Must-Haves for New Homeowners

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The emptiness of a new home can be overwhelming. With so much space to fill and so many decorating decisions to make, you might feel like your house will never be truly yours.

But, buying too much now might mean restricting your flexibility later. However, there are a few must-haves every homeowner should add to their shopping list to make their home feel cozy in no time.

Nothing

The biggest mistake new homeowners make is to run out and buy furnishing just to fill up space. Sit down or walk around in your new space and get a feel for it. Once you’ve spent some time in your new house, you’ll be better able to choose items that complement your lifestyle. Have the confidence to give yourself some time to get the feel of your new home before buying anything.

Window treatments

At some point, you do need to fill up the space. You can’t live in an empty home forever! Drapery, blinds and shades should be first on your to-buy list. Unless you’ve purchased a mountain home surrounded by thick evergreen trees, window treatments will keep your new home from prying eyes of neighbors – and prevent you from being awakened by early morning and afternoon sun. Start with some sort of basic shade or blind that will give you privacy. Stick with a neutral color until you settle on a decorating scheme.

Books and objects

Sad, empty shelving does your new home no favors. If your home comes with built-ins, immediately fill them with your favorite books and decorative objects. If it doesn’t and you don’t have any bookshelves, pick up some to organize your stuff as well as add a touch of character. Nothing says “cozy” and “home” like well-curated books and meaningful accessories. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on random decorative items to fill up the space. Display sentimental items!

Updated hand me downs

You’re not technically buying this stuff but you are purchasing things to transform hand me downs into something new. Not only is revitalized furniture much cheaper than something brand new, but it’s an easy way to bring a feeling of familiarity and warmth to your new space. Only use pieces that you truly love, or that add function to the space.

Side tables

Picture this : You pour yourself some wine to celebrate your new home – and then you don’t have anywhere to put the glass. Save yourself the horror and buy some side tables. Sit in every seat in the house and figure out where you need “perching” tables. The beauty of these pieces is they don’t necessarily have to blend with the rest of your décor. This is your chance to highlight a statement piece or put your crafting skills to work.

Lighting

If you’ve moved into a Mid-Century modern house with vintage fixtures, ignore this step. But if your new space could be described as “builder grade,” get to a home improvement store ASAP! Replacing the contractor’s basic style fixture in the dining room with a sentimental piece that represents your style is a great way to connect your personality to the home.

Live plants

Live plants fill empty corners. And empty corners are the bane of a new house – just one more reminder that you’re still not fully moved in. Pick up large plants such as ficus, palms, or the popular fiddle leaf figs to fill the space. Truly challenged gardeners can try succulents, which require little care.

Flowers

You’ve got plants. Now, go colorful with your favorite flowers. It’s one of the simplest ways to make a new space feel like home. Flowers brighten up a space that may still be in transition, and bring warmth and care to unfamiliar territory.

The building blocks of your “color story”

Every house has what designers call a “color story” : the palette, tone and saturation of the colors used in your home that create stylish cohesion throughout the space. You don’t need to decide on your story immediately – over time, the pieces will fall into place – but now’s a good time to start scoping out building blocks. Look for printed pillows, decorate plates, or artwork – those will help you focus on hues of your color scheme. Then, any companion patterns and prints and the relatively easy matter of solids and textures will fall into place.

Baskets

There’s no need to set up a full-scale organization system yet – although if that’s your thing, go ahead! Instead, pick up several large baskets and use them to store all of those pesky items that clutter up a new home. These baskets add lovely texture and important function. They can be layered under leggy pieces of furniture for dimensional interest, provide storage by a front door for shoes, and store all of life’s clutter that builds up quickly, even in a new home.

 

 

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5628 Strand Blvd, Ste 2,
Naples, Florida 3411

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