I think one of the most overwhelming barriers for guys when first decorating their own home is in finding good resources to get home decor ideas.  So, as part of my series of how-to articles, I thought I would share the resources I use when determining how to decorate my own home.  As an FYI, I lean more toward modern decor, so if you have a different taste, the same categories of resources still apply, but you might have to do some digging on your own to find applicable resources.

1. Catalogs - Catalogs are a free and easy way to find home decor ideas.  Even if you don’t purchase items from the catalogs, a lot can be gained by simply observing how the professionals arrange the room.  Pay close attention to the arrangement of accessories and furniture, the use of color, and the use of space.  This will help you create a “professional” look in your own home.  My favorite catalogs come from CB2, WestElm, Crate and Barrel, and Room & Board.  And, of course, you can supplement the catalogs using the websites.  I just think that there is something more appealing about turning the pages and seeing the full page photos.

2. Blogs (like this one) - Blogs are a great way to find home decor ideas.  They expose you to a wide variety of products and unique ideas that you wouldn’t get from traditional media.  Plus, most are run by people like you, so you can find a lot of great inexpensive ways to decorate your house.  I currently follow Apartment Therapy, Inhabitat, Freshome, notcot, and uncrate to find decor idea.  The last two are specific to decor, but often feature unique items.

3. Magazines - Of course, magazines are a good place to find unique home ideas.  My favorite home decor magazine—by far—is Dwell.  You can get a year subscription for about $20.  I highly recommend it.  I also picked up Metropolitan Home at the news stand recently and was fairly impressed.  If you want to try to find a magazine associated with your style, try your local hardware store.  The Lowes and Home Depot by me has a great selection.

4. TV - The final good resource for home ideas is TV.  The first two places to start are HGTV and DIY.  On HGTV, I think the most accessible shows for guys are Carter Can, Designed to Sell, and Don’t Sweat It.  Each feature a little bit of design mixed with a little bit of construction (building furniture, remodeling, etc.).  Which ends up being a pretty watchable combination.  DIY features a show that seems to be perfectly catered to this blog’s audience—Man Caves.  It features Tony “The Goose” Siragusa.   Even MTV has a home decor show—Cribs.

Well, that is my list.  There are endless resources to get home decor ideas out there. I picked the four above because they are cheap and accessible.  Feel free to post your resources below.

This entry was posted Thursday, July 17th, 2008 at 5:47 pm and is filed under misc. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.