Interior design is about more than just furnishing a space. The way you design a room—from color to light to décor—gives it a distinct personality and elicits an emotional response from those within. For example, a bedroom should feel quiet and calm. A kitchen? Social and energetic. And an office should be motivating and inspiring.
How do you design a space that feels right and looks great? We’ve got the design tips you need below.
1. Get Inspired
You don’t have to be an interior designer to decorate your space like a pro. There are loads of resources to help inspire you, such as home design blogs, magazines, and more. Do some research to find out what style speaks to you. Then, envision a way to recreate it in your home.
2. Choose Your Colors
The first step in interior design is to choose a color scheme. The colors in your home should follow the same scheme from room to room to create a cohesive feel. So, if you see a bedroom in a magazine that you’d love to recreate, you may need to adjust the colors of the paint, bedding, etc. in order for the design to feel right in your home.
A good way to start is to create a mood board. Decorate it with some of the colors and patterns you want to use. Put it in your home and see how it feels. If it looks nice, you can go ahead and decorate an entire room that way. If it doesn’t feel right, try different color variations until you hit the mark.
If you really love the color scheme of your design idea but it doesn’t fit in with your home’s current color, you can always consider repainting the whole house!
3. Lighting Changes Everything
Light will change the way your colors feel and affect the mood of a space. For example, yellow will feel warm in natural light but may feel aggressive under fluorescent lighting. Purple can feel luxurious in brighter light but gloomy in lower light.
Lighting itself also affects the feel of a space. Color temperature theory states that different lighting tones elicit a variety of emotional responses. So, low light (like candlelight) is warm and soothing, while brighter light is cool and invigorating. Dining rooms and bedrooms should have a low color temperature while bathrooms and kitchens should have a higher color temperature.
4. Add Texture
Your eyes can “feel” just as much as your fingers. This is why texture has such power to create ambiance in interior design. Heavy textures like brick, wood, and clay make a space feel rustic and grounded. Smooth, naked textures inspire feelings of levity and openness. Shiny or reflective surfaces bring out modern vibes, while plush textures add warmth and comfort.
So, if you want your bathroom to look more modern, consider removing any decorations from the walls and adding more mirrors. If your living room feels a bit unwelcoming, add a rug to the floor or hang a quilt on the wall.
5. Seek Balance
Humans find the concept of balance to be pleasing in most forms of artistic expression, including photography, painting, and interior design.
In interior design, creating balance involves having a unified concept, coherent décor, and a focal point of your space. This is why bedroom design usually places the bed in the middle of the room—it’s the focal point. It may be surrounded by matching furniture, such as an armoire, a vanity, or a sitting area.
Even if you have a balanced furniture layout, disorganization can turn good interior design into a mess. A decluttering service can do wonders to revive the balance of your space—and it costs much less than hiring an interior designer!
Bring out Your Inner Interior Designer
The design of your dreams is just on the tip of your tongue. You can almost see it—but you need a little inspiration to make it come to life. Remember that interior design is a collaborative process. The world of design motifs is at your fingertips! But remember that in the end, the most important part of designing a space for you is that it makes you happy.