Design 101 interiors
Decorating 101 - Interior Design Basics
If you weren't born with the ability to imagine a room complete with furniture placement, wall hangings, and rug and accent choices, it is something you can develop and hone over time. Learn the basics of home decorating, including design principles, decorating styles, and answers to decorating challenges.
Interior Design Compared With Interior Decorating
Interior design and interior decorating are often mistaken for the same thing, but the terms are not completely interchangeable. Interior design is a profession that requires specific schooling and formal training, including space planning, furniture design, and architecture. An interior decorator does not have that formal training and focuses on the aesthetics and the surface appearance of a space. Who you would hire depends on whether you have any structural work or space planning to be done or you need someone to plan the decor only.
10 Must-Have Apps For Serious Interior Design
Elements of Decor
Your first step should be to select a style for your home interior. This will promote the design principle of unity and harmony, thinking of the entire home with a unifying theme. It can be as simple as choosing shabby chic instead of formal or traditional instead of contemporary. From there, you can refine it to a more specific style, such as French country, Tuscan, or modern Victorian.
Balance is another principle—distributing the visual weight in a room. You can do it symmetrically, as is common in traditional interiors, or with asymmetrical balance as seen in casual interiors.
Within each room there should be a focal point. In a living room, it could be the fireplace or a piece of art. It sets itself apart by scale, color, or texture.
Contrast and variety add visual interest to a room. Keep rhythm in mind with repeating elements of the same color, texture, or pattern, and a progression of sizes or colors.
FollowTheFlow / Getty ImagesColor
Choosing a color palette is an essential part of interior design.
While you could have a different style and color scheme in each room, often you will want to tie the whole dwelling together. Consider the right colors for a small room as well as colors and patterns for a large room.
Patterns
Mixing patterns in home decor is one of the more advanced parts of interior design. Patterns do not have to match, but they need to complement and coordinate with each other. This is done by considering color, size, and scale.
KatarzynaBialasiewicz / Getty ImagesTips to Get Started With Your Decor
A major pitfall that traps untrained decorators is editing. A good interior decorator can scan a room and understand what items work in a room and when something is too much, tasteful, or requires embellishment. A few tips in this area can make or break your room's design choices.
One room element that can usually use an editorial eye is how pillows are placed. Pillows can be a nice accent adding to the room's color story, or in some cases, even create a focal point for the room.
However, some people have a tendency to overdo it with pillows. Avoid overloading a sofa to the point that a guest has to move all the pillows just to sit down.
Choices of artwork can be important for a room, but equally consider how you display it. A rule of thumb is to set wall hangings at eye-level. Similarly, the height you set the chandelier matters. A common mistake people make is hanging a chandelier too high or close to the ceiling. Drop it low enough that it brings light into the room and is noticed. If you hang it above a table, make sure that when you sit up from the table, your or any taller guests cannot knock into it.
Furnishings are a big investment and account for a large part of the budget of room decor. If you are on a tight budget, there are some items you should splurge on. The two most important pieces of furniture—likely the items that will get the most use—are your sofa and bed. Spend more on those pieces. Save on area rugs, accent tables, and wall art.
A mixture of high-ticket items with less expensive options is a trick of the trade that makes the room still feel stylish without breaking the bank.
INTERIOR DESIGN BASICS | Nadine Stay
"I just don’t know where to start or how to pull a look together…" Does this sound familiar? I’ve been asked this question too many times to count and I understand why. If decorating doesn’t come naturally to you, it can feel totally overwhelming. But that’s what I’m here for - to give you the inspiration, advice, tools, and resources you need to confidently tackle your own home design!
So consider this post your official guideline for interior decorating basics - the fundamentals if you will.
I’ve touched on some of the following "design rules" in previous posts so I apologize if this is repetitive for some of you. But I think it’s nice to have all the ground rules in one post for easy learning. Shall we get started?
I’m starting a room design from scratch, where do I start?
Design by Amber Interiors | Photography by Tessa Neustadt
According to the 5 interior designers that I asked this very question to, the resounding answer was "start with the rug.
" It’s the most difficult aspect of the room to select and it’s even more difficult if you pick it last (after all the other pieces are in place). Pick a rug with a color palette that you feel comfortable with and go from there. Next, select the main fixtures - sofa, furniture, chairs, etc and work your way down to the little things like lamps, artwork, and paint. Yes, paint is one of the last things you pick because it’s far easier to match a paint color to a rug color than it is to match a rug to a paint color. You feel me?
More on this topic here →
Create a focal point
In every room, I like to create a focal point that the eye is naturally drawn to. In fact, before I make any major decisions about the room’s layout or furniture placement, I pick a wall that will become my focal point for the room. This doesn’t mean I just paint one wall a different color. The focal point can be a fireplace, an oversized piece of artwork, a feature wall with oak plywood planks or painted wainscoting, a wall of windows with floor to ceiling curtains, or anything that demands attention.
Once I pick a focal point/feature wall, my furniture layout is determined based off of that. My furniture should aid in moving the eyes to the focal point. (i.e. don’t position all your furniture facing away from the focal point and don’t block your view of the feature wall.)
Here are some focal points ideas →
Avoid furniture sets
It may be easier to select a living room or bedroom furniture set that all matches, but let’s think beyond that! Find pieces that compliment each other without matching. If you’re nervous about matching or pairing wood tones, I have a few easy tips on that here. And if you already own a set of matching furniture, I recommend you disperse the set between a few rooms.
Consider visual balance
Designing a room is all about visual balance. Whether you prefer symmetry (i.e. two lamps on both ends of the dresser) or asymmetry (a lamp on one side and artwork on the other), it’s all about leveling out the visual weight.
Think of it like a see-saw. You need equal weights on either end of the see-saw to stay balanced. If one side of the room has a lot of heavy furniture, the other side of the room would feel imbalanced with just a small chair. If one side of the room displays a lot of wood, the other side needs some wood characteristics as well to balance out the visual weight. Make sense?
Paint color selection
Picking a paint color can feel intimidating but there are some simple tricks to help the selection process. First, when looking at paint swatches, always view them in the room you will be painting. And look at the swatches upright vs looking down at them - the lighting can drastically change how the color looks when it’s not parallel with the wall.
Test paint swatches by ordering samples and paint them on your wall. This is an ideal way to get an accurate view of the color and again, do this in the room you will actually be painting.
I like to paint 24" squares on a white wall because a pure white backdrop allows me to see the samples' true colors. Anything other than a pure white backdrop will effect the undertones and how your eyes see the colors. I love "Nautica White" by the Nautica paint line (which can be found at Menards).
If you're going bold and painting an actual color (not just neutrals) I recommend going for muted tones. Highly saturated colors look even more saturated on the wall. I wanted hunter green wainscoting in our office so I picked a somewhat washed out brown-green paint swatch (City Arboretum by Valspar). However, on the wall it became more vibrant and appears to be a true hunter green.
Fun fact! If you fall in love with a color but it feels too dark, consider ordering the paint at a lower strength. For example, I found a beige paint color I loved (Accessible Beige by Sherwin Williams) but it was a smidge too dark so I ordered it at 75% strength to lighten the color. Decreasing the percentage will make the color value lighter without changing the undertones.
This is different than simply picking a lighter beige color swatch because every paint swatch has different undertones and some may appear more pink, blue or yellow.
Rug size and placement is everything!
Design by Amber Interiors | Photography by Tessa Neustadt
The rug is such an important aspect of the room design. Placement and sizing really is everything! In the living room - the front legs (or preferably all the legs) of your furniture should sit on the rug. A small rug that floats in the middle of the room is a no-no. In the dining room - you want your rug to be large enough that when you pull the chairs out, the legs are still on the rug. And in the bedroom - the rug should extend 24-36" from the sides and foot of the bed.
More rug size and placement guides here →
Let’s talk curtains
One of the most common design "mistakes" is artwork placement.
Let’s go over the basics -
If hanging art above furniture, position it roughly 6-8 inches above the furniture. The goal is to make it feel connected to the object(s) below it.
When hanging artwork on an empty wall, the center of the art should hang approximately 57-60" from the floor. Or if you’re an average height woman, an easier way to measure is to hang it at eye level.
If you’re pairing more than one frame, hang them 3-4" apart. Keeping the frames close helps the eye see all the art as one unit.
Think about scale - when hanging artwork above furniture, it should fill 2/3 the width of the furniture below it.
More on art placement here →
Until next time,
DESIGN, NADINE SPEAKS PODCASTDanicablog, Blogs 5, interior design, rules, rug, feature wall, paint color, window treatment, artwork, tips, Ep.
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Design 101: how to start understanding interior design?
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- Design 101: how to get started in interior design?
Design Mate presents a series of publications on primary education in the fields of design and architecture. We ask the managers of the leading specialized schools in Russia about how to satisfy their interest in near-design sciences, and what the professional to whom you, as a customer, give work, should understand.
Renowned psychologist and researcher Helen Langer (who writes extensively on mindfulness) believes that the desire for home improvement is a brain pattern. The craving for interior design is archetypal: you just need to decide for yourself whether it will be a profession or a hobby.
Many note that interest in design begins in childhood, and the impulse most often becomes the first experience of repairing one's own apartment or building and furnishing a country house.
The process does not always go smoothly. If the customer has a misunderstanding with the designer or he fails to express his thoughts, he comes to the realization that it would be nice to learn design. As in the case if a person is very pleased with the result - why not continue?
My opinion: a client who understands design is very good for the best result.
Observance, well-formed taste, a conscious attitude towards oneself and the world, the ability to dialogue with a designer - these are the qualities of an ideal customer! In other words, a creative tandem should be formed.
The best thing is when a designer, like a good doctor, is “passed on” by satisfied clients. Rumors, recommendations, opinions. It is always good to look at accounts in social networks, pay attention to experience, education, look at portfolios. The first meeting will decide a lot. Clothing, manner of speaking, attentiveness, accuracy. Everything a designer needs to know is defined by the international professional standard.
Mandatory work experience for a designer - 4 years, not less (after graduation). By the way, so do the Americans. It’s great if a graduate works with an experienced designer or in an office, and thus gains experience. And only then you can go into free swimming.
The layout shows at once how professional the designer is. And the rules for optimal planning are based on the brief and pie charts, on the proximity matrix.
The designer-client relationship is a multifaceted and complex topic.
Working with people is always difficult. In our school, this is a large section of education, which we are constantly supplementing. For example, this year we have added the Swedish concept of "Customer Color Typing". I am sure that it will be interesting and useful for all students to know.
What to read?
Helen Langer. The Birth of an Artist
Harvard psychology professor Helen Langer's groundbreaking research on how to help unleash your creativity.
Helen Langer. Mindfulness
In the years since the book was first published in America, Helen Langer and her team have created a unique concept of mindfulness that is fully adapted to modern life.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Creativity
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is looking for the answer that makes a creative person creative. He studies the life path of prominent people - these are poets, biologists, physicists, politicians, artists, businessmen - and, based on the theory of flow, explains the creative process.
Dejan Sujic. B like Bauhaus
A guide to the modern world, which contains ideas and symbols, works of high art and consumer goods, inventions, without which it is impossible to imagine our life, projects that remained unfulfilled, and other elements of the reality in which a person exists.
Terence Conran. The Modern Home: The Art of Design
A very detailed and visual book for those who intend to do their own remodeling or interior decoration.
Turgrim Eggen. Decorator
An ironic and surprisingly stylish novel in a harsh perspective describes the world of things, in which the darkest human feelings side by side with talent and professionalism.
David Berman. do good design. How designers can change the world
This book helps you realize your responsibility and offers a new, meaningful approach to design. This is an inspired message from a professional to his brothers in the shop, a call to improve the advertising industry, to develop and strictly observe their moral principles. After all, the future of civilization is our common design project.
Where to study?
If interior design and in Russia - then only in IDS.
Abroad - in universities and vocational schools, there is also an international standard, as in IDS. Notable schools that can be recommended in terms of fundamental education and additional courses: Parsons, Niagara.
For design in IT - Hyper Island
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charity in art: from philanthropy to modern initiatives
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Undoubtedly, after the conclusion, the desire to be healthy and fit will increase. The new phrase will be "Health is the new wealth" and spa and wellness centers will play a more important role. Spa designs will need to change and evolve to meet new needs and feelings, which will require more personal space.
In addition, we believe that the distinctions between fitness, wellness, spa and healthcare will continue to blur or overlap. The integration of smart technologies in a covert form will be even more important in the post-Covid world. Wrist-based touch technology provides hands-free access to areas and rooms, locker opening, lunch or groceries payment. A more natural, sensual spa environment can take users away from the world of work and worries. The word "wellness" usually conjures up images of a healthy lifestyle and soothing spa treatments. But in fact, this phrase includes creating wellness within the confines of our homes, workplaces and, of course, spas. 9We spend 0% of our time indoors and 56% at work. And given that indoor air pollution is five times worse than outdoor air pollution, it's easy to see why the World Health Organization classified Sick Building Syndrome as a medical condition in 1986. Allergies, overwork, asthma, hay fever, recurring colds and flu are just a few of the illnesses that can be brought on by a home or spa.
Because many spas lack windows and adequate ventilation, and because people wear shoes and lose layers of skin and emotions in treatment rooms, it is likely that modern spas are much more physically and energetically hazardous than most homes. and enterprises. Setting a clear goal - the role of your spa as a wellness center - will guide the design process, during which many factors can be taken into account, such as geopathic stress, feng shui principles, air filtration and ventilation, use of natural light, electrical wiring, green walls, heating options and cooling. The next step in wellness design considers the health of the environment by using recycled and/or sustainable materials in the construction of the spa. There are various ways to incorporate wellness into an existing spa if building a new spa just isn't within your budget at the moment. In addition, the ideas below apply to the final components required for a fresh spa interior design in Dubai.
Air Purity and Ventilation - Because many spa interior designs lack windows, proper ventilation is lacking.
