Moving Day and the Five Golden Rules of Decorating

I'm so excited because today my furniture finally arrives from Nashville! I've been so lucky thus far to find a smashing/cheap apartment in Arlington with an amazing view and lots of closet space. I just cannot wait to decorate my new space. Although I'm trying to keep costs minimum, I will certainly be buying a least a few things for the new place.

I'm not the only person moving these days. My sister and a few of my friends have also taken up new abodes over the past few weeks. Decorating in a new home can be overwhelming, so I think it's important to know a few rules to live by when putting your personal touch on a room.

Thanks to Canadian House and Home, we don't have to come up these rules on our own:

1. Let the architecture be your guide- Understand the lighting and function of a space before diving in. If your foyer has beautiful mosaic tile and exposed beams, for instance, let these features guide your design choices.

2. Add a splash of creativity- I love this rule because nothing makes a room look more original than a piece that is unexpected and a little off. Let's put it this way, if you want to copy the Pottery Barn look you certainly can, but everyone will know you did!

3. Edit- Decorate your room. And then go through and take a bunch of the unnecessary out. Too much clutter prohibits the eye from focuses on the highlights of the room.

4. Add a pop of color- Or better yet, a pop of interest. Something that jumps when you enter the space. I believe this can take an immense amount of thought, but after time the right choice will come to you.

5. Functionality trumps everything- If you really love a white sofa but know your kids will ruin it in .2 seconds flat, or if you think a king size bed would be great but your room is the size of a closet, don't you think you'd eventually regret those choices?? You've got to do what works best for you, your lifestyle and the space you live in. No doubt about it.

Thank goodness for cheat sheets. Happy decorating everyone!