Designing your living space is fun. You have the freedom to choose and create gorgeous designs. For some people, though, that’s easier said than done. Each design choice you make will impact how the entire room functions. If you’re wondering where to start, look to guidance used by design professionals around the world.
Even if your living area feels cramped, you can make it into something show-stopping.
1. Take Your Time
Take your time with your decisions. The wrong move could leave you with a permanent design choice, like terrible flooring or outdated cabinets.
Talk with professionals about all your options, and take home paint samples. Seeing how different shades look over a few days will help you buy the perfect shade, especially when you see them in different lighting.
Save online inspiration, make a physical mood board or collect magazines to discover your interior design tastes. Once you get in touch with your design skills, you’ll have a better idea of what your next steps will look like.
2. Decide on an Overall Theme
Your living space should have a central theme. The fine detail in the design process brings home the tailored feel of everything, so think about design details that work best for you. Gold accent pieces, navy throw pillows or a repeating pattern are all examples of tiny accessories that make a big impact.
3. Consider Tailored or Built-in Furniture
If you’ve bought your own home, you have a little more freedom than if you’re in an apartment. You can make more substantial changes to your home’s structure, like adding built-in furniture. When done correctly, built-in or custom furniture adds value to your home and make it easier to sell in the future. Focus on a popular area of the house, and order customized furniture pieces like kitchen islands and appliances that personalize your home and make the room more accessible. Add pieces to your home that will work with your lifestyle both now and in the future.
4. Find Multifunction Pieces
Next, consider what furniture you need — and what you don’t. In your limited space, you’ll need to get straight to the point with their furniture. Keep only the pieces that serve a purpose.
Multifunctional furniture is a different story. Browse through different kinds to see what you like and what you would use every day. Furniture that converts into something else or folds into tiny spaces will make every room bigger and save you money.
Source: Unsplash
5. Designate a Purpose
If you’re left wondering what design would best serve a room, you can resolve your lack of direction by giving each area a purpose. Think about what you need in your home and if that room could meet that need.
6. Find Your Balance
While making your interior design work for each room, try to incorporate numerous styles, materials and colors. While you might love your velvet bedspread, lampshades and rugs, it’s possible to have too much of a single thing. Find the balance of shades, fabrics and textures. You might balance gold with a dark metal centerpiece or a dark table runner with pastel dish ware. When your design leans on multiple complementary elements, the entire look comes together.
Appreciate Your Space
Appreciate the space you have to realize its full potential. Follow the above steps to create a tailored interior for your small space. With time, patience and a focus on what you want, you’ll transform your home into the dream space you desire.
AUTHOR: KACEY BRADLEY
Kacey Bradley is the blogger behind The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Along with writing for her blog, she has written for sites like U.S. News, SUCCESS, Guides for Brides, Hotel Online and more!
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