DIY from a woman’s point of view

Design

Before making any decisions about colour and finishes, it’s worth taking the time to get your ideas in order. Below are a few steps to follow to make sure that you get the result that you want; a brand new room that you feel comfortable in, that is easy to maintain, that suits its purpose and most importantly, that fits in with your lifestyle.

Time spent thinking about a project that you are about to undertake is never wasted - getting your thoughts in order and researching the products available on the market can save time and money in the long term. A scrap book is a good idea for organising your thoughts - this does not have to be an expensive purpose made album; it can be an old note book or simply a folder into which you can put colour charts and clippings that you have collected.

Visit DIY stores, browse the web, collect colour charts and pictures that contain ideas that you would like to use. These don’t have to be in any order to start with, you can make your final choices when you have considered the points below.

Before you do anything else at all, set your budget - and then stick to it!

Cost out everything that you need, down to the last paintbrush and picture hook. You may need to make compromises along the way, but if you have thought about it carefully enough, these compromises needn’t make too much difference to the finished effect. On the other hand, realising at the last minute that you don’t have enough left in the budget for the new carpet that you had planned on could greatly influence the look of your new room, leaving you dissatisfied with the end result.

Step 1

Consider what the room is to be used for; Sometimes a bedroom will double up as a study, or a lounge might have to accommodate a dining table for either regular or occasional use.

Who is likely to use the room? You may rarely have children in your home.  On the other hand you may have children yourself and entertain others on a regular basis. Will your pets have access to the room?

Does the room get plenty of natural light? Do you want to allow as much light as possible into the room or do you want to be able to shade it from too much sunlight?

What sort of atmosphere do you want to create? A bedroom, for example, can be light and airy; romantic; fun and funky; subdued and cosy.

Step 2

What do you already have in the room that will have to stay? Your current sofa may be the wrong colour for your new scheme, but if you can’t afford to replace it can you bring it into the new look by adding cushions, covers or a throw?

Do you have things in other areas of your home that can be used in this room? You may have the ideal pair of curtains tucked away in a cupboard, or a vase standing neglected in the loft.  Anything that you already have frees up more of your budget for other items - and you’ll be doing your bit for the environment by re-using things that you already have rather than buying new!

What do you need to buy? Make a list of everything that you will need - don’t forget the smaller items that are not expensive individually but that can add dramatically to your total.  Take measurements and keep them, along with colour samples, in your purse or bag so that you can take advantage of bargains when out shopping.  It can be incredibly frustrating to find the ideal rug or throw at a knock down price, only to find that there are none left after you’ve been home to check colours or measurements.

Step 3

Choose your colours. You will usually have one or two main colours in your scheme and then add accent colours. How many accent colours you have will depend entirely on the effect that you want to create but as a general guideline the more colours you add, the busier the room will look.

Step 4

Choose your materials.