Design and furnish a room from start to finish

Are you tired of your home as it is and looking to completely revamp your space? Are you starting a new build project and trying to decide how the finished product should look? Do you have big interior design dreams but aren’t sure how to turn them into a reality? 

Deciding how to lay out and furnish a room can be difficult, but we’ve got some tips that will help you dream up a perfect room and then see it through from start to finish. Read on for our guide on how to design and furnish a room, step by step, no matter your budget or style. 

1. Make a plan 

While the idea of a room revamp is exciting, before you jump in to working on your renovation or decorating project, make a plan. Are you starting with a new build or a room you’re going to gut and renovate from floor to ceiling? Or are you simply looking to furnish a room in a new way? 

Once you’ve made your decisions on the scope of the project, you can create a budget, a timeline, and an overall plan. Divide elements of the room into must-haves, nice-to-haves, and non-priorities, and focus on the essentials first. If you’re doing a full reno and you need professional tradespeople like tilers, be sure to include these in your costings and schedule. 

2. Get inspired 

Naturally, when you’re starting a project to design and furnish any room in your home, you need to decide what you want and how you’d like it to look when you’re finished, as well as what function it will serve in your house. Choose your colour palette, your decor style, and so on at this point. 

There are a lot of ways to find inspiration for your space. Naturally social media like Instagram (follow ours!) and Pinterest are classic options, and you can always look at furniture blogs and websites for more ideas. Plus, visit us in-store to see how our team pairs together pieces from the Corcoran’s collection. You can even check out the virtual tour on our homepage or below for more ideas!  

3. Start measuring

Before you order anything from flooring to furniture, make sure to get accurate measurements for the space. There’s nothing worse than trying to furnish a room and realising that the pieces you’ve chosen don’t fit, or over- or under-ordering carpet or other flooring for a space. Read our guide to measuring furniture for more detail. 

Once you’ve got your measurements, create a floorplan for how you would like to lay out the room. There are online tools to do this such as Plan Your Room and Floorplanner, or you can simply use a pen and gridded paper. This way you can ensure that everything will fit the way you want it, without looking too cluttered. 

4. Go shopping

Okay, the planning is finished so it’s time to start shopping! Whether you’re shopping online or in-store, keep your inspo mood board and your measurements close at hand, as well as your budget and list of must-haves so that you know exactly what you’re looking for. 

Many people still prefer to shop for materials to furnish a room in-store so that they can see furniture, accessories, and so on in person. However, online shopping for furniture and furnishings is becoming more and more popular. Don’t forget that you can still get in touch with the Corcoran’s team online if you have any questions about our collection, and get the same great customer service and expert advice as you’ll find in store. 

5. Choose centerpieces 

When we say centerpieces, we don’t mean table toppers — we mean beginning to furnish a room with the key pieces of furniture that will tie everything together. In the bedroom, this of course means the bed; in the living room, the sofa; and so on. Opt for classic pieces that will stand the test of time style-wise, and invest in quality furniture that is built to last as well. 

Once you have these essential elements, you’ll be able to design around them with secondary furniture and accessories because you’ll have a better idea of how the room flows in terms of style and how much space you have to work with after adding in the larger furnishings. 

6. Inject personality 

Once you’ve gotten all of the must-haves on your list, from flooring to wall paint to the essential furniture that you need for a room to perform its main functions in your home, you can put your own customised spin on a space with other details and accessories. Choose rugs, curtains, wall art, and more — what you add will depend on the room itself, but our guide to home decor and accessories can offer some inspiration. 

This is where you can tap into the ‘nice-to-have’ section of your wishlist and have a little fun with pieces that are focused on trendy style. It’s also where you can turn a room from a carefully curated space to one that really feels like home. 

Plan and furnish, and pull it all together

Our last tip for guaranteeing success when you plan and furnish a room from start to finish is to have fun with your space. Keep these main points in mind, but don’t forget to enjoy the process as well.

Plus, our interiors experts have been helping folks plan their homes for years and are always here to help with planning and styling your Corcoran’s flooring, furniture, and accessories!