If you’ve ever renovated, you know decorating one room almost always affects adjoining areas.

If your ultimate goal is to have all the rooms of your home blend beautifully into a cohesive whole, it’s important to consider that before choosing new colours and finishing products.

If you love the area next to the room you’re redoing, draw on it for inspiration.

Echo patterns, furnishings, window treatments, and colours.

Use metals in the same tones throughout your home to maintain a sense of consistency and style.

In other words, don’t add contemporary nickel light fixtures if the adjacent decor you love includes traditional brass lamps.

Choose the same flooring as surrounding areas if possible.

If not, install flooring that’s similar in tone and colour.

For example, when remodelling a kitchen that’s adjacent to a dining room with mahogany flooring, select a reddish-brown tile that visually blends the two areas.

If curtains in the dining area are moss-green velvet, add a panel of the same fabric to one side of the garden doors in the kitchen or, if that’s impractical, create a casual valance out of the panel to tie the rooms together.

Repeat patterns.

If the the kitchen floor is tiled in a beige and cream checkered pattern, upholster an accent chair in the living room with a fabric that echoes that pattern.

When remodelling a room where the surrounding areas will be renovated down the road, you can start fresh, but do think about the overall style you eventually want for your entire home when choosing colours, patterns and textures.

Especially in expensive renovations like kitchens and bathrooms, be sure to create a look you’ll want to continue, rather than just buying into the latest decor trend.

If it will be a few years before you can redecorate surrounding areas, you’re probably best to stay congruent with your current decor style.

Also, if you’re moving walls, plumbing, electrical sources or other structural elements, think about how these changes will ultimately affect any upcoming renovations to adjacent areas.

All successful projects take adequate research, reliable information and thoughtful planning.

But — unlike most endeavours with disappointing results — a poorly

created home renovation means you’ll have to live with your mistakes every single day.

If you don’t have the experience, time, or self-confidence, hire a decorator.

You’ll be glad you did!

Karen Klein is a local

interior decorator

specializing in residential and commercial projects. She welcomes your questions or request for consultation at 250-574-1724, by e-mail to askkaren@telus.net or at askkarenklein.com