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Have a plan before you begin decorating a room

Author says that visualizing how you will use spaces is an essential first step.

Natalie Knoth

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By Natalie Knoth, Staff Writer 6:21 PM Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Decorating a room is so much more than selecting wallpaper, tiles or furniture. It’s about expressing your dreams, says Meghan Carter, 27, author of “The Meghan Method: The Step-by-Step Guide to Decorating Your Home in Your Style.”

The Cincinnati native — dubbed “Martha Stewart meets the girl next door” by the New York Times — will discuss her book at Books & Co. at The Greene tonight. Guests are invited to bring a photo to seek decorating advice.

“Here’s the funny thing: people think decorating is about how the room looks,” Carter said. “But we decorate to get those moments that we dream of. If you just go about buying pretty things, you’re missing the point.”

Remaking a room is a means of creating a space to satisfy a particular lifestyle, Carter said. The purpose of a kitchen, for example, may be to “share heart-to-hearts over cookies and milk” or “have the guys over for a night of poker and revelry.”

Initially, Carter said, many people are intimidated by the decorating process and are too overwhelmed to know where to start. But instead of diving in without a plan, she suggests first deciding the purpose of the room and drawing inspiration from as many as 500 interior-design images.

“A lot of people think they don’t have style. But style is the visual representation of how we view the world,” she said. “If you look at a room, every person has an instant reaction: ‘Ooo I like that room,’ or ‘Ugh, I hate it.’”

To discover one’s personal style, Carter recommends finding commonalities among favored images and using these as inspiration. Her website, www.meghancarter.com, lists blogs, magazines and websites to use as resources.

With many people fazed by the potential costs and time involved with decorating, Carter offers alternative furnishings and decorating techniques. For example, instead of fancy wallpaper, she suggests creating your own design with stencils and paint, or instead of an expensive end table, try a garden stool. She also notes that when selecting antique or second-hand furniture, keep in mind that only the shape is important — not the finish or color, which can both be easily changed.

Time is a vital consideration in any home project. Carter advises doubling the estimated time for any project, because even simple tasks can take much longer than planned.

“A lot of people think painting a room will take an hour. In your dreams!” she said with a laugh.

The Meghan Method

Part 1: Know what you want

Step 1: Identify aspirations

Step 2: Functional needs

Step 3: Emotional needs

Step 4: Your muse

Step 5: Your style

Step 6: Room evaluation

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2293 or nknoth@Dayton DailyNews.com.

Tips from a local expert

Summer decorating tips from Debbie  Basnett, owner of Vintage Scout Interiors, 60 N. Main St., Centerville: