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So, you're ready to design a new room in your home. You've cleared out the old, and you're now staring at a room barren of design; a blank canvas begging for your personal touch of color and style. Now what?!

The first step in designing a room in your home is to determine the function of the room. Note that the function of a room is different than the type of the room. A room's type is easily identifiable: a living room, a dining room, a kid's play room, etc. But the function of the room is not always so obvious and easy to determine. Define the function of your new room by ascertaining what the room will actually be used for. This function often differs from what is expected of a specific type of room. For example, do you need a workspace somewhere in your room? Does you child need a study area is his/her bedroom? Do you use your living room more for reading than for watching television? These questions determine how a space will actually be used, which is the true definition of a room's function.

Once you have determined the function of the room, identify specific things you will need in the room in order for it to serve your function. For example, a room used for formal holiday dinners with the family will need a large, luxurious dining room table and chairs. A cluttered children's play room will need some smart storage solutions. Identify these elements which are indispensable to the function of the room as your "essentials." These essentials will be the base of your room's design.

So, let's make a hypothetical room. My hypothetical room type is the "living room." But since I intend to use the room for reading, writing, and entertaining, the function of my room is a reading space, a work space, and a comfortable environment for entertaining guests. The essentials I will need to in order to serve the function of my space will be: excellent lighting and a comfortable reading chair, a computer desk for writing, and plenty of comfortable yet durable seating for many guests.

And now that I've identified the basics of this hypothetical room, it's time to get creative and specific. My reading chair should recline and be flanked by a side table for my trusty cup of coffee. The computer desk should feature cabinet style doors which I can close up, completely concealing the workspace clutter. The seating should be dual purpose, perhaps with a large padded ottoman instead of a coffee table which can serve as extra seating during large parties.

You can build the design of any room off these basic principles of function. When it comes to the actual styling of your room, simply follow your instincts. There are no rules when it comes to color and style - only emotion. Just as we determined the function of the room and then identified things that meet that function, determine the aspired emotion of a room and then go with colors and objects which evoke that emotion in you. For instance, if you want your room to be cool and soothing, go with light blues and greens, and maybe even toss in a bit of a beach theme for a retreat-like atmosphere. If you want luxurious, elegant atmosphere, go for deep rich colors and rich heavy wooded furniture. The principles of design differ largely from person to person - no one answer is right. Simply determine the emotional function of your room and work from there.

Good Luck and Happy Designing!

Learn more about this author, Kay Fair.
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