Tips to Help Develop Creativity in Home Decorating

Tips to Help Develop Creativity in Home Decorating

By Gloria Daniels

One of the first steps necessary in the development of creativity is the honing of your powers of observation. It is necessary to see and observe the world and your immediate environment and note what has already been created around you.

In order not to confuse you and create a jumble of your senses we will choose one object to use as we go through this exercise.

When you are relaxed and not rushed (developing creativity is not an instant process) walk into any room in your home. Sit down, relax and make yourself comfortable.

For today's exercise I will use the living room. Sit on the sofa, put your feet up, have a cup of coffee if you have time, take a few deep breaths and and relax your mind.

In your relaxed state, look around the entire room. Take your time and do more than see it. Really look at it. Look at the walls, floors and furnishings. Get a general impression of the room.

You are creative. You have created this room. Whether you love it or hate it, whether you feel good, bad or indifferant about it, you have created it. It matters not whether or not the landlord won't replace the scuffed flooring or fix the windows. What you are looking at is what you created with what you had to work with.

So let's move on to the how and why this is so. Pick an object in the room. Any object will do. For this exercise I'll choose a lamp on an end table by the sofa.

Look at this lamp and ask yourself these questions:

Does it look like it should be here?
Is the size in correct proportion?
Is it too big, too small, or like Goldilocks did you find one that is just right?
Does it fit into your color scheme?
Is the lampshade suitable for this lamp and this room?

Next think about why you are using this lamp:

It was a gift
It was a freebie
It was bought at a flea market because it was the right price
It was bought for just this spot

Do you really like the lamp in that spot? Does it make you happy? Is it just holding space until something better comes along? Is it an item you absolutely, positively love and no one is going to separate you from it?

At this point you know quite a lot about that lamp. You probably haven't given this much thought to it since the day you put it in place. Now you are going to decide what you are going to do with this item. Your choices are to move it, replace it, or leave it as is.

During the month, when you have some time, repeat this exercise with other items in your home. Start small and get into the habit of creative observation and thinking. You will be amazed at the objects you have had around, sometimes for years just because you put them there and never gave them another thought.

Look around and observe your surroundings. You may be surprised at what you discover not only about your possessions but also about yourself.

Gloria Daniels has worked in many areas of the home decorating field and has been helping clients decorate their homes creatively for over 20 years. For more help and hints on creative ways to decorate you home, visit her website at http://www.home-decorating-room-by-room.com/ While there take advantage of her free online home decorating workbook to help you create the home of your dreams. Take time to sign up for her free ezine, "Creative Home Decorating Workshop". Each month receive a dozen home decorating tips along with a lesson in how to develop your creativity as you are decorating your home.