In this article: Learn from the pros and discover how to overcome decorating paralysis with these 7 lessons from HGTV stars!
I’d love to say I do room makeovers in a snap and ALWAYS make design decisions quickly and confidently. But that would be a lie.
I once painted an entryway 6 times before I landed on a color I finally liked.
There was also the time I tried a new “modern-looking” decorating scheme that just didn’t feel like home.
It also took me a week to decide whether I liked the new rug I ordered online. (Update: I kept it and still love it years later!)
I know I’m not alone in feeling overwhelmed by all the choices that come with a room makeover. But after completing more than 28 of them in the past 28 years, I’ve learned that a beautiful ending begins with one decision after another.
I take great comfort in watching how the process goes for designers on some of my favorite HGTV shows. They are professionals with many successful room and home renovations under their belts, and yet they, too, sometimes struggle with indecision and hesitation over choices.
Here are some practical takeaways about decision-making that I’ve learned from the HGTV pros.
How to Decorate a Room: Overcome Decorating Paralysis (Lessons from HGTV Stars)
1. A deadline encourages decisions to be made in a timely manner.
With TV crews, contracts, and money on the line, HGTV stars have only so much time to waffle on design decisions. Although I don’t think it helps to rush yourself into a stressful panic, it may help move the process along if you keep an end date in mind.
Kortney and Dave’s fun and colorful show Masters of Flip often shows how the timeline is a huge part of the process. It keeps them moving and motivates them to make choices so they can get the house back on the market as soon as possible.
Photo credit: Masters of Flip
Case in point? My most recent farmhouse hallway makeover was done in partnership with a company. The completion date was set months before I began. Without that deadline, it probably still wouldn’t have been started!;)
2. When starting a room makeover, make decisions with the end in mind.
Bryan and Sara Baeumler did a huge renovation of an island resort. (You can watch it on Island of Bryan.) As they worked through the many buildings that needed renovating, they first chose how each space needed to function and feel. Every decision they made kept future guests in mind.
Photo credit: Island of Bryan
The same should be done when we freshen up our own homes. Ask yourself these two crucial questions before you begin:
- How does this room need to function?
- What 3 words describe how I want this room to feel in the end?
3. Start with one decision and build on it.
If you think about it, doing a room makeover is a lot like baking a cake. Ingredient after ingredient is added until it all comes together into a pretty presentation.
It may help to think of it this way: an entire room makeover is accomplished one decision at a time.
Start with a key element that you love.
It can vary from room to room and can be big or small. Sarah Richardson from Sarah off the Grid often starts with fabric as the jumping-off point. She pulls fabrics for furniture, curtains, and throws, and then often builds the rest of the room design around them.
Photo credit: Sarah off the Grid
On a recent episode, she designed an entire kitchen around the marble that would be an accent on a focal wall. The cabinet color, hardware, faucets, lights, and furniture were all coordinated around it.
4. Use tools so you can “see” the room elements all together before you begin.
I used to love Candice Olson’s show Divine Design. In each episode she would place samples of every element of a room design on a beautiful tray, carefully laid out so her clients could see how the room would look once it all came together.
Photo credit: Divine Design
Most of us don’t have an office full of design samples on hand. Some great alternatives are digital mood boards (like this one) or 3D computer programs. Or, if you prefer, use an actual corkboard, cut out pictures of the elements you like, and move them around until it feels like something you love.
5. Pick the paint color for the room you are painting.
Although paint color is probably my absolute favorite budget-friendly room makeover element, it’s usually the last thing I pick. Nothing is more disappointing than getting a master bedroom all painted, only to discover you can’t find bedding to match!
Also, even though I would call ALL of the HGTV stars color experts in one way or another, do you notice that some of them still often buy multiple paint samples and try them out in the room before making a final decision? That taught me that even though they may be experts at envisioning a beautiful outcome, paint colors still need to be tested onsite.
(Related Article: How to Pick a Paint Color You’ll Love)
6. Buy more than one option when choosing decor. Return the ones you don’t like.
When it finally dawned on me that this was happening, I gained SO MUCH more courage when buying home decor.
Since I’m such a visual person, I need to see an item in the room before I can commit to it. Instead of fussing over whether I was buying the “wrong” item, I’d buy more than one and return the one I liked least. It has made the process SO MUCH easier for me!
7. Research, learn new trends, and ask the experts
I love how Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper often incorporates a unique item built by a local shop. She showcases unique craftsmanship and sometimes learns how to do part of the process herself.
Photo credit: Clint Harp’s table design on Fixer Upper
I think that’s a great lesson for all of us. Even when budgets are tight, we can still research and learn from experts in their fields. We might discover a new product or technique we want to use in our own homes, and maybe even pick up a new hobby along the way.
Want to start a Room Makeover in Your House?
Then I have just the thing for you! I put together a free four-part video series called “Recipe for a Room Makeover” that can help you get that project started, and finished, no matter what your budget is.
*This post was originally published August 13, 2019 and updated May, 2022.
