Your home is about more than good design. Your home’s décor is a direct reflection of you. So take a minute before you start planning your home’s décor, or when it’s time to update a room’s look. Stretch your imagination and ask yourself some questions about what you want your home to say about you.

To make this easier, we’re going to think of decorating a room using the same tools used to write a story.

To begin, ask yourself some overall questions:

How does the room feel? You can start by using words to describe a room, but it’s more complex than that. If a room is elegant, does that mean that you feel elegant in it? Or do you feel like you shouldn’t sit down? Does a room feel welcoming or uncomfortable?

What message does a room send? For example, does a room say “I’m important?” A good example of this message is the Oval Office in the White House. A fast food’s décor may say, “Sit down, but just for a minute to gulp down your sandwich and fries.”

Is the message consistent? Do some things in a room say one thing but others send a different message? For example, a formal, antique velvet sofa may tell people to stay away, but a cushy old leather chair might invite people in to get comfy. Sitting next to each other, the overall message may be confusing.

What message do you want to give? Think of your home as an unspoken voice for you with family and friends.

This week and next week, we’re going to take a look at how you build a room that sends whatever message you want to present. With this perspective you will end up with more than a room that looks nice; you’ll have a space that reflects what you want to say.