How to make interior design decisions for your home

Image of lady at a laptop

We all have a vision in our minds about the perfect room we want in our home….

We watch interior design programmes and they make it look so easy – the way a designer pulls a room together looks simple. The room not only looks amazing but also functions for the homeowners, you want that for your home too!

The reality of actually doing this for yourself can be very different though. You might trawl through Pinterest and Instagram looking for ideas but somehow it all gets a bit overwhelming and you don’t seem to be able to pull it all together.

Time and time again I get clients who come to me with this problem. Comments such as “I just can’t seem to make a decision and stick to it” or “I feel overwhelmed by the decisions I have to make” or “my room hasn’t turned out how I had planned it in my head” are very common!

So how do you make good interior design decisions for your home?

Making the right design decisions for your home takes practice. A designer specialises in this, they are the experts as they’ve spent lots of time in the field and have had training in the subject.  However, there are some tips you can focus on that will help you get it right, without having to go to design school!

If you don’t already know your design style then this a great place to start. Knowing your style is one of the key ingredients to being able to design a space that you love.

In this blog I’ll share tips on how to make good interior design decisions for your home. These tips will help you whether you’re decorating it yourself, or you’re hiring someone to do it for you. If you decide to hire someone, this will help you start the process and love the outcome.

Know what you don’t like will help you with making interior design decisions in your home!

The first thing to consider thinking about interior design in your home is to think about what you don’t like. That feels wrong doesn’t it? But starting off by knowing what you don’t like is sometimes a lot easier than figuring out what you do.

If you’re just getting started on your home decor, or you’re struggling with which direction to go, starting with what you don’t like can be an easier question to answer.

Is there a certain colour that you just don’t like? Or a style of furniture that just doesn’t do it for you? Remember you have to love what’s in your room. You’ll want to feel comfortable in this space and so it’s important to choose a style that will work for you and your home.

Pinpointing fabrics, colours and styles that you don’t like can help narrow down the things that you do. This is where pulling together a mood board is a good idea, get together a whole bunch of images, fabric samples and paint colours and you can start to weed out what works and what doesn’t.

Remember that there are no right or wrongs here, it’s all down to your own taste. Decorating is personal and it’s your space. Your home should reflect the things that you love and make your space feel like you.

Know what you do like

I like to always start by asking “How do you want your space to feel?” It’s much easier to imagine a feeling for a space than the overwhelming thought of all the decisions that go into finishing a space.

Do you want your space to feel soothing and calm or bright and energetic? Of course, these can both be in the same home – you may want a serene bedroom but an energetic living room. Using adjectives to describe your space can help evoke the feeling, and that can help narrow down your style.

This is a great time to check out Pinterest or home decor magazines to give yourself some inspiration based on what you like. You shouldn’t get overwhelmed with choice as you’ve started to formulate what you don’t want, which narrows the field for you. Have a look at the Three Interior’s Pinterest here for some more inspiration.

Your inspiration doesn’t have to just be pretty rooms. You can be inspired by art, nature, or any type of object that evokes a good feeling for you. Use that inspiration to guide your decisions.

Other things to consider when making interior design decisions for your home

The function of the space is very important. What will you use the space for? It is all very well and good having a beautiful room but if it doesn’t work for you and your family then you will soon fall out of love with it. For example- a family room will need plenty of storage to hide away kids toys etc..

Make a list of your room’s requirements and what activities are likely to take place in there. Keep this in mind when you come to deciding layout, furniture, adequate storage and lighting for example.

What’s your interior design style?

Working out what your interior style is will really help you in making interior design decisions. Knowing your style preferences will focus you on looking and searching for  a particular style, and being able to discount others will help with the overwhelm that can come with having too much choice.

So what do you like about rooms that you see? Do you like sleek lines and minimalism or more traditional, maximal styles? Do you prefer lots of colour or more pared back neutrals?  If you can answer this type of question it will help you make interior design decisions.

Remember that you’ll find many, many different styles of design and most people are drawn to a combination. I personally love quite minimal design but I also love pattern and colour! Scandinavian design generally combines the two, they love white painted surfaces and blond woods, but they also love bold patterns to add interest. I combine the two by generally having a neutral background and a smaller amount of pattern, for example in my bedroom I have neutral painted walls and a bold patterned headboard.

Set your budget to help you make good interior design decisions

You are the only one who can decide what a reasonable budget is for your project and there’s no right or wrong answer to this one. A budget provides guidelines for your project and it will vary based on the size of your room and what you’re already working with. It’s obviously much more expensive to furnish an empty room than it is to find accessories for a room that’s almost finished.

There is no point in spending all of your budget on one item then not having enough budget left to add the finishing touches. The project will never feel finished and you will be disappointed with the end results. A good rule of thumb is to spend more on the things that are unlikely to change for a long time. Items such as flooring, fitted cabinetry and larger pieces of furniture such as sofas.

A wish list will help your budget

When thinking about your budget, start by making a wish list for your space. Put everything that you want to keep and everything that you would love to change on the list. Of course, adding more space might not be something you can actually do but it’s okay to include it on your wish list. The wish list is the dream room.

Once you have got everything you would love to do written down it’s time to make a plan for your space. Consider what you want to use the space for and prioritise. Space planning is one of the most important stages of a design project. Download my free space planning guide here which will talk you through the steps to get this right.

Be sure that you include everything that you can think of on your budget and don’t  forget to include a contingency. You might strip a wall and then discover it needs re-plastering or something needs repairing you haven’t accounted for. Other hidden costs you may not account for are delivery fees, repairs, and VAT on purchases. Your budget has to include everything in it so you can make decisions about how to best allocate the money that you have to spend.

Don’t ever assume that a small budget won’t work for your space. Everyone has a budget and a small one can force you to think outside of the box on how to best utilize your money. When your budget is all spelled out it gives you the opportunity to look for deals and save money in one particular areas so that you have money available for something else.

Never be afraid to mix high and low price points. There are some amazing budget buys out there nowadays and they can be mixed in well with more expensive pieces. Also, some of your personal and meaningful items might not be the most expensive or the most contemporary, but they evoke special memories and should always have a place in your home.  

Set a timeline

When designing my own home I always set a timeline like I do for my clients. Even if your room doesn’t necessarily have to be finished by a certain date, it’s still a great idea to set a timeline. It should be reasonable enough to be able to accomplish your goals but not so far away that the space never gets finished. A timeline keeps you on track so you make decisions and keep the project moving along.

If you’ve got a guest coming to visit the pressure might be on to finish that guest room. If you need a prompt to finish your dining room then schedule a dinner party!

Don’t second guess yourself when making an interior design decision

Once you’ve picked a major piece for your room you should stop shopping for that piece. If you’ve found the perfect sofa and you love it, stop looking at sofas. This is where you will start to doubt yourself and decision overwhelm kicks in. You will get confused and frustrated. Once you’ve made a decision move onto the next decision and check that one off your list.

If you continue to revisit and rethink every decision you will end up feeling paralyzed by the process and you’ll waste time second guessing.

Now you are ready to decorate

Now you have made some good interior design decisions you will be in a better position to actually start decorating and make your dream room become a reality. If you can tick all the boxes on the list above you’re ready to go. You should be able to easily make interior design decisions for your space following these tips!

Your home should tell the story of you and your family and each decision in it is unique to you. You may admire a beautiful room in a magazine or on Pinterest but if you’ve copied it exactly in your own home it won’t necessarily have the right feeling for you.

So, to summarise on how you can make good interior design decisions:

  1. Work out what you don’t like first
  2. Work out how you want your space to feel
  3. Decide on your own unique interiors style
  4. Use mood boards to help you focus your decision making
  5. Think about the functions of the space you’re designing
  6. Make a “wish list”
  7. Set a budget
  8. Set a timeline for your project
  9. Don’t second guess yourself

If all of this just feels like too much effort, you don’t have the time or you just want someone else to take the reigns – then let me know. I can help you. I offer a wide range of services to suit every budget.

You can also check out my Facebook and Instagram page where I’m always sharing handy interior design tips and free downloads to help you on your way. I also have a private Facebook group DIY to Designer that you are more than welcome to join.

That’s all for now folks, until next time!

Angela x

 

All images copyright Three Interiors

Pinterest
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter
Email
WhatsApp
A neutral living room with a curved grey sofa and cream curved chair

Book a free, 20 minute Interior Design chat and let’s see if I can help you.