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Step 1
Choose furniture that fits the size of the room you're decorating. Record the measurements of your room before going shopping. Avoid purchasing a sofa that overpowers your room. A big room does not need to be filled up with big furniture. Conversely, smaller sofas often look best in rooms with vaulted ceilings.
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Step 2
Carry a sketch pad when shopping in furniture stores and garage sales. Sketch out your room with the furniture in it. Even if you don't know exactly how a piece of furniture will look until you get it home, sketching can help you visualize how furniture will look in a room.
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Step 3
Use one or two styles of patterns or prints per room. Decide on a color scheme and find two or three patterns that will enhance your decorating scheme. Choose patterns with colors that complement one another. Too many patterns can make a room look busy.
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Step 4
Stay true to your own style. It may be tempting to redecorate your room every time a new trend hits a design magazine, but frequent redecorating can be costly. If you find that you must incorporate a new trend into your space, buy an inexpensive accessory piece that you won't feel bad about replacing once the trend goes out of style. For example, decorating a room with zebra prints might be trendy now, but it will probably go out of style soon. Choosing a zebra print pillow as an accent piece is an inexpensive way to follow the trend without going overboard.
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Step 5
Avoid lighting that is too bright. High wattage or fluorescent bulbs can cast unflattering shadows on the decor of a room as well as your guests. Stick to soft lighting or bulbs with slightly pink tints.
