It’s a New Year! The magical time where anything is possible. You have your resolutions on lock and you’re ready to take on the world! You’re going to track your good habits, you’re going to get back to the gym, and… What was that last one? …Oh yeah. You’re going to make a new friend! 

We all know that as we get older, it becomes harder and harder to make new adult friends. And that’s why it’s so important to make an absolutely STUNNING first impression when you invite them over to your home for the first time. So fear not, dear reader, we’re here to help you navigate this new chapter in your adulthood. 

 

Steps to Stun

1. Tidy Up

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - the first step in any interior decor improvement process is tidying up. The blanket sprawled all over the sofa? Fold ‘em up or throw them in your blanket basket! The day-old takeout that’s still on the coffee table? Yeah, time to throw that away. Oh, and where’d the remote go? Time to check those sofa cushions, because it’s probably stuck there somewhere. And don’t forget to fluff those pillows!

Now, we’re not saying that you should only tidy up when guests are expected to come around. Being the New Year, this practice is just a good standard habit to get into. Yes, we know it can be difficult sometimes, but New Year, New You, right? In any case, we always recommend tidying up for guests. 

 

2. Deep Clean

Okay, you’ve finished picking things and putting them down. Now it’s time to go one step further and really clean the place. Break out the Windex and bring the vacuum out of its hiding place - It’s time to deep clean! 

Now, we said it above and we’ll say it again - deep cleaning is a good habit to get into to keep your home looking stunning year-round. But, it’s an especially important practice when you’re expecting guests of any kind. Not only would your mother be impressed that you have your life together and she doesn’t need to tell you that there’s dust accumulating on your baseboard moulding, but your new potential friend could look around and think “wow, this person is clean, I like them.” So, it’s a win-win. Plus, you get to wake up in a spick-and-span house on a normal Tuesday morning, so call it a win-win-win! 

 

3. Drab to Fab

We all have those pieces of furniture that we cannot bring ourselves to get rid of, no matter how drab. That side chair everyone sits in that’s at risk of collapsing, those white fluffy pillows that aren’t so white anymore, the rug that’s seen one too many spills… Now’s the time to make an upgrade. Take what’s drab and make it fab! 

There are two ways you can make upgrades in your home - you can either do it yourself (DIY), or go full-send and make a purchase. The choice is yours! Your final decision lies in the time and dollars you have to spend. If your furniture has sentimental value, it might be worth taking the time to re-stain, reupholster, et cetera. Or, you can opt to replace the item altogether if you’re just straight-up sick of looking at it. Whatever the situation and whatever the decision, this final assessment will help you stun your next houseguest and really make a great first impression. 

 

Think you need even more help? No problem! If you’re looking for a more all-encompassing solution, then we suggest going all-out with free in-home design (something you can get for free at Designer Furniture Gallery!)

 

 

Tailor custom furniture to create a personalized, lasting style for your home.

In-Home Design

Did you know that furniture stores sometimes provide free design services? It’s true! At Designer Furniture Gallery, we’re no stranger to design. And what better way to make a stunning first impression than to use the help of an expert designer? 

Whether you’re looking to start from scratch with an empty room, or you just need help with accessorizing, here’s how you can get started with professional in-home design help.

 

1. Prep Steps

Before you get started, you’ll want to take several photos of the space you’re working with so that the designer can get a feel of the kind of room they’ll have to work with. You’ll also want to take measurements of the space. Consider measuring the following: 

 

  • The overall dimensions of your room 

  • The length and height of your walls/doorways

  • The dimensions of the windows on the room

  • Any large pieces of furniture that you plan to keep

 

2. What’s the Room? 

This is, hopefully, an easy question to answer. Choose from your living room, dining room, bedroom, office, or entryway. Whether it’s one room or multiple, this will help the designer determine what kind of furniture or accent pieces will be needed for your space. 

 

3. Why the Redesign?

In this particular case, you could always say that you’re looking to make a stunning first impression. However, the more details, the better! Be sure to specify if you’re looking for a new style, if you’re setting up a whole new space, if you need just a few pieces to finish off or update a room, if you need to make your space more functional, or any other reason you could possibly have for seeking the help of a designer. 

 

4. How Complete is Your Space? 

The designer you’re working with will want to know how finished your room is currently. Is it mostly complete with just a couple updates to make? Did you decide to scrap a drab furniture piece and need a new one? Or did you decide to scrap your whole room and completely start over in the New Year? Answering these questions will help your designer determine how much work will need to be done and the time it’ll take to do it.

5. What’s Your Style?

This can be a much trickier question to answer if you don’t already have a solid grasp on what your personal interior design style is. In general, you can choose from the following to start: 

  • Contemporary: Features cool tones, like whites and light grays, and can be seen as clean, with soft, curved lines. In general, this style tends to include the latest trends in design. 

  • Traditional: More ornate aesthetic, featuring dark wood tones and upholstery with patterns like stripes, florals, or plaid. This style also incorporates velvet or linen materials. 

  • Rustic: Features more natural elements like stone and wood. Think “cabin in the woods” minus the deranged serial killer. This style is meant to create a relaxing and grounded atmosphere by bringing the outdoors in. 

  • Transitional: This style is more of a mix between traditional and modern design with a more neutral color palette. It’s classic, it’s elegant, it’s everything you want and more. 

  • Mid-Century: Features clean lines and natural wood tones, making for a timeless look that took off way back in the 1940s! Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. 

  • Farmhouse: This style is a mix of modern and rustic, making for a simple look with rustic charm. It’s practical, comfortable, and stylish! 

 

If you already know exactly what your style is, feel free to specify! There are no wrong answers. Or, if you have no idea where to even begin in answering this question, take our style quiz! 

 

6. Dimensions, Unique Characteristics and More

Got the work from the Prep Steps in your back pocket? Good, it’s time to pull them out and provide them to your designer. This is also the time to tell them if there’s anything specific you’d like them to incorporate in their design, or if your space has any unique characteristics that you’d like the design to work with. This could be anything from a beautiful stained-glass window to a weird nook that you can’t figure out the functionality for. 

 

Now, say you want to go about this home spruce-up session a little differently. Maybe instead of putting your request for help into the void, you want to do some research about designers in your area. We’ve got you covered there, too! Our team of designers here at Designer Furniture Gallery have years of experience in helping customers create personalized designs for their home, specializing in a variety of design styles, project sizes and budgets. Click here to meet our team today! 

 

Impess your guests with professional interior design.

 

And there you have it - everything you need to make an absolutely STUNNING first impression in the New Year. Go forth, conquer, impress your mother, make a new friend! A great 2023 is at your fingertips.