When you’re taking on design projects by yourself, there are some major pitfalls to beware of. I know these major mistakes by DIY-ers exist, because honestly, I made them myself (before I become an interior designer). When I bought my first home as a young artist, I didn’t think anyone with a sense of taste and a good eye would have a problem “doing it themselves”. Wow, was I wrong! When it was time to design my home, I realized there was a lot more to good design besides having taste and knowledge of art and color. From there, I hired an interior designer and “ATE MY WORDS”.
1. Elements & Principles of Design
A good designer thinks about evey element and principle of design when planning your home. Knowing why something works (or doesn’t) is tremendously important in saving a homeowner time and money.
I think the most imporant ingredients in creating an interesting room are as follows:
a. Scale
For each room, it’s very difficult to estimate correct sizes of furniture from the showroom to your own space, because sometimes things can get lost in the translation. How many times have you gone to someone’s home that had a wall to wall sectional or sofa, a miniature cocktail table, and a varitey of mis-sized furnishings? A good designer will do a to-scale floor plan, placing the correct sizes of all furniture in the room-plan so that there’s never a size mistake. Eyeballing can be a costly error that will have to be lived with for a very long time.
b. Pattern
You should not be afraid to use multiple patterns. Many people are scared to use stripes, plaids, or prints together. But they’re GREAT, if the scale between them works; this makes for a very interesting room. Using a large print combined with a medium stripe and a small check all work in the same room as long as the scale of the patterns work together.
c. Various Heights
You want to use varying heights in your decor so that everything isn’t just horizontal. The connection between two points should be gradual, so that your eye travels freely and organically around the room. You might use a high secretary (or any special vertical piece) combined with your horizontal furnishings. This combination creates interest.
d. Color
Color is another majorly important factor in a well done room. I think very strong colors can feel harsh rather than inviting. I also don’t use trendy colors, so that their “shelf-life” is more than a few years (See our blog on Classic Colors still looking current).
These are some of the most imporant factors in a well designed room.
Enjoy your home as it is your retreat and comfort zone in this hectic world.
Let us know if you have any questions that you feel might pertain to your home project. We’d love to help! Tell us on Facebook + Twitter!
All the Best,
Marilyn