High expectations
Designer offers tips for getting the most out of your home decorating project
If you thought that understanding proportion, color and style were the most important elements for a home decorating project, you might just be wrong.
Ben Johnston, an interior designer who trained as an architect, would likely tell you that, above all else, you need to understand yourself.
Johnston, a sixth-generation Houstonian, talked to visitors at the Houston Design Center recently about home design and what it’s like to work with a designer.
“Start with an honest selfreflection,” Johnston said, noting that he’s not talking about a feelgood look in the mirror. “What do you want to accomplish?”
Another important consideration is how much time things will take.
“HGTV makes people think their space can be renovated in 24 hours,” Johnston said. “I’ve had people say to me, ‘That cute Jonathan on ‘Property Brothers’ does it all himself, and he does it in a day.’ ”
Remember, that TV show is edited, and Jonathan has a team of people waiting off camera, Johnston quipped.
Johnston offers this advice to homeowners, whether you’re using an interior designer or doing it yourself. 1. If you’ve heard the expression “form follows function,” think again. Johnston said that form and function are actually a union — both equal necessities. So when you start a project, give equal weight to how you want it to look and how you will use it. 2. In planning a room’s treatment — whether you’re redecorating or taking on a complete remodeling
job — draw a layout with good measurements so you’ve got an accurate assessment of your space. You’ll need this information when you’re buying furniture, window treatment and accessories. 3. Assess your style: Compile images of things that inspire you, things you like. Pinterest, Instagram and shelter magazines provide endless ideas. 4. Know your budget. General guidelines for what a project should cost can vary. Upgrading appliances, for example, can add many thousands of dollars in a kitchen remodeling project. Once you’ve got a budget, adjust your expectations to what that money can buy. 5. Pick a palette: Look at things with color — paint, fabric, counters and other items — as a group. Think warm vs. cool, neutral vs. color. 6. Take photos of your space. Not only is it a nice reward to look at before-andafter images, photos will help you envision new things in your space as you shop. 7. Changes in any one room may not mean tossing out everything for a fresh start. Decide what you like about your space and which, if any, furniture you want to keep. 8. Whether you’re going to stay in a home for a couple of years versus forever, should guide how much you personalize it. If you have quirky taste but plan to move in a couple of years, ask yourself if your home’s potential next owner will like it, too. 9. Expectations are a hard thing to corral. When you look at beautiful homes in magazines, remember that those are often multimilliondollar homes completed with the help of architects, interior designers and, often, unlimited budgets. You are likely living in a more modest home and there is a cap on how much your family’s CFO is willing to spend. 10. When you’re considering what to buy, also consider that a rug often is the foundation for your entire space. “It really is not only one of the largest elements in your space, but it can be a work of art,” Johnston said. “Choose a foundation that works for the space and sets the tone for the room.” 11. Lighting, artwork and accessories are the jewelry of any room. “Remember that scene in ‘Steel Magnolias’ when they said ‘the only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize’?” Johnston asked. “When you accessorize, it can elevate a space into something more complete.” 12. Another “foundation” element is your wall finish. Paint, wallpaper and texture can create the mood or ambience of a room. “Color is one of the most powerful tools in a designer’s arsenal. It is, with paint, the least expensive way to dramatically change a space,” he said.