Today, while I’m over At The Well with the post, “Home in 140 Characters,” I have a guest post for you from Mirinda Dawe, the gal behind October Belle Designs.  She is an interior designer with a real talent and love for art. She especially enjoys creating special pieces of art for your baby or child- even your tween or teen.  She also does design consultations through email.  I asked her to give us all some design tips because, well, I am design inept!  Enjoy!

Can I just say that when Sarah Mae asked me to guest post I giggled & squealed like a four year old? I am so honored to be here sharing my favorite design tips! My education in the design world did not come from a four year university {don’t worry; I’m not moving people’s walls around!} Rather, it comes from almost ten years of home staging and owning a decorating company that offers turnkey packages for vacation rentals. In offering personal interior consultations I quickly found that the techniques used in a client’s vacation home works in any home! Here are my four most used tips & techniques:

Relax.

And grab some paint. I’ve known countless people who have lived for years with white walls out of fear of ‘messing up’. Trust me when I say that color is the easiest thing to change if you do actually dislike the shade. I recently painted a nursery three times in one day to get that perfect green! Color will also give your space personality & warmth. So get to painting!

Design for a Lifetime.

Oftentimes people will procrastinate decorating their home because they feel overwhelmed at purchasing many items at once. Unless you are having a designer come in to fully “do a room” you shouldn’t be buying several pieces at one time. Always be on the ‘lookout’ when traveling or just shopping around town! You never know when you will come across that perfect piece that your home has been missing. This also helps take into account that your style may change & you can adapt that into the look of your rooms over time.

Let your home be a statement.

What do I mean by that? Well, what statement do you want your home to make when a guest walks in the front door? Do you want your home to feel warm & inviting? Most of us do! Would you like the furniture to beckon your children to snuggle up and read a book? Your sister to sit and chat for hours? Mine for our family is simply ‘A Safe Haven’. I want my home to feel like the safest place on this earth for our children and any guests. Decide on your style statement and decorate accordingly!

Go big or go home!

Many homes today are built with the open floor plan. This means large wall spaces that are confusing when it comes to deciding what goes there! Buy one large statement piece such as a mirror or over sized canvas. This generally looks more pleasing than several small pictures being scattered throughout the room and is also a great investment. If you have several small items, pull them together in an arrangement that is cohesive and will make a bold statement.

I hope these tips will encourage you to try something new. We can be inspired by anything out there, so take what you love and transfer that into something wonderful for your home! Let your space be livable and work for your family and most importantly, be blessed!

Thanks Mirinda!  Okay, it’s Sarah Mae here and I just want to encourage you to scoot on over to October Belle Designs blog because she is having a giveaway for a 12 x 12 customized gallery canvas, valued at $52! All you have to do is comment!

Don’t forget to stop by and visit me today!  :)

Photo Credit: October Belle Designs

Posted on Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 and journaled under Homemaking and Lifegiving. Follow the coffee talks on this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a Coffee Talk or trackback from your own site. Keep up with Like a Warm Cup of Coffee by subscribing here.