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Are you tired of filling your shopping cart with decor and then putting it all back, not buying anything because you don’t know what you actually need? Are you tired of wasting money buying a random collection of decor items that don’t fit your home? Do you wish someone would give you a list of home decor items and essentials you need?
Well, here is a list of essential decor items that everyone can use in their home!
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Two common mistakes when buying decor
There are two very common true stories that I hear all the time.
In the first story, my friend Jenny heads to the store. She knows she needs some decor because she’s been staring at empty walls, shelves, and countertops for months (or even years).
Finally, Jenny heads to a home decor store and starts browsing the aisles. She sees a few things that catch her eye, puts them in her shopping cart, and continues browsing. Soon after, Jenny relents, realizing that she doesn’t know what she really needs or wants, so she puts everything back on the shelf! Jenny leaves the store with nothing.
In the second story, Tina decides to go shopping. She too has been eyeing all the empty spaces in her home for a long time and just wants to fill them with something. While browsing through the stores, she finds a few items that she thinks might work because they look like popular decor items she’s seen on Instagram and HGTV. She buys a cart full of the stuff and takes it all home.
Once she gets her purchases, Tina isn’t happy with anything. She doesn’t know where to put anything. So, she either carries everything back to the store to get her money back (or hides it somewhere and loses money). Regardless, she finds herself back at square one just like Jenny, and no closer to a beautifully decorated home than before.
Either way, my friends were shopping without a clue what they needed. But, because my heart is in making decorating easier for Jenny and Tina—and you—this post has all the decorating steps you need, broken down into easy, logical steps! So now you can create a more stylish, organized home that you love.
A quick way to refresh your home decor – as it comes to decor shopping!
If you’re decorating in the right order, following my 5-step decorating plan, you know the steps are:
Find the DNA of your unique style Plan your space Add curtains, rugs and lighting Decorate the walls Add accessories
The home decor items mentioned in this list fall under steps 3, 4, and 5, and should be chosen and purchased in that order!
List of Home Decor Items You Need for Your Home
Here are the home decor items you need for almost any room in your home…
1. Curtains and upholstery
If the room you are decorating needs privacy, add curtains or blinds thick enough to achieve that.
If you don’t need privacy, curtains will add style and variety to the room, which is essential to lightening up the space. Remember to hang curtains high and wide so they don’t crowd the window and natural light.
2. Area rug
You can place rugs over hardwood, laminate, or tile floors, or even over a wide wall-to-wall area rug to anchor a space—or hide an ugly or worn floor! That’s what makes rugs such a décor staple. Like curtains, they warm up a room and create an inviting atmosphere. They also anchor furniture arrangements.
3. Accent lighting and/or functional lighting
Every room needs some type of lighting, and having different types of lighting, such as work lights for reading or floor lamps to soften the space, is essential to creating a designed-looking space. Choose 1 to 3 options in coordinating styles and finishes. Don’t rely solely on overhead lighting, even if you have a dimmer switch.
4. Artwork
You need at least one piece of artwork or other wall decor like a gallery wall or mirror. Artwork is a very personal choice. Neutral colors or nature paintings are best. Maybe you like bright pops of color. Since it’s very personal, choose what you love and nothing else.
A nice framed mirror may be enough if you prefer or can’t find a piece of art you like. Just remember that what the mirror reflects becomes the art, so use mirrors wisely. Also remember that the art comes after the curtains and lighting, so you know exactly how much space you have for art, and therefore how large pieces you can use.
All of the essential decor items fall under the accessories category and fit into the final step of the 5-step decorating plan.
5. Pillows and blankets
The number of pillows and blankets you need depends on the space you have and how cozy you like these things. I recommend at least one blanket and at least 3 to 5 pillows, depending on how many seats you have in your space. Not so many that your guests and family can’t sit, but enough to add some comfort and softness to the room.
Extra tip: I always suggest getting feather fillings for your pillows because they withstand wear and tear much better than their foam counterparts.
6. Large basket
You’ll need one or more baskets to store items like toys, blankets, exercise equipment, or anything else in the room that you want to hide and contain.
7. tray
At least one tray will be useful—and look nice—to hold items like remote controls, bedside items, or to use as a base for a decorative picture.
8. Vase or pitcher
Get at least one vase or pitcher for the flowers.
9. Greenery and flowers
Having 1 to 3 bouquets of fresh or artificial flowers and plants will bring life (or the perception of it) to any space.
10. Candles
Choose one medium or large scented or unscented candle in a jar and 2 to 5 candle holders with candles for variety. You can use battery-operated candles or real candles, depending on your preference.
11. Decorative objects
No room decor is complete without 1 to 3 decorative items like statues, bowls, abstract shapes, book holders, etc. Your choice of decorative items depends on your style.
12. Books
Finally, 1 to 3 beautiful books – or more – for display or use as holders for other decorative accessories.
Shop for essential decor pieces
Since I know I’m going to get asked about this, here are some of my favorite decorating staples.
summary
When choosing decor for your home, be sure to follow our five-step decorating plan, putting the big pieces in place first. Then, when the time is right, shop for these essential decor items and use them in every room in your home:
Curtains or balustrades for each window An appropriately sized rug One or two lamps A large piece of art or a mirror One or more blankets, and 3-5 or more pillows A large basket to hide or collect necessary items One or more trays to collect items or as a base for a miniature picture At least one vase or flowerpot A couple of candles – one jar candle and 2-5 candle holders with candles 1-3 decorative objects 1-3 or more beautiful books
That’s it. This is a list of home decor items and essential decor supplies that everyone needs in their home! Download the list of essential decor items that you can take with you the next time you go shopping!
To make it easier for you, I’ve created a checklist. Just click the button below to download a free checklist of your decorating supplies!
Once you have an item, tag it. Then you won’t have to shop for it again. Or get confused by all the beautiful things that will be calling your way at your favorite store! Now it’s more careful about decorating your items and shopping. 🙂
