Interior Insights by Julie Meyers

Well, the annual rush of "Black Friday" is behind us and the Christmas season has officially begun. As you dive into fulfilling Christmas wishes for your loved ones, what's on your wish list this year? Could it be that 2011 is the year for "Redecorate my home" to be at the top of that list?

If your desire is to see some minor but impactful sprucing up of your home's interiors, you can still achieve that before the jolly old elf descends your chimney. If, on the other hand, it's time for some major changes within, this is a great time to begin planning for redecorating projects that can be implemented right after the holidays. Your first step is to determine what you want, and what needs, to be done.

Clients often ask me to help them determine if it's really time to redecorate, and if so what the scope of that project should be. My first advice is to consider your interior spaces with the same eye that you evaluate your wardrobe each season, asking yourself the following questions....

First and foremost, when I look around my home, does its appearance bring me joy? Does it evoke feelings of welcome and comfort? Does it also make me feel rejuvenated and energized? When I walk into my home after being away, do I really see and experience the colors, textures, surfaces and furnishings in my home, or are they 'just there'? If you were critiquing your wardrobe, this would equate to the "Do I still really LOVE that jacket?" question.

Next comes the question of "Does it still fit me?". Do the spaces in my home function the way I need for them to? Or, have time, technology and the stage of my life changed how those spaces should work for me?
And finally, as you would stand in your closet thinking "Is it still in style, and is it still my style?", think about this: How does my home's appearance affect others who come into it? Does it send a message of hospitality to all who enter? Does it reflect my personality? Do I want it to be a showcase reflecting formal tradition, my family's history, or cutting edge style and sophistication? And does it do that?

As with the clothing that we wear, the way that we dress our homes needs to change over time, as styles and our needs change. Once you've decided that it's time to update, you can then move on to determining the scope of that project.

If it hasn't been very long since you last decorated your home, you may find that just some new paint and updated accessorizing is all it takes to give it a fresh look. Those are the kinds of things that you could even get completed before your Christmas guests arrive.

If your most recent decorating scheme was put in place before the first Bush administration, however, then it's time to treat yourself to a more major overhaul. Now is a great time to meet with a decorating professional, evaluated the changes that need to be made, and develop a plan for implementing those changes.

Your design professional can assist you not only in deciding what to change and in making choices so that everything falls into place in a timely manner. If contractors are needed for structural alterations, he or she can also facilitate getting on their schedule now, so that they can start their work as soon as the holidays are over.
Does making the decision to redecorate seem like a really big deal, or even a little bit selfish? Certainly, it shouldn't be undertaken without careful consideration, but it's also important to recognize when it's time to do so, and if done right can be loads of fun. It just might be the best Christmas gift you ever give yourself!