!: Cheap Home Decor - Great Ideas to Make Your Sample Board

Before you try to turn your color scheming ideas into reality, put them down on paper. A sample board is the tool used by professional interior designer to create a visual impression of an entire room, from paint color to furniture to Accessories, in a form that they can present to their clients for approval. Even if you have only yourself to please, making a sample board can be time well spent, preventing costly decorating mistakes.

It is a lot cheaper to swap one tiny fabric swatch for another than to get your sofa re-covered. And if you are at all unsure of how to mix and match colors, it is an invaluable way of focusing your ideas and providing further inspiration.

Find a sheet of A3 paper or card to use as a base, then collect samples of all the furnishings you plan to include in your room. Pin them all to the card, and then swap them around or add others as your ideas evolve to see how different color combinations work together. When you feel you have a complete picture of your room and are happy with the overall effect, glue everything in place and use the board as a blueprint for your scheme. Here you have what to include on your board:

Paint shade cards

They can be picked up from DIY stores. Include colors for all the paintwork in the room - ceiling, woodwork and any furniture you plan to paint - as well as the walls.

Carpet and flooring samples

Carpet and flooring samples are also freely available. Small pieces of wooden flooring can be useful for representing the wood tones of furniture.

Fabric swatches

These swatches are usually available on demand at furnishing stores. Include larger samples for big items such as curtains and sofas, smaller ones for cushions.

Snippets of trimmings

Such as piping or beading are also important as they add to the character of a room.

Photos of furniture and Accessories

Photographs will help to give the complete picture. Take your own photos of existing feature of the room, and use cuttings from magazines and brochures for pieces you plan to buy.

Materials that suggest the mood

Certain materials might help to inspire you further. For example, a feather might conjure up the delicate feel you want for your bedroom. Sample boards are also known as "mood boards". What you are aiming for is an effect that excites and pleases you.

A scale drawing of the room

This will help you plan the layout. Add measurements so that you can calculate quantities for furnishings when the time comes to buy.