The renovation is a never-ending process, whether you are renting or you own your own place. Many connect renovation with major changes done to the structure of the space, but to have a renovated space you don’t always need to go all out. There is no shame in adjusting your space to match your current vibes and investing in it.
In time you see that simplicity is the best choice, whether you are into frequent updates or -not. Making an eye-catching design is not impossible. To help you get the design better than the one in magazines, we’ve made a list of advice for doing interior design on your own.
Make the most of the available space
Before making any changes draw your space on paper. Add all measurements, as well as measurements of the furniture and big décor you want to have there. Consider what is the main purpose of the room, as well as how many people should fit comfortably. Even if you are renovating a bathroom, these will remain important. Do not forget that your home should have a flow so unless you are into different styles be sure to define the style that you have and are trying to achieve.
The great design makes use of furniture as well as the space in between the pieces. The secret is to have around 50 cm of space between furniture, as that will give each piece a separate spot and in return provide the illusion of big space.
Be persistent in decluttering
Decluttering doesn’t necessarily equal throwing all of the décors out every time you want to switch it up. The easiest way to prevent major decluttering that takes up your whole vacation is prevented by doing small decluttering from time to time. You might have a vase that you actually have not even looked at for years, or your last season’s pillow already looks like it has seen better days.
One by one, check the décor or a drawer that became hard to open as it is filled with who-knows-what. Take a few minutes of each day to simply look through the room, kitchen, bathroom, or essentially any space in your home. Fill up a box with the things you want to donate or sell, and be regular when throwing them out. Never skip throwing out the garbage, the old paper, and anything you know you will not use.
Colour schemes in interior design
When looking for the ideas you have definitely noticed that hues of one similar colour are often used for the design of one room. The colour palette is often finished by adding one or two contrasting colours. These may come in a complete contrast like predominantly white, milky white, and soft beige contrasted by black. The contrast can also come from a different perspective – navy blue with white or orange accents, shades of lilac with green, etc.
Don’t be afraid of mixing furniture
Most of the people who have and are proud of their inheritance furniture tend to stray away from smart technology in order not to make their home design too busy. However, the inheritance is precisely what gives the character to the otherwise repetitive furniture in the era of minimalism.
The modern lighting fixture will accentuate the old velvet sofa under it, whereas the old decoration grouped around LCD TV still gives the homey environment to the contemporary piece of furniture. It goes the same with the bathroom and kitchen – the smart Japanese toilet might go great with the plants around your Victorian-style tub whereas the modern black faucet won’t dim the colourful backsplash behind it.
Use the vertical lines
If you live in an apartment or simply have smaller rooms to decorate, you might consider going up instead of wide with decorations. Simply put, you can’t add additional space where there is no more, and you can only go up. That said, if you are breaking walls this rule might not apply to your case.
Add long curtains to the windows, introduce tall plants, vertical drawers, and décor that has more height than width to its dimensions. Still try not to go overboard with the furniture on the floor as the free space still provides the illusion of more space than there is.
Add life to your room
Adding live plants or fresh flowers might seem intimidating if you have children and pets around. The fear of potential poisoning is real, but you don’t need to give up on the idea altogether if you like it.
Many flowers can be used in each household without worries, like different herbs, Aloe Vera, marigolds, lavender, etc. Different types of trees can also be grown in pots for at least a few years, just be sure that you can plant them outside once they grow out of your home space. When using tall, open shelves you can simply put plants on the upper shelves and thus avoid any accident.
How to select the art piece for a room?
Choosing an art piece for a room can be a really confusing task. Different styles will not go together when the art piece is in question. The most important advice is to follow style – the more contemporary the dominant piece is, the more abstract you can go. It is similar to the colour choice – the simpler the palette, the more colourful you can go.
When the dimensions are in question, the smaller the room, the more careful you should go with the size of the art piece. The visual interest will quickly turn the picture, the sculpture, or even a designer piece of furniture into a focal point. And in the smaller space, there is no place for competition.
Group textile and small decor
The small décor and the textile that is used like pillows and blankets are where you should pay special attention. Many might just use whatever they have or their favourite pieces that don’t blend well with the rest of the furniture. Have in mind that, apart from the colours, the texture might also play a role in design. Don’t have anything in one piece if you don’t mean to group it with similar pieces. Additionally, go for the complementary colours, and patterns that go together, whether complementing or contrasting each other.
Have fun
The most important thing when designing your place is that you are doing it for yourself. Never forget that you and your family should enjoy your space and use it in a way that fits your lifestyle. The minimalism, maximalist, contemporary, or traditional style, there is no right or wrong choice in interior design. The apartment or the house, the Japanese toilet, or the old subway tiles, fit what you need while respecting your home’s history that you are proud of.