In today's world of instant gratification, we sometimes shoot ourselves in the foot, so to speak. This is especially true when we're decorating our homes. If you're just starting out, you want your rooms to provide just the right ambience, right away. Often, the problem is that you can't afford all those good looks in one fell swoop. If you use a credit card to finance a complete room, with all the lovely room decorations you can find in one or two shopping trips, you may well regret this approach shortly.

Just like making friends, it usually takes time to grow a relationship. Sure, there are times you meet someone and the two of you hit it off right away and remain friends forever. Those encounters are rare. It's the same with furnishing rooms and choosing room decorations.

Young people tend to become easy victims of decoramania. You want to invite your friends over and party in your newly furnished and fully equipped living room. This means plenty of fancy seating, an awesome stereo system and a assemblage of cool room decorations. Think of it this way: if you're looking for the girlfriend or boyfriend of your dreams, you take your time. It could be years before you meet one person you really enjoy being with on a constant basis.

It won't take years to find the right furnishings and room decorations, but it may take months. If you're really smart, you'll save your money so you can pay cash for each item that comes into your home. You save all those interest charges, can often negotiate better prices with cash in hand and you acquire stuff you really like.

You want to start by developing a theme and color scheme. If you're first purchase is the stereo, this isn't a worry. Your next addition may be a sofa or comfortable reading chair. Here's where you need to pay attention to color.

Take your girlfriend or boyfriend with you on weekend outings to the flea markets, antique shops and garage sales to get a bead on styles and colors that you find appealing. Visit home furnishing shops and take a look at the sorts of room decorations they group together. Notice the various effects and size proportions. Pretty soon you'll know what looks good to you and about what you should expect to pay.

Crafts fairs are great places to find artwork, wall hangings, statuary, retro lamps and other such choice room decorations. Get a feel for period pieces and unusual hand made ethnic type decorations that ring your bell.

You can save money to buy that one piece that you really cannot live without. If you want to decorate your room, then treat it like a relationship and be happy and satisfied with the results.