How to begin decorating your new home

Moving house can be a hugely exciting time, but how do you begin decorating an empty property?
When you and your partner took a train out of London to check out the new build homes in Kent or Surrey, you may have been shown around a home that had display furniture, but this is not always included in a purchase agreement. Suddenly you could be faced with a house that is loaded with potential but is - for the moment - stark and empty.

For some style-conscious individuals, this is the moment that they rub their hands together and start running around each room with ideas cascading off their lips like a waterfall - but not everyone has a passion for interior decor. It can be a challenging moment.

But do not worry if you are not immediately sure what to do; all you need is the right combination of inspiration and common sense to turn your new home into a stylish place that suits your lifestyle.

It really helps if you have a bit of time to think about your choices, as it means you can just gradually take in ideas from magazines, television shows and friends' houses over the course of several weeks or months. Keep a scrapbook or notepad full of the bits that appeal to you, whether it is a type of wallpaper or a style of sofa. If you are short of time, try and devote a day or two to checking out interior decor on the internet and any other sources you can find.

Once you have a few ideas in mind, then you can think about what sort of colours or textures will go well with those items. Before you know it, you will have half of a room planned out, from which point you should be able finish it off by using your common sense regarding the necessary items for each space, for example the less glamorous objects like washing machines and cupboards.

The key is to have a starting point. When there is nothing in front of you there is just too much choice, whereas making a few decisions early on narrows down your options - in a good way.