Interior designer secrets for a beautiful home

Chloe Hines Chloe Hines
Vivienda Sta. Caterina. Vivir junto al mercado., Egue y Seta Egue y Seta Cozinhas industriais
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Sifting through interior design and home magazines are what most of us do to gain some sense of 'what the professional do.'  We trust that through not only their education and experience, but more so their aesthetic look on life, that they will be able to provide and guide us with decorating our homes, and thus, our lives.

Interior designers do have secrets, but not secrets in the traditional sense – because we are making them available to you.  Considering everything from your colour scheme, to the general theme and visualising your space adequately can change the way you view your home. Of course, starting with a clear view of the type and size of space you have to work with is the first definitive step.  The next is to decide on your primary focus – are you focused on style, colour, theme or furniture? We can help you make these decisions and more with this Ideabook!  We will discuss trends, colour concepts and ways of arranging furniture that can improve your livelihood and life!

Analyse the room setting and desired function

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Whether you're looking to renovate your kitchen or redesign your living quarters – first you will need to analyse the room setting and it's desired function. This will help in deciding which styles, types and decor will appropriately fit into your room.  This will also help in deciding which items not to include – which can be just as helpful!

For example, in kitchen and eating areas, make sure you're providing these key items: proper storage for utensils and cooking wear, sanitary tops and flooring, and space for cleaning, cooking and eating.  Extras to consider for kitchens would be great lighting fixtures for proper lighting in food preparation areas. Tables and islands that provide guest seating, or extra prep area if need be. As you can see, the top priorities for your kitchen, should solely be items that relate to cooking and entertaining.  

For living rooms, bedrooms and offices/workspace focus on furnishings that are comfortable and versatile – colours that make the area pop, and decor that is multifunctional and speaks volumes for who you are. Don't worry about spaces becoming too utilitarian with this design tip – check out this office to see how proper design and decor can easily work together for a functional and beautiful space.

Check the trends

Looking through design and interior design magazines is one of the most fun (and sometimes, discouraging) parts of learning the tips and tricks of the pros and for gathering a plethora of inspiration.  We all know that both fashion and design trends are constantly shifting and evolving – interior design is no exception.

Checking for trends doesn't only mean looking at various rooms for overall inspiration and design, but looking for the details in what is trending at the time.  Of course, we know that trends are fun, but we suggest while flipping through magazines and online sources that when it comes to applying trends in your home, opt for trends that can stand the ultimate test of time and be, in a sense, timeless.

Look at trending colour palettes, shades of wood grain, furniture and decor – but pick those that will stick with you through years to come! Here is a great example of how what's trending now can also be great in future design.

Choose a theme

Choosing a theme for a space is one way in which to act like an interior designer. Designers know that options and influences are vast and present, so making it easier on themselves they will stick with a theme. Whether it be a recent box-office success, a country or one statement piece of decor that can easily flood inspiration  into the whole room. 

To prove that themes can be various, look at this living quarter where the main theme is natural elements like bamboo and other hard woods.  The designer used the darker wood grain stairs pinned against the stark white walls as an inspiration to keep the furnishings neutral and provide accessories and decor of other types of woods, like the table, perfectly placed in front of the chair.

Colour concept

Colour is one of the hardest items to decide on.  Typically, designers will use the 60/30/10 rule.  This rule states that as humans, our eyes tend to colours in ratios of 60, 30 and 10.  This means that 60% of the colour in a room is the primary colour, usually used on the walls, 30% is the colour used on furnishings and lastly, 10% is used on decor and accessories.

This bedroom is a great example of how using this rule can really make a room come together. The neutrals and brown wall colour take up 60%, the 30% is the off-white cream colour used in the rug, lamp shades, bedding and chair and 10% are the various shade of blue, which all work together nicely in the same palette!

See how this bedroom also uses this amazing rule when it comes to colour!

Create groups and islands

Arranging furniture in a strategic way is something the pros are truly great at.  When you have four walls to work with, this requires a certain knowledge and strategy that most of us feel ill-equipped to handle.

However, creating groups and islands in different areas of your home can almost create the feel of smaller, private venues within a larger one.  We tend to think of kitchens when we think of islands (like seen here) but this can also apply to living rooms (to create more room for guests to speak to each other privately) and bedrooms where different parts of the room are representative of different functions. This kitchen has used a large dining room table to create the look of an island, and if need be, you could use this large, wood table as an area for food prep – this kitchen also has two corners being used for both seating and decor options.

No need to buy everything new

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We've said it before and we will continue to say it – you don't have to buy everything new to make a great space.  If you watch any home improvement stores, stumble through blogs or flip through magazines, you will see where designers are constantly renovating and refinishing old pieces to look like new.  

This should be taken into consideration with older furniture that might be important to your family, or with art and photography that could be used to create a new look for less money.   New isn't always better, and most of the time, it isn't better, nor is it cheaper!

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