You've made the big move! You're finally in the home of your dreams! Let the fun begin…….it's time to decorate. Torn pages from magazines are stacked neatly in your file titled "Décor Ideas” for the day that has arrived. So, where do you begin?

The next door neighbor, family, and friends know the perfect interior designer to help you coordinate the placement of your belongings……..and at a price that will fit your low budget The furniture style and the fabric selections are made and the home of your dreams is coming together piece, by piece.

Then, it's time for the accent pieces. Your designer suggests the placement of décor items that look like they were purchased from your local retail décor store that is well known for selling mass produced pottery, glass, and art and wants to charge you a fortune for them. Sound familiar? This is a very important stage of asking yourself……”Do I want to decorate the home of my dreams with these types of accessories?”. Of course you don't! Imagine your fantastic ceramic vase that was handed down to you from your great grandmother sitting next to a $25 accessory……..I don't think so. Ok, so you're saying…”But I don't have the budget to purchase items with historical meaning or artistic value”. Sure, that might be true. The solution? Decorate over time……room by room. Don't get in a "mad rush” and scurry over to those well known, low quality, low priced home décor stores (you know the ones I'm talking about) and buy up every accessory you need for each room the minute you move in to your house.

Be creative! Visit your local art galleries and art shows. Get familiar with artists and designers of today and yesterday. Plan to decorate with these types of accessories and you'll be glad you did. Your home will become filled with conversational pieces for those special gatherings and you'll have fun seeking them out. Also, if you purchase wisely……..your items may have potential for a higher resale value than the original purchase price. Unlike the above mentioned $25 accessory that ends up at your garage sale with a price tag of $5 on it! Decorating with the right pieces over time may actually save you money…… in the long run.