Moving In and Decorating

• Before you move, if you know you will be redecorating, talk with painters, carpenters and craftspeople to get ballpark estimates so that you can budget and prioritize your projects appropriately.
• Look for ways to freshen the windows, walls and floors of your new home before investing a lot of time or money — particularly if you're not ready to make a long-term decorating commitment.
• Be prepared to change window treatments that won't fit the dimensions or color scheme of your new home. If the fabric or color is part of an overall room decor, look for ways to adapt your current treatments. Add inexpensive, ready-made sheers in a coordinating color or in crisp white. Shutters, woven shades, or mini-blinds help create new effects. Add tiebacks, decorative trim, or ribbon to complete a new look.
• Change the curtain or drapery hardware for a new image. Wooden rods can be painted and brass and chrome rods add accent.
• Consider the exposure of each window. Those that receive excessive sunlight may require extra coverage.

• Paint one wall a different color for a dramatic effect. Or, paint the ceiling and/or molding a color that contrasts with the walls.
• Try texture paint, which resembles a stucco treatment, to add visual and tactile interest to a room. It's perfect for hiding uneven wall surfaces, hairline cracks and small holes.
• Try "stippling," a method of applying paint with a sponge in small points to achieve a decorative look. Consider hand stenciling a decorative border, or design a free-spirited wall graphic for a child's room.
• Instead of painting, apply a wallpaper to add pattern, texture and color to a room.

• Don't be too anxious to make final decorating decisions. Live in your home at least a few weeks to help you make sure furniture will go and what color the walls should be.
• Get recommendation from your Real Living Professional about local craftsmen.
• Contact those craftsmen, but be sure to get references – and call them.