Follow these tips to create a good home environment and making everyday life easier.
1. Home Interiors are ALWAYS a work in progress.
Keep things fresh and loose by changing things up. Perfection stifles creativity. No, one item, has a specific place.
Change out pillow covers on your sofa or in your Guest Room in the Spring and Fall (or anything else movable and easy to store for the season).
In the winter…use candles for a warm feel; and in the spring….use fresh flowers to bring the outside in.
2. A home isn’t a Museum.
Use every room for fun and gathering. If you have a room that is only used for special occasions (maybe 6-10 times per year), what do you use it for for the other 340 days?
3. Don’t over accessorize..
Follow the rule for getting dressed…. get completely dressed, then, take one item off. A space with too many items in it will look cluttered and junky…even with the most expensive of items on display.
4. SURPRISE!
Just like when you are looking in a store and you turn the corner and see a great display….that’s a surprise.
Add spontaneous items out in the open. If you are working with a neutral palette in a room, add one bold, unique looking item that will make someone say “WOW” and people will take notice.
5. Don’t think in terms of Feminine and Masculine.
Stay away from overly ruffled items, bows and too much lace. Think in terms of “soft” or “glamorous” when wanting something a little more girly.
6. When shopping for furnishings….
It doesn’t matter where it came from, YOU, just have to love what your living with.
7. Fabulous Finds.
In today’s world of “Going Green” recycled items are a must. If a friend offers something to you, that they are tired of, do a trade and (provided they don’t want the item back) re-purpose it to coordinate with your interiors or add a “WOW” spot to your home. ANYTHING old….can become new again!
Wood floor planks to Wine Rack.
Toothbrushes as wall hooks for kids.
Old armoire turned game center.
8. Think outside of the box.
Think of all the business out there and what the possibilities there products hold. Download a picture you like online and cut-out a pattern to create your own stencil. Go to a tile store and ask for their discarded or damage products (some will be greatly discounted, others might even be free) and revamp an old side table you are looking to spiff up. There are tons of mosaic ideas online. Go to a produce company and ask for their fruit crates and create vintage storage containers. Use wide, colored tape, to create stripes on the walls in a small area .
Old milk jug...turn to table base or bird bath.
Industrial Coils turned barstools.
9. Party in a Closet.
Impromptu party? Keep everything you need stored (and organized) in a closet. Bar napkins, containers of peanuts, cups, plates, candles, wine and more. You don’t want to have to run out and shop at the last minute before entertaining. When you start running low, replenish.
10. You get what you pay for.
This is tried and true! When you find good people to work with, make it worth their while and yours. It will reflect in the work and maybe…get it done sooner, rather than later. And by the way…don’t forget to tell them how much you appreciate them….It goes a looooooooooooooong way!
Want to find out more? Visit: www.affordableinteriordesigners.com.
Tags: Add new tag, Advice, Affordable, Budget Design, Budget interior design, Decorate on a budget, Do's & Don'ts, Home, Home Improvements, Home makeover, inexpensive tips, Interior Design, Interior Design Tips
As an Interior Designer, I know the trepidation people have when they are deciding whether to hire a professional to help them with a Home Design Project.
My best advice to you, the client, is to find one that you click with, that you hit it off with during the first visit. If you feel apprehensive after the meeting………take that as a No, to that particular Designer. Take a look at your budget. Can you afford a few extra dollars for some advice to head you in the right direction, keep you on track, give you ideas for the area being re-designed? In the end, doing this will help you avoid costly mistakes that could happen during a home project.
Here is a list of somethings to think about if you are still unsure:
- Write down a list of your home priorities.
- Create a workable budget (keep in mind that you need to have an additional, 10% of the budget, incase of delays, project overruns, additional items needed, etc.).
- Don’t get after all the “Trendy” designs. You can incorporate some, with smaller items, but keep your larger pieces simple (such as your sofa and coordinating seating pieces). They will last much longer, style wise, in the end if you go with classic instead of Trend. Plus……you will blow your budget, FAST if you decorate in trends; especially when you get tired of that trend!
- Shop for items in regular stores, department stores, discount stores. No one knows where you shop unless you tell them. You’ll probably get more bang for your buck when you go to the discount stores as well.
Wait for sales to get your larger pieces (sofa, chair, dining table, armoire). Most stores have large sales 2 x’s per year to turn over their merchandise for the new one’s coming out on the scene. The stores are more willing to bargain when they know they have truckloads of merchandise coming in and don’t want to pay to warehouse them
- Prioritize the rooms you are re-doing. Only get 2-3 rooms in shape, depending on your budget. Make those look “WOW”. Most people don’t have the big budget to redecorate all at once, and most Designer’s will tell you that they don’t recommend that anyway. Your taste could change after you live with a new design in one room and give you ideas for the next.
- A Designer can help you scale down on what you have before redecorating. Think of it as purging all the bad, to bring in the new, more exciting items. The Designer can be the bad guy, making it easier for you to make the decision on what should stay or go. There is also a way to collect some additional funds by taking the items you are getting rid of to a consignment or
thrift store. Another possibility is hosting a yard sale, or even a neighborhood sale. Some neighbors might even want to “trade” items, giving you a whole other avenue for shopping.
And finally……….if you were experiencing stomach cramps, doubling you over in pain, would you treat yourself or go see a Doctor?
Do you see my point?
Contact PC Design LLC today with all of your Design questions.
Tags: Advice, Budget Design, Design professionals, Do's & Don'ts, hire a decorator, Hire a designer, hire an interior designer, Home Improvements, Home makeover, inexpensive tips, Interior Design
The Do’s & Don’ts… of Good Home Design.
Have you ever found yourself feeling overwhelmed with all the decisions involved in decorating your home? Don’t worry… you aren’t the only one. To give a little insight into the Interior Design world, I compiled a list of good, “Do’s” & “Don’ts” you should follow when it comes to your home. Follow this, and you are off to a fabulous start.
DO…
DON’T…
- Go overboard with “Theme’s” in your home.
- Impulse buy! You get into trouble and end up with boxes of “What was I thinking” stored in the basement, under the stairs.
- Match all the wood pieces in a room setting. Mix “coordinating” woods to create a unique look.
- Go “Cheap” just to fill all your rooms. Work on a budget and invest in good, quality constructed pieces.
- Decorate your entire home with the “Latest Trends”. They will be outdated before you get a chance to enjoy it.
- Use greenery in your home (real or silk) UNLESS, you plan to maintain them and dust them frequently. Nothing is worse than looking at a dead plant in the corner of someone’s living room or faux greenery on top of the kitchen cabinets that hasn’t been dusted in 2 years.
Tags: Advice, Do's & Don'ts, Interior Design, Interior Design Tips
