15 INTERIOR DESIGN & DECORATING TIPS

Don’t let designing your space intimidate you. While there are some things that should only be handled by a licensed professional, here are some great ways to get started on your own.

GET INSPIRED Pinterest, magazines & design books are great places to get started on figuring out the overall feel and some details about what you are wanting for your space.

GET INSPIRED Pinterest, magazines & design books are great places to get started on figuring out the overall feel and some details about what you are wanting for your space.

GET OUT Take a walk, go to a museum, or tour your local small town or metro downtown. Fabrics, artwork & nature are all great ways to find inspiration. Some of my favorite color schemes have come from nature itself.

GET OUT Take a walk, go to a museum, or tour your local small town or metro downtown. Fabrics, artwork & nature are all great ways to find inspiration. Some of my favorite color schemes have come from nature itself.

ASSESS YOUR SPACE This is a great opportunity to declutter. Evaluate your space. What is needed? What can you get rid of? What do you want to stay?

ASSESS YOUR SPACE This is a great opportunity to declutter. Evaluate your space. What is needed? What can you get rid of? What do you want to stay?

CONSIDER THE SCALE The larger the space, the larger the furniture. A great way to plan your space before meeting with a designer, if you desire to do this, would be to work on your floor plan. FloorPlanner.com is a great start. It will help you reali

CONSIDER THE SCALE The larger the space, the larger the furniture. A great way to plan your space before meeting with a designer, if you desire to do this, would be to work on your floor plan. FloorPlanner.com is a great start. It will help you realize the size of your room and the space you have to play with. Also, consider scaling your patterns the same way as your furniture. Smaller patterns can be used in textiles such as throw blankets and pillows but a fireplace surround, for example, in a larger room should have a larger pattern or a solid pattern to prevent busyness.

CREATE A BUDGET & STICK WITH IT It is so easy to get carried away as well as overwhelmed with everything the design world has to offer. From fixtures to surfaces, furniture to textiles. If you start with a budget, keep up with the budget and stick wi

CREATE A BUDGET & STICK WITH IT It is so easy to get carried away as well as overwhelmed with everything the design world has to offer. From fixtures to surfaces, furniture to textiles. If you start with a budget, keep up with the budget and stick with it this will help prevent overspending as well as allow clarity in your overall design. During the process, you might realize you need to adjust the budget but do so responsibly. You do not want to get halfway through a design project and realize you have to postpone the rest because of overspending.

CREATE YOUR COLOR & MATERIALS PALETTE A continuous mix-match might work for some styles, like eclectic, but they still typically need some kind of continuity. Choose 3-4 colors and 2-4 materials to be consistent in the space and create your design of

CREATE YOUR COLOR & MATERIALS PALETTE A continuous mix-match might work for some styles, like eclectic, but they still typically need some kind of continuity. Choose 3-4 colors and 2-4 materials to be consistent in the space and create your design off of this. This will help ensure that all of the elements of your design flow together harmoniously. The rule of thumb for color is 70% one main color, 20% secondary, and 10% accent color.

CREATE A MOOD BOARD Go to various store showrooms (tile showrooms, flooring showrooms, hardware stores, etc) and gather samples of the elements you plan to use for the room. Putting all of these together will give you an idea of how they all flow tog

CREATE A MOOD BOARD Go to various store showrooms (tile showrooms, flooring showrooms, hardware stores, etc) and gather samples of the elements you plan to use for the room. Putting all of these together will give you an idea of how they all flow together and if any adjustments need to be made before real spending begins.

SWITCHING OUT TEXTILES When it comes to textiles (blankets, pillows, curtains, etc), consider switching up during seasons. Using heavier materials during the colder seasons (velvet, wool & fur) and lighter fabrics during the warmer seasons (linen, 10

SWITCHING OUT TEXTILES When it comes to textiles (blankets, pillows, curtains, etc), consider switching up during seasons. Using heavier materials during the colder seasons (velvet, wool & fur) and lighter fabrics during the warmer seasons (linen, 100% cotton, etc). Planning this will help you figure out what colors and materials to use for your design finishes such as backsplash, flooring & countertops.

CONSIDER YOUR LIGHTING This is one of the areas where your mood board sample items will come in handy. For paint, paint an 8x10 piece of wood so that you see what the color looks like. The color chips can be deceiving sometimes. During different time

CONSIDER YOUR LIGHTING This is one of the areas where your mood board sample items will come in handy. For paint, paint an 8x10 piece of wood so that you see what the color looks like. The color chips can be deceiving sometimes. During different times of the day, check on your samples to see what color they are reflecting. Hold your painted sample board as well tiles up to each of the walls each material will be on. What will look like a light grey on my walls might look violet on yours so this is worth checking before you go through the hard work or hire a contractor.

KEEP IT SYMMETRICAL Granted, there are a few places where asymmetrical works best. However, centering your rug with your floor-to-ceiling windows that are the focal point of the room or centering your sofa with your fireplace are just a few examples

KEEP IT SYMMETRICAL Granted, there are a few places where asymmetrical works best. However, centering your rug with your floor-to-ceiling windows that are the focal point of the room or centering your sofa with your fireplace are just a few examples where symmetry is best.

CONSIDER MULTI-FUNCTION Medicine cabinet mirrors, sectional sofa beds with storage, murphy beds & wall-mounted folding desks help maximize your space allowing you to get the most of it.

CONSIDER MULTI-FUNCTION Medicine cabinet mirrors, sectional sofa beds with storage, murphy beds & wall-mounted folding desks help maximize your space allowing you to get the most of it.

STAY PRACTICAL Consider practicality. For example, I LOVE the look of a white sofa. However, with children & pups, a purchase like that will only leave me buying another one in a few years.

STAY PRACTICAL Consider practicality. For example, I LOVE the look of a white sofa. However, with children & pups, a purchase like that will only leave me buying another one in a few years.

THE SMALL DETAILS In my designs, I like to keep in mind that the small details are just as important as the big details. In the end, they will all come together and create the space and you will be able to tell what you gave thought to and what was a

THE SMALL DETAILS In my designs, I like to keep in mind that the small details are just as important as the big details. In the end, they will all come together and create the space and you will be able to tell what you gave thought to and what was an afterthought.

STATEMENT PIECE In all of my designs, whether it is interior design or decorating, I keep in mind that there should be only one statement piece. Yes, I believe that each piece you bring into the room should be unique and interesting but there should

STATEMENT PIECE In all of my designs, whether it is interior design or decorating, I keep in mind that there should be only one statement piece. Yes, I believe that each piece you bring into the room should be unique and interesting but there should only be one focal point that your eye immediately goes to instantly when you enter the room. Most of the time this is a fireplace, bed frame, kitchen island, or feature wall.

NEGATIVE SPACE Despite the name, negative space is not negative. It is the space where your eyes can rest. The space between two pieces of furniture, between furniture and a wall, or around accessories.

NEGATIVE SPACE Despite the name, negative space is not negative. It is the space where your eyes can rest. The space between two pieces of furniture, between furniture and a wall, or around accessories.