When you purchase a house, you more or less start with a blank canvas. From there, you add furnishings and decor. This is part of the process that turns the house into your home. By the time you’re finished, it’s important that you have an interior that you’ll be proud of and feel confident inviting guests to spend time in. So how do you design your home’s interior to get this result?
Consult Designers
Interior designers are the experts when it comes to creating home interiors that look and feel amazing. There are tons of options when it comes to styles, textures, colors, patterns, and themes. It’s understandable that you might become overwhelmed by it all. There’s just so much to think about. Interior designers can help you sort it out and get you pointed in the right direction. If you plan to do the actual work yourself and don’t intend to hire one, consider doing an initial consultation with one anyway. This can lay the groundwork for future efforts. To make the most of your appointment, make sure you know what to expect from your consultation and be prepared for it.
Follow Consistent Themes
Themes are what tie rooms together in interior design to bring everything together create a sense of cohesion. Choosing a theme can be a tricky task, given that there are so many different options to choose from, but it’s an essential part of the foundation of your home’s interior design. Your theme will guide your selection of furnishings and choice of decor, perhaps even influence their placement. If you’re not sure what theme you want, peruse photos of different styles and try to imagine yourself living in a similar environment. Think about how each makes you feel. You’ll probably find you’re more drawn to some themes than others, which will help you make your selection.
Select Colors Thoughtfully
You’ve probably at least heard of color psychology. It explains how different colors impact the way you feel. You can use color psychology to influence the ambience of your home’s interior. Bolder, brighter colors may make a room feel more lively and energized, while softer colors may evoke a more calming atmosphere. Consider the purpose of the room and how you envision people spending time there and thoughtfully select your color scheme. Keep in mind that you aren’t restricted to a single color per room. Adding layers of colors that go well together can be a great way to add depth to a room and keep it from becoming boring.
Make Good Use of Negative Space
Negative space is a useful tool when it comes to arranging and decorating a room. How you use it will depend at least in part on the theme you’ve chosen. If you’re going with a minimalist theme, you’ll still have a lot of negative space when you’re finished. If you’re going with more of a French style, you’ll have a lot less, comparatively. Negative space helps keep a room from feeling cluttered or overcrowded. If you want to make practical use of the negative space on your walls, consider adding floating shelves. These can be a great way to add extra space to put some of your decorative belongings and avoid cluttering up tabletops.
Keep Your Rooms Well-Lit
How your room is lit can have a dramatic impact on ambience. There are multiple factors to consider when choosing a room’s lighting. You need to think about how bright a room should be, the color of the light, and the source of the light. Consider the room’s purpose when choosing the level of brightness, and comfort level and the room’s palette when choosing the color. As to the source of light, there are once again many options. LED light bulbs can lower your home utility bills and are generally the longest lasting. Natural lighting offers many benefits to both your wellbeing and your wallet. You can also opt for a blend of natural and electrical sources.
Picking Textures
Textures are all about how something feels. The textures you use will be guided by the theme you choose. In fact, they’re part of how you illustrate your theme, particularly when it comes to furnishings. People can often tell how something will feel just by looking at it, whether it’s sleek and modern or weathered and vintage. When picking textures to use in your home, give careful consideration to those you’ll come in frequent physical contact with. The texture of your floors and furniture will significantly impact your comfort levels.
Be Mindful of Lines
The lines of a room are what give it both structure and life. Lines can be segmented into four different categories: vertical, horizontal, dynamic, and curved. Each category has its own purpose and effect on a room. There are different ways you can decorate using each type of line. By using lines carefully, you can help create the illusion of a room being taller or having more depth. You can also use them to give the room some drama and flair. Just be careful not to overdo it. You don’t want to accidentally make the room uncomfortable to look at.
Choose a Focal Point
A focal point in a room helps direct the eye to a point in the room. It helps prevent a room from looking chaotic and unfocused or boring. If a room has a large window or a fireplace built into it, your work may already be done, as these features can make excellent focal points. If the room doesn’t have one, or if you want to focus the room on something else, choose a different point of interest. This could be a table, painting, or even a grouping of chairs, couches, and cushions for sitting on. Direct the focus of a room to your focal point to clearly indicate what the center of attention should be.
Designing your home’s interior to achieve a result you can be proud of takes work, but the end result should be worth the effort. As you work through the design process, keep in mind different interior design principles and let them guide you. This will help you organize your space in such a way that people enjoy being in it.
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