Make room for some home design tips in your plans
Do's and don'ts of home design
Home design needs careful planning. A home isn't just the space
that we occupy, it is the sum of the elements that make up that space - eg
colours, patterns, materials, the shape and size of the rooms and living
area. Although much of this is entirely subjective - one person's idea of
taste is another person's nightmare scenario, there are some rules which it
makes sense to follow if a complete home design disaster is to be avoided.
Here are ten rules for basic and sensible home design.
5 tips for what to do when designing your home
Careful planning in your home design saves time and money. You will probably
have looked through many home design magazines for ideas - use the content
of these publications to start a scrapbook of ideas for materials, colours,
fabrics, curtains, furniture, patterns etc and add to it from magazines or
samples (make sure you note where you got them from).
Select furniture of different heights to give depth to the room and to
create visual interest and to make the living area feel more welcoming and
less barren.
Make the lighting multi-source - eg uplights, wall-lights, ceiling lights,
table lamps and standard lamps with different wattage and opacity bulbs to
give warmth and variety to the room. Likewise make sure that the lampshades
harmonise with the colour of the room and that they are replaced as soon as
they start to age.
Try to view each room as a complete stranger might and aim to lead them both
visually and physically into the living area. Create areas of interest that
lead them on.
Make sure that there is space in front of objects of particular interest so
that guests can stop and enjoy your paintings, sculptures etc without
blocking the main thoroughfare.
5 Tips for what not to do in your home design
Avoid placing isolated seats in a reception or dining room as it will
discourage guests from sitting together. Use sofas and push chairs into
groups to encourage interaction and to be more welcoming.
Don't economise by using old curtains, coverings, mats etc. Even a
budget-priced replacement is better than something which is clearly
long-past its best or which would be deemed 'tatty'. Old curtains make good
dust sheets!
Never be dictated to by the opinions of others - you are doing the home
design and it's your house so you say what you want.
Don't overcrowd the room - space is important. Space allows not just
movement but the appreciation of the objects within it.
Finally, most interior decoration work is entirely reversible therefore be
bold. Most of the best-designed homes are the result of confidence and brave
decisions. Believe in your own ideas. If you do get it wrong it is rarely a
major undertaking to remove all trace of your error.
Good luck with your home design.