As a freelancer I get to enjoy the comfort of my home more than those who have a 9-to-5 job. Consequently, it’s given me the opportunity to play around with interior décor. However, it wasn’t without mistakes and interior design mishaps. I learned the hard way.
If you’re like me and you’re very conscious of having a cozy home that makes you happy each time you walk in, it’s so much easier to decorate when you have some handy interior design rules up your sleeve. These rules are what I call the “Commandments of Interior Design”. Follow these rules and be assured that your home will look superb. You’d even be surprised it turned out so well.
- Thou shalt not spend so much
“I want to change the décor of my room but how much would it cost?”
When it comes to interior design especially if you want to DIY the whole thing, the price is the first concern that comes to mind. Oftentimes that’s the reason why some people shy away from giving their space a facelift.
Coming from experience, interior décor doesn’t have to cost so much. In fact, expert interior decorators advise that you should only spend a fraction of the value of your house. Little changes like sitting arrangements, decorative ornaments and pictures you can hang on the wall make a huge difference. Plus, there are great deals on furniture if you search hard enough.
- Thou shalt not overdo it
Who wouldn’t want to make a great impression when someone walks in your house? We would all like the perfect state-of-the-art interior décor, but you’ll lose the essence of what interior design is all about.
Just like fashion, interior design seeks to reflect the personality, values and style of the owner of the house or occupier of the flat. If you try too hard by overdoing the decor then your rooms will no longer reflect who you are. Sooner or later you’ll hate the thought of sleeping in your bedroom or lounging in the living room because they don’t mirror your style – it’ll feel like you’re out of place.
- Thou shalt focus on functionality
Have you ever been guilty of acquiring stuff you don’t even need just because it “looks nice”? If you’re not careful you could get carried away by the zeal of decorating your home that you overlook the functionality of the items you want to purchase.
Each time you want to buy something to decorate your house, ask yourself: What am I going to use this for? Will it be useful in my home? What function would its presence have in my home?
If after asking those questions you get nothing back, then you don’t need it.
- Thou shalt get more light
Light is an asset in interior design. Whether its natural light or artificial, a well-lit room gives your space the life it needs. The general mood of your home changes when you have great lighting.
Take a step back and see how much natural light is coming into the room. If your only source of natural light is a small window, add a mirror on the wall facing the window to reflect more light to other parts of the room.
For night time lighting, use a combination of light sources not only the lights in the ceiling. Include standing lamps and side table lamps as light sources as well. This is very important with staircases in particular. The more lightning the better as you want this part of your area bright and airy.
It may be necessary to look into staircase refurbishment with reputable companies if you are struggling to get the lightning you need.
- Thou shalt add some green plants
Aside from the fact that plants help provide your space with more oxygen, they work well as ornaments. They also add a lot of life and colour to the room.
One major concern people have when it comes to keeping plants in the house is maintaining them. Search for easy-to-take-care-of plants or schedule time to water and trim your plants.
- Thou shalt break the rules
Rules are meant to be broken. I mentioned earlier that interior décor has to reflect your personality. Sticking rigidly to the rules may do you more harm than good. Play around with alternatives. Switch up the rules a bit. What’s important is that you have fun and create a space that makes you happy.
What do you think of these commandments?
*Collaborative post.
Those are some good advises. Would love for you to check my blog out too <3
I will. Thank you.
These were some great tips. I swear you described me when you talked about acquiring stuff that you don’t need because it looks nice or in my case…on sale. LOL!
We all tend to buy or almost buy things we don’t need just because they are on sale 😊
These are some great tips. We’ve done a big minimalism challenge recently and got rid of so much stuff – our home feels so much lighter and brighter – it’s a wonderful feeling! Agree with the lighting – it’s so important!
Yes it is. Thanks Alex.
And thou shall plan the work and work the plan…it’s so easy today to use a virtual design (shameless plug…see our site for info on how this works). The money you may spend on a plan is worth not buying the wrong items. Especially when working on a design over time. A quick chat with a designer can make all the difference!
Great tip.
yes! plants, loads of light and functionality. this is the core of a good interior design to me x
I agree 😊
Beautiful suggestions. Right up my alley wink wink
Aha. Nice. Thanks xx
I always start with such good intentions with no spending much money, but no doubt spend way over my budget! I need to learn some self restraint 🙂
Aha I know all about that. Lol.
Some great tips here lovely . I definately need more light in our home .
Thanks Kira.
This is AMAZING! Such obvious tips but sometimes they need to be written by someone else for you to remember them!
Thank you.
Our house is soooo dark! We really need more light and we have too much clutter as well x
Would be good to get some light in xx
Great tips, I love lighting and think it really really changes the rooms
Yes it does Steph.
These are so true. I’m always looking for ways to get more natural light & I think plants make such a difference! x
Oh good xx
Fab tips! Lighting is so important isn’t it? We have mood lighting everywhere!
Oh good.
Yes to all of these – less is always more even when it’s so easy to overdue and I am all about getting more light!
Laura x
Yes me too! Thanks Laura x
Not overdoing it is just so right. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed and have the tendency to overdo things. This is just a no no with interior designing.
I agree Lauretta.
I’m a lover of upcycling , and fresh flowers. Cheap and bright tends to be my decorating philosophy. You’re right, it needs to show your own personality. Far too many people try to have a “show home” instead of just a home
I agree completely 😊
I have to admit I am less about the aethestics these days as the practicalities
Cool Kara.
Good Advice for Interior Professionals!
Thanks 😊
Great Tips!! Its helpful in interior design of Home.Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reading.
Pingback: 6 Commandments of Interior Design — fashionandstylepolice – Chat Top (100star) entertainment
Pingback: 6 Commandments of Interior Design – fashionandstylepolice – SEO
Love your Commandments! Am a U.S.-based interior designer with British parent, and would love to hear your thoughts on how U.S. vs. British interior styles are different. Now with Meghan…everything changes, right?? Will post on our blog if you allow. Thanks!
It may change everything. We will have to wait and see. Thanks.
Very helpful for interior design tips!! Agree with every word said!!
Thanks 😊
Really enjoyed this post. Very great tips!!
Thanks Printz.
Pingback: Interior Decorating Best Kept Secrets - fashionandstylepolice fashionandstylepolice
I love your blog post. I’ve been an entrepreneur for 20 years. I can relate to indulging in something you love more and learning from trial and error with all the time on your hands. It’s truly a blessing. Keep blogging!
Glad you love the post. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Stella! As a practicing interior designer, I can appreciate your rules. I am sorry you had to learn the hard way. Happy decorating! Cheers
Thank you.
Pingback: Top 6 Interior Design Trends for Winter - fashionandstylepolice fashionandstylepolice
Pingback: Buying A New Home? Read These Stress Busting Top Tips - fashionandstylepolice fashionandstylepolice