Anonymous wrote:This is what pinterest is for!!! I have a friend who is building a house and she pins like 100 things a day as inspiration for her new home!!

Love love love Pinterest for this type of stuff. Design-seeds.com is also your friend for color inspiration. Join things like One Kings Lane and Joss & Main.

And take your time. We still have an empty living room b/c we hardly ever use it and I don't want to spend $$$ unless it is done exactly how I want it. I'm just gathering ideas (and pinning them on pinterest).

Hire a pro. The most important element in pulling it all together is the plan. Being able to help create a vision and a plan can be difficult for most homeowners, plus you don't know what you don't know.
A couple of hour consult is a great insurance policy against expensive mistakes.
Not all designers/decorators are created equal. Check there portfolio, talk to past clients, do some homework and meet with more than one person. Make sure you feel really comfortable in their guidance-the right pro may be in your life for years.

OP, if you love Pottery Barn, GO WITH IT! David (Dan?) at the Pottery Barn in Tysons is a gifted designer. It is 100% free and you probably have the 10% off coupon that you get as a new mover. Apply for the PB credit card and get another 10% off.

Go without drapes, OP. They are too pricey and they don't do much to actually enhance a room, generally. Start with a color you love, and go from there.

I wish I had a clean slate like you! Sounds like fun, although I'm sure it is overwhelming.

Don't do drapes yet, as others have said. I just went through my house pulling all the drapes/curtains off and replacing them with cheap Levalor blinds from Lowes. Oh what a difference! Once the house is furnished drapes can look heavy and busy, so don't start there.

Is there one thing you love that you have seen? A rug, a couch, a table? Buy it. Then start thinking of what goes with it - colors, styles, etc.

I did that with rugs I bought while traveling - red oriental rugs have dictated my style for the past 12 years!

Buy some stuff at Ikea if you like that sort of thing. It's cheap and it will look nice for a while until your kids get older and you gradually replace it with better things.

Don't get custom draperies from Calico right away unless you absolutely LOVE the fabric and know exactly what style you want for the room and the entire house. You can spend a lot of money on draperies that you hate a year or two from now, but don't want to pitch. Get some curtains at Ikea so you have something on the windows for the moment.

Agree with PPs suggestions to look at magazines/websites/blogs, etc. before buying. That will help you focus on style and colors. I made the mistake of buying a bunch of furniture because our house was empty and I wanted to fill it. I ended up getting rid of much of that furniture -- an expensive mistake.

I still buy stuff at Ikea if I want something fast, fashionable and replaceable. It won't last, but it looks good enough for the moment.

I also agree that you must focus on one room at a time. If you like antiques, check out flea markets and antique stores. I've found wonderful, unique things I've decorated rooms around. But that takes time, and you have to like the process of going to antiques stores, thrift shops and flea markets.

Have fun OP. I love decorating, so I see it as a game. We've lived in four houses, and I've done all of them myself, without a decorator. I interviewed one for our first house, and she was such an outrageous snob that I never bothered interviewing another one again. I had better ideas than she, and I could do everything cheaper than she could. I don't want a cookie cutter house, and I'm very happy (but tired!) when I'm done decorating because my house reflects my tastes, and is comfortable and attractive.

It takes time, but in the end is worth it. Good Luck to you!