We Asked 3 Designers What They Prioritize First When Decorating A Home—They All Had A Different Answer

So you just moved into a new home. Congrats! Now the fun can begin. Even if you’re coming from a fully furnished space, chances are that things won't quite fit the same way in your new space. It’s also possible that you're hoping to start fresh in your new place. Regardless of why you’re updating your Pinterest boards and perusing local decor shops, we have one piece of advice for you: slow down.

“It’s super tempting to want to design your home in one go, but layering pieces over time and being patient in the process will yield more satisfying results,” recommends Shivani Vyas, founder of her namesake design firm in Macon, Georgia. Don’t know what to tackle first? There are three places she and other Southern designers recommend starting.

Appliances

Taylor Murphy, founder of his namesake design firm in Austin, Texas, likes to think about the functionality of the appliances before he does anything else in a kitchen. After all, if the way you cook isn’t actually functional, then what’s the point? This could be because you based their size and functionality on the layout you’ve already committed to or their price on your budget after purchasing other things. This logic could also be applied to things like the bathtub in a primary bedroom or the grill on a small porch.

Not only that, but Murphy points out that “depending on the selection, appliances might take a bit of time, so it’s best to finalize those at the forefront of the project.”

The Big Stuff

According to Vyas, you should “start with the major pieces that get the most traffic and use.” This is intuitive, considering you can’t sleep without a mattress or binge your favorite comedy series without a television. You shouldn’t just scoop up the first ones you find, however—Vyas always recommends shopping with a longevity-focused approach.

You can also think about each space as a pyramid, with the most important pieces creating the foundation. “After the main furniture is decided, find a rug in the correct size for the room, and then accessories and lighting to create your desired mood,” says Murphy. Plus, the larger pieces tend to take longer to make, so you can start deciding on other things while you’re waiting for them.

Statement Pieces

It may sound counterintuitive, but Hannah Reehl, founder of her namesake design firm in southern Alabama, recommends prioritizing the finer things. These can take time to source, to be sure, but once they are, the rest of the home will come together in a snap and the finished product will be more than worth it.

“Pieces like a custom hand-crafted iron bed or a crystal chandelier you found at an estate sale are the pieces you should decorate an entire room around,” she explains. Think about it like this: If the home you’re designing is a flower arrangement, then the special pieces are like the blooms and the neutral staples are like the greenery.