Let there be no whitewash when it comes to interior decoration
Do it yourself or call in a professional decorator; there are always things to do to make an improvement to your home.
Interior decoration is often confused with interior design yet the two are very different. Whereas the latter is concerned with the usage of space and all aspects pertaining to a room's usage from an architectural or user's viewpoint, interior decoration focuses on the finishing of the room - its surfaces and contents. Thus interior decoration is actually a part of interior design and should not be synonymous with it.
Good interior decoration seeks to apply a theme to a room and improve its visual appeal. To do this it controls the following
Principal aspects of interior decoration are:
Wall finishes
Plastering, painting, wallpapering, surface texturing etc.
Fittings
Windows, doors, vents, louvers, baths, WC's, sinks, kitchen units
Illumination
Placement of lights; their colours, intensities, heights etc.
Floor coverings
Carpets, tiles, wooden floors, mosaics etc
Furniture
Tables, chairs, storage etc
Other finishings
Mirrors, paintings, sculptures, curtains
Why not do it yourself? You've seen the TV programme, now you know all there is to know so get on and do it.
Interior decoration has become a 'hot commodity' in recent years as television has gone on a spree of making seemingly endless series of improve your home improvement shows in which a home owner is 'named and shamed' into undertaking sometimes dubious 'improvements' to their property. The expectation that you can 'do it yourself' and the reputation of cowboy builders has contributed to the underserved lower status of interior decoration which is every bit as important as interior design in one's enjoyment of one's home.
Apart from the cheap television programs that this trend has spawned, the DIY stores have benefited greatly from the Public's never-ending demand to emulate their TV heroes and heroines.
Changes to a room need not necessarily be drastic to make a huge difference. Replacing a door with a simple plaster arch will suddenly open up a space and give it entirely new perspectives and usage. Coving can hide electricity cables and make a room look much smarter. A few well-placed lamps or some brightly-painted furniture and matching cushions will make a room appear to be much lighter.
Walls can be made more 'interesting' by fixing dado rails or using rag-rolling, stencilling or textured finishes rather than just painting with standard emulsion. One useful thing that has come from the interior decoration television programs is that it is not necessary to spend a lot of money to make a big difference to a property.
If you are considering taking on some DIY work to your home, we hope that you will get some practical ideas from viewing our other pages concerning interior decoration.