend to compromise on quality and pricing. Once you’ve finalised the type of furniture material for the house, you can begin comparing both the price and quality and not get cheated into a hasty decision at a weak moment.

Bring your dreams to reality.

“Don’t be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so.”
- Belva Davis

Choose your centrepieces and work your way around them.  

Interior decorators all over swear by this method. If you’re stuck and unable to work your way through a design you like, there are ways to simplify the process and work backwards. For example, choosing your centrepieces first might be a great way to add personality to your room. That one piece might help you piece together the rest of the pieces of a room. So, if you put in much thought and research into what you want your centrepieces to look and feel like, the rest of the unsolved pieces tend to fall back into place and then deciding on the smaller aspects of decor becomes a breeze.

Setting and finalising the main anchoring pieces of furniture in a room will help you set the foundation for the rest of the room and the rest of the house. Once you’ve chosen your anchoring piece, you can mix and match other design elements to add your personal touch to a room.

Lastly, how you bring your dreams to reality is entirely dependent on you. While everything is possible, everything may not be feasible. Where there’s a will, one may find a way, but the way shouldn’t come at the cost of burning holes in your pocket.