| It is often difficult for people starting | | | | organize your space as mentioned in the |
| with Interior Design to know where to start. | | | | previous point. This will prevent you from |
| Good interior design or style mainly arises | | | | making errors in terms of available space |
| out of a feeling, flair or an intuition for | | | | before you make expensive purchases. You can |
| colour, pattern and scale. For this to be | | | | also to use the floor plan to try out various |
| rewarding or pleasing the end result must be | | | | combinations of placements of pieces. A |
| functional, practical and stylish. | | | | useful tip here is to draw your floor plan to |
| | | | scale on a large piece of paper and cut your |
| To get you going with achieving these goals, | | | | main pieces out of smaller blocks of |
| here are a couple of practical tips: | | | | cardboard. This way you can move your pieces |
| | | | of furniture around on the plan in various |
| ~ Before decorating, start a scrap book. ~ | | | | configurations and can visualize the layout |
| | | | that much easier. Of course this is a |
| Collect samples of colors as well as | | | | low-tech option, there are much more |
| photographs of rooms that you like. Analyze | | | | high-tech solutions available for your PC, |
| your scrapbook to determine styles and colors | | | | but this approach can be amazingly effective. |
| that are your preferences. Even if you do not | | | | |
| intend decorating the whole house straight | | | | ~ Start thinking about the details. ~ |
| away, it is good practice to draw up a color | | | | |
| schedule, listing all the colors you intend | | | | These are always the elements that get the |
| to use. This forces you to devise a scheme | | | | least attention since the details are not as |
| that works in the whole, rather than a | | | | exciting to decide upon such as, for example, |
| piecemeal, room-by-room solution. | | | | the color scheme. However, the details are |
| | | | vitally important and can make or break a |
| ~ Plan your space ~ | | | | scheme. They create a hidden life |
| | | | establishing relationships between different |
| Whatever the size of a room, space must be | | | | objects regulating the effect of competing |
| organised carefully to provide distinct areas | | | | centres of attention, introducing a sense of |
| for different uses, but at the same time | | | | rhythm and strengthening line. Again, start |
| remain a harmonious whole. Planning is | | | | collecting samples and photos of trimmings, |
| essential and in a sense you are obliged to | | | | door handles, light fittings and so forth. |
| finish the room first before you can start | | | | |
| it, a catch-twenty-two situation. This does | | | | Not the greatest skill with color nor the |
| not mean that you have to buy everything at | | | | most careful choice of accessories and |
| once but you should have a clear picture of | | | | trimmings may prevent the result from looking |
| the end result. I prefer the | | | | flat and lifeless. |
| collect-as-you-go method since this way | | | | |
| everything tells a story reflecting the | | | | Surprisingly maybe, a sense of humour is an |
| interesting habitat of complex dynamic human | | | | essential element in good design. Humour, |
| beings. | | | | flair and surprise these are all ways of |
| | | | describing the happy accident, the odd |
| ~ Draw a floor plan ~ | | | | combination of objects or the quirky touch |
| | | | which makes a room a living interior rather |
| Draw a floor plan and place signature pieces. | | | | than a studio set. |
| This will help you visualize the layout and | | | | |