How to learn about decorating?

[teapartyfan]

We're in process of buying an ugly 1970s monstrosity in the best village in Kent, leaving behind a darling little gothic style cottage. Anyone want to buy it by the way?!

I will have a whole load of decorating to do - 5 bedrooms, for example painted in puce and orange and a mud coloured bathroom suite... I know what I like when I see it, but where can I get inspiration? The utilitarian nature of this new house leaves me a little underwhelmed, but I love the size. Style wise, I love cottagey, scandinavian, french, countrysidish, but not sure how this would work in a modern house.

So, books or website recommendations for colour, style and practicalities would be much appreciated. I'm a complete amateur and very daunted by the task ahead.

[lalalonglegs]

I think magazines are your best bet - they often have pages of where to get similar to the furniture and accessories in their features. Living Etc is good, you can job lots of old ones on ebay.

Have fun - and your name? Are you one of those Sarah Palin nutters?

[MrsSharp]

Hello! Sounds like quite a project! I second magazines - I like them all - 25 Beautiful Homes, Ideal Homes, BBC Good Homes - you name it, I buy it! We bought our house last year, and although not quite in the state that yours obviously it, we're changing more or less everything. We've done it quite slowly, and am pleased we've done it this way. My tip would be, live in your home a while before making many decisions. That way you'll see how you use the space, what works, what doesn't, how the rooms look in the summer/winter etc. I'm so glad we didn't jump in and decorate our lounge as soon as we moved in - I've realised we get a draught down the staircase in the winter so the sofa will be somewhere different in the room and so TV needs to be elsewhere too etc.

Enjoy!!!

[teapartyfan]

Ooh you're all so wise, thank you. Buying the house will completly clear us out, so both suggestions of buying old magazines on ebay and not doing anything for a while are dead sensible. And no, I'm a hopelessly soppy charity solicitor with very left leanings and a great penchant for tea parties, baking and vintage china, hence the name. May have to reconsider the name in the light of lalalonglegs' comments! Wish I had fab legs I could name myself after... bababigbottom for me I fear!