What is interior design? For starters it isn’t a simple service you pay for just to make your room look pretty, not in my book anyway. Interior design is a way to showcase who we are on the walls that surround us. They are either a representation of your style or a joint between you and a loved one/ friend. So, before you say that interior design is easy, and that we just put pictures up for a living… maybe give this a read and see if it changes your mind? We are very knowledgeable when we want to be.
What do you want to achieve?
One of the main things you need to consider is what are you trying to achieve? Who is the space for? Is this a main function room or just a quiet area for one or two to stumble into? All these different questions allow you to decide on functionality. This makes it easier in the long run as you have more of an idea what you would need in those specific areas in your home.
Research Interior styles
I know what you’re thinking. Why the heck is she talking about homework? Well, I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t think it would be worth it. Trust me, I hate homework too. Anyway, researching different interior styles can really help in the full picture of what you want your space to be. It makes it easier on the designer to know who you are as an individual and be able to make decisions based off their knowledge. If you are renovating or redecorating yourself then research away my friends because you’re going to need it. Researching different interior styles can be daunting as there are so many which might call to you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate them all into your design one way or another. For example, some of my favourite styles is Biophilic design and Industrial design. But I also know that I want an old farmhouse kitchen sink with a copper faucet. These styles can be correlated together to create my own personal style. This is how you will find yours, decide on what you like and use the mood board to guide your decisions when thinking about smaller décor details.
Create a Mood board
A mood board is a great way for us as designers to understand your design style and know what direction to go in. For someone doing their own redesign, a mood board is still appropriate as it can remind you of the ambiance you are trying to achieve instead of wandering and going completely off topic where you can lose money. And let’s be real no one wants to lose money; it’s just stress we don’t need. So, STOP DOING IT.
So, once you have identified what you want with the research you have completed (hopefully), you will be able to create a mood board to see you through your design process.
Sampling
As a designer, it is impenitent that we choose the right colours and know what should work together to complete your space. But if you are doing it yourself these are a few things I would recommend doing. Go to B&Q, have a look at the sample cards/ swatches the offer there in the paint section. Get a bunch of different colours and stick them on your walls to compare them to different times of the day. Another would be gone into places like Dunelm and fabric shops, choose some samples that you think would match for your curtains, pillows, throws, and understand what colours match. If you struggle to know what will go with which. A colour wheel is good for that. But you do have to choose one initial colour to bounce off that. But I think I can leave that to you, you seem like you’ll do that just fine! Have faith and trust your instincts, we all have a designer in us. Time to find yours!
Go Thrifting
For those working on a tight budget, have no fear! Thrifting is one of the best ways to be sustainable, to work on a budget and find some hidden treasure. Looking in a charity shop or antique shop is one of the best ways to get the goods for your price point. You would be surprised what you can find in some of these shops, that will be in budget while adding to your newly decorated interiors. Don’t knock it until you try it!
These are just a few ways I would go about designing your home, as a designer, take it from me! These simple tips and tricks will make the process far easier for you, and don’t be afraid to have fun with it! You’re a designer, you got this.