Interior Decorating Ideas: Keeping Your Home Show Ready
Show ready interior decorating idea #1
Remove excess furniture:
While lots of seating may make gatherings comfortable, they can also make rooms impossible to navigate. Three to four major pieces of furniture and a few accent pieces are all a room can realistically hold. Here are some examples:
Formal Living room: Large three-cushion sofa and two armchairs are all that are needed for intimate conversations. Add a coffee table, side table, and wine stand, and the room is complete. The only other items should be well placed wall hangings.
Great room: Sectional Sofa, Television Armoire or wall system, and a large leather chair will fill this room nicely. Accent it with four leather cubes that will double as your coffee table, a tall standing screen, and a few plants and wall hangings.
Master Bedroom: With the size of walk in closets these days, who needs three dressers and two nightstands? All you really need in the master bedroom is a large bed (preferably king sized, unless the room is small), Armoire, and a dressing table or desk. If the room has a sitting area, add a small-scaled upholstered furniture set, chaise lounge, or two large armchairs.
Show ready interior decorating idea #2
Clear all visible clutter:
Yes, you have to pay all your bills and you may even need to keep them visible to remember to pay them, but is the unsightly shelf full of bills worth it. If you have large piles of books and magazines, ask yourself, how many can you really read at one time? If you have no place to store the evidence of everyday living, these tips can help.
Pile of papers and notes. Make a two-sided bulletin board. If you have a lot, then make a series of them. One side should be a cork board where you can keep those urgent reminders, the other side, can be upholstered with criss-cross ribbons to hold your family photos and mementos. You can attach it to a strong cord and hook so you can flip it over, or place it on wall shelf so you can pick it up and turn it over. Another option is to purchase a corkboard with doors that close to hide its contents.
Books and magazines: We often keep these piles around to remind us of what we wanted to read when we got a chance. Instead of messy piles, you can a series of magazine bars on one wall to hang and display your favorite magazines. This way they are more of a wall hanging than an annoyance. Likewise, add a bookshelf cabinet or install a floating shelf to hold the books that are waiting for a moment of your time.
Evidence of everyday life: Purchase furniture that doubles as storage. However, just because you have lots of storage space does not mean it has to be filled to the brim. Always leave space for quick clean-ups.
For example:
A bench at the kitchen table or banquette seating can have storage underneath.
Family room cubes can have hinges with lids that open, and be a great place for books.
Your family room sectional can have space underneath to store your cozy, but tattered blankets you use to snuggle up with your kids.
Your coffee table can have doors.
Place painted dressers in wide hallways.
Finally organize all of your closets professionally to have lots of shelf space.
Show ready interior decorating idea #3
Keep it fresh
Keeping you home show ready involves habitually, changing and updating the accessories in your home. Besides regular cleaning (or hiring a weekly cleaner for $60.00 to $100.00 a week), you also need to do the following:
Daily: Keep a basket or in laundry room or hall closet to toss items left out of place. Doing this helps keep my kids in line because I move my hiding place often and don’t tell them right away where I put their misplaced games and toys.
Weekly: Purchase or pick fresh flowers and refill vases. Freshen these vases after three days by changing the water and cutting 1 inch off the stems.
Monthly: Check for wear and tear on your home accessories and major items. Make repairs to your major items, like sewing holes, purchasing slipcovers, and fixing scratches. Toss out or recycle accessories beyond repair. Pillows that are tattered torn or flat should be replaced. Throws should be in excellent condition. There should be no carpet stains. Clean, or replace soiled carpet. If you find you cannot get rid of the stains, strategically hide them under an area rug or piece of furniture.
