Hiring a professional interior designer to decorate your home can be quite expensive and for many homeowners with an already tight budget, this is simply not an option. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a licensed interior designer to think and act like one as there are many creative ways you can do the job yourself, it just takes a shift in your thinking and perception. With some careful planning, creative spirit and innovation, you can awaken your inner artist and even surprise yourself with the end result.
Ask the right questions
It’s never a good idea to enter a room and start moving things around immediately without a previous plan in mind. Take a walk-through tour of your home and ask yourself lots of questions to determine what it is that you want to see in the end. Think about the best use of the space, the functionality of the rooms, factor in the wishes of your spouse and kids and don’t forget to determine the scope of your budget. The more information you gather, the better chances you have to reach a satisfactory result.
Set your goals
Great interior design is not just about the look on the surface – it’s also about the feeling and vibe of the space. Think about how you want to feel in there – is it a warm and cosy feel you’re going after or light, airy and minimalistic? Determine your goals and start piecing together a plan for the layout and décor based on the spirit you want to capture in your home. Don’t get discouraged if you discover mid-project that you want to change your mind. It’s just another opportunity to reassess and adjust the work so you can get what you want in the end. An interior designer is a professional capable of dealing with spaces of different sizes and complexities and translating the messages and atmospheres of a client into spaces with tangible solutions that convey messages, emotions and meaning, claim the people behind a top bachelor of arts degree in interior design in Milan.
Dream, sketch, choose
Even if you have a limited budget, you can still dream for free! Nothing stops you from exploring the home design websites and social platforms to fish for ideas and inspiration. Everything you see can be scaled down and re-interpreted into your home, so exploration is an effective strategy. As you browse through ideas, make sketches, write down your ideas and create a dream board with pictures and magazine cut-outs. Then you’ll be able to see where you can splurge and where you need to make adjustments to fit your design budget.
Be determined
People often get discouraged and overwhelmed when they see all that has to be done to just move the project from point zero – tearing down some diving wall, painting, pulling out carpets and similar. You can also do some carpet cleaning while you’re already there. However, be determined in your idea and start with those big, time-consuming projects early on before you move on to smaller tasks. Big tasks will show progress immediately and that’ll give you the necessary boost of motivation. Also, thinking about the fine design work that’s coming up later, such as picking out the fire curtains, light fixtures, wall art that will add vibrancy to the space and modern wool rugs that will warm up your living space will be an added motivation factor.
Take a few risks
The art of design is always about taking risks so try thinking outside the box and stretch your style a bit. You shouldn’t go against your aesthetics too much but a few original pieces can make a striking statement. If it feels too risky, elicit opinions of your closest friends and family members who know you well – all your opinions combined may produces a satisfactory result.
Mix styles
Don’t be adamant on following just one style as it can potentially limit your creativity and artistic expression and produce a dull living space. Instead, try mixing trends and styles that complement each other. For instance, if your home has tons of natural light, it’s be a perfect ground for both Moroccan and nautical styles. Try blending the classical style with a few modern twists to give your space more elegance and character. What’s best, you don’t even have to know what the exact style is – if you like how they look, just go with it!
Leave the little details for later
It’s a lot of fun to pick out little details and accessories but it’s best you leave that for the end. It’s too easy to overspend upfront on the non-essentials and then compromise your entire design project. Moreover, once your project is done, it’s much easier to see what type of window treatments, flooring, wall paint or furniture will go well. It’s surely very tempting to go shopping right away for those small touches, but if you save it for the end, it’ll be much more rewarding and fun.
It’s obvious there’s nothing to fear when it comes to designing your home interior – it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be beautiful in the end. With the right ideas and plans, some innovation and a mindset of a designer, you can design a gorgeous space that is in accordance with your own aesthetics and has a unique wow factor.