Interior Decoration: Laying the Groundwork

Moving into a new home may be an exciting moment, but it can also be stressful, especially when it comes to decorating. How can we make our space seem its best while yet expressing our style? We will end up with a warm, happy home if we do it correctly. If we do it with error, we will wind up with a mess of furniture, textiles, and paint colors that never work together to create a pleasing whole. We will have a far higher chance of succeeding if we plan ahead of time and use the same techniques as professional interior designers.

Many of us have heard that going grocery shopping while we are hungry leads to poor decisions. The same goes for furniture stores - do not panic and go shopping simply because we have an empty house. Yes, a sofa is required. We will be trapped with the pink-striped sectional if we pick it only based on its look at the store, without taking measurements or considering the rest of the area. The rest of the room will be built around that sofa, and if it is too massive for the space, it will seem out of place for the rest of its life. So we will begin in the room we wish to furnish, armed with a measuring tape and a notepad.

It is critical to fit the scale of furniture to the room's scale. A substantial sectional sofa may quickly overpower a small area, whereas thin chairs could easily become buried in a large loft. Before we begin designing, we must first determine the length and width of each room be decorated and the ceiling height and any impediments such as stairwells, columns, radiators, and other obstructions. To arrange for window coverings, it's also a good idea to take measurements of window openings and the wall space under, above, and to their sides.

Once we have our room's measurements, we can use them to create a floor plan that offers us a bird's eye view of the entire home. "Every project should begin with a floor plan," said Alexa Hampton, head of Mark Hampton, her father's New York interior design business. "We must be familiar with the area." One alternative is to sketch a floor plan with paper, a pencil, and a ruler in an old-fashioned manner. Most professional designers, on the other hand, utilize drafting software such as AutoCAD. Then, start experimenting with furniture placement after we have the space's layout, making sure that the footprint of each piece is sized to fit the size of the drawing.

It is simpler if we start with a fresh canvas, but we have to deal with existing sofas, carpets, and other items most of the time. Examine the rug attentively to determine whether the colors inside it can be worked with. Maybe we can give the old favorite sofa a new lease of life by reupholstering it? Decide if we want patterns or plainness, classic or modern; then look at a color wheel or nature to see what colors complement each other. Pinks and reds with greens, orange with duck egg, yellows with grey and blues, to name a few.

This is the most challenging step since there are no right or wrong answers. For example, rooms may be designed that are traditional or modern, formal or informal, and visually warm or frigid. "To the best of our abilities," Ms. Hampton said, "we have to attempt to identify how you would like to live in a specific environment." "How will we spend our time?" Is there a family? What are our goals in terms of how we want to live?"

A home for someone who routinely throws substantial dinner parties, for example, should be decorated differently from home for anyone who eats out every night. Likewise, someone who thinks of collapsing in front of the TV should have a different living room than someone who dreams of hosting costly fundraisers.

To hone our style, go through design books, publications, and online sites like Houzz, Pinterest, and Instagram. "Develop a dossier of preferred photographs based on the style that you respond to the most," said Brad Ford, an interior designer in New York City. Mr. Kleinberg said that we should look into the specifics once we have found photographs that we like. "Look at where patterns are utilized vs solids, and whether color can be used well," he continued. It will also assist us in deciding on everything from the style of furniture we want to a possible window treatment approach.

We have to take floor plan ideas a step further, use painter's tape in the entire area to specify where the furniture will be positioned on floors and against walls. Anne Maxwell Foster, the owner of Tilton Fenwick in New York, remarked, "We put blue tape on the floor to block off other characteristics." "How will the rug be placed?" says the narrator. Is clipping it necessary? What is the length of the coffee table? Even if we have everything down to the sixteenth of an inch on a furniture design, being able to visualize everything in the space and walk about helps."

Give our home a distinct scent, as the hotel business does; we will be shocked at how this can affect the ambience. Luxury hotels choose a signature perfume to have everywhere to engage the scenes, which therefore gets connected with that location - adapt this by picking our trademark scent at home. There is no place like home, so make sure all our senses are awakened when we walk through the door. Use scented candles, diffusers, and essential oils to create the most incredible home smell.

It is impossible to deny the reality that if we spend too much money on a costly chair, we will have less money to spend on the rest of our homes. However, Mr. Ford stated, "We want to make sure we're spending our money strategically." "A budget provides a road plan for dividing the expenses of items amongst rooms." He said we can still make an exception if we locate a one-of-a-kind dining table, but we will have to think about where we might save money to pay for it.

Drywall finishing, hardwood floor restoration, and ceiling painting are all nasty jobs. Therefore, it is preferable to do this sort of work before putting any furniture or accessories into the room, if feasible. If it is not possible to avoid it, cover large furniture with plastic drop cloths and tape accessories in boxes to safeguard them.