Happy Independence Day everyone!  I’m sitting in my budget cottage, digesting tasty cookout treats and pondering this week’s blog post while watching “A Capital Fourth” from the comfort of my couch!

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my life; how I want it to feel, and the steps I want to take to boldly step into my future. That process really involves two key steps: creating a vision, and then acting on that vision one step at a time. And in many ways, it’s the same with home design.

As I wrote in an earlier blog post, it’s important to decide how you want your home to FEEL: Relaxed? Cozy? Vintage? Cutting Edge? That’s the first thing a designer will clarify with a client. Next up: FUNCTION. What do you need your home to do? Entertain 25 of your closest friends? House your grand piano? Store your adventure gear? Showcase your art collection? Function will often dictate flow, design choices and finishes to create a home that best marries your style and utility. That’s what a designer gets paid to do, but you can do the same thing all by yourself!

I took a home design class through the Corcoran Museum here in DC, and our final assignment was to create a design board. Essentially, a design board is a tool used by designers to lay out elements of a room and combine pieces that make sense for the space based on the client’s needs and preferences. Think of it like a home decor collage, the precursor to Pinterest.

A design board is a great tool to help put different pieces together, and will instantly reveal if the items you’re eyeing for a space will complement one another. Too many boxy furniture pieces? Bring in round shapes to soften the angles. Too many flat pieces? Introduce texture to your design board and watch the look and feel of the room change. Add fabric swatches in bold prints, stripes and solids to add visual interest and bring in those accent colors that will make your room pop and you’ll start to see your design vision take shape!

Whether you go old-school and use a poster board and magazine clippings or use any number of online tools, a design board is a great rainy-day project that can really help you hone your design vision and select the right pieces. Here are a few samples that might help you get started planning your next room.

For my next budget cottage design project, I’m contemplating a master bedroom refresh. Think graphic black and white print, inspirational framed quotes on the walls, bold stripes and pops of kelly/acid green, coral or lemon yellow (still mulling over the accent color). I’ll be putting together my own design board shortly, any will keep you posted on how things are going.

Okay, almost time for fireworks. Here’s wishing all of you a great Fourth, and have fun finding the fun in your home!!