A note before getting into this. If you are building from scratch, it has been recommended to us by a number of builders that no matter where you live in the country, you will be greatly benefited by 2×6 framing rather than 2×4. The 2×6 not only gives you a lot more room to put things like plumbing and mini-split HVAC lines, but also greatly increases the energy efficiency of the home. A buddy, who is with a group of insulation contractors, says you can whittle a good 10% off the electric bill every month by using the right kind of insulation and also having enough of it properly installed in the walls. He says the 2×6 walls accommodate a lot more and will pay for themselves over time. Anyway, enough about that.

You may be just moving into a new home, or you’ve lived there a while, but you’re ready to change the design. No matter which one fits the situation, understanding the basics of home interior design can help you create a home you’ll love to live in. Learn more about interior design here, so you know what to do to start working on the design for your home.

The first step should always be to decide on a style for the home. This way, everything in the home will be cohesive. There are tons of decorating styles to choose from. Start by looking at the styles that are popular right now to find out what you like and what you might want for your home. Styles can be as simple as choosing something casual instead of formal or picking out something that’s more contemporary. Once you have the basics, you can then refine the style from there to find what fits your lifestyle and home perfectly.

Add a Focal Point for Each Room

Choose a focal point for each room. A focal point is something that draws your attention to it as soon as you walk into the room. It could be the furniture, a fireplace, artwork, or anything else. It is a good idea to have just a single focal point in each room to avoid making the room feel overwhelming when someone walks in it.

Balance is the next step. You’ll want to make sure you have both large and small items, hard and soft textures, and various positions for items, so everything stays balanced. The balance can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, but it should be there to help the room feel complete.

Use Colors and Patterns for Contrast

The colors, textures, and patterns in the room help to add contrast and visual interest. It’s a good idea to choose a color palette and stick with that for the whole room. It is possible to choose a different palette for each room in the home, but it’s still a good idea to have something that ties everything together and makes the home feel whole. Mixing patterns is possible to do, but it is important to make sure the patterns complement each other so the room doesn’t end up feeling too busy.

When you’re decorating the room, make sure everything is chosen carefully. It’s important to avoid anything that may be too much or that just won’t work with the rest of the room. If the room is done with a farmhouse style, avoid adding modern art that just won’t fit with everything else. Make sure you edit down everything in the room, as well. While pillows can be a great accent in a room, having too many overloads the sofa and takes away from the look.

Even if you have a large budget for the remodel and décor, make sure you’re putting the money where it’s important. Furniture will be a larger investment and will likely be the most expensive parts of the room. Sofas and beds are areas where splurging is a good idea, as they’re going to stay in the room for years. Save money on smaller décor like area rugs, accent tables, or art to stay within your budget.

Consider the Lighting in the Room

The lighting makes a huge difference in how the room looks, and even the most expertly designed room can be ruined if the lighting is poor. Even if there is a lot of natural light, it’s a good idea to spend a little bit of money on upgrading overhead lights, adding accent lighting, and placing floor lamps to give the room plenty of light at night or during poor weather. Lighter-colored walls and mirrors can also help brighten a room, so consider adding those as well.

Don’t Forget the Small Details

It’s easy to focus on the furniture, walls, flooring, and other big parts of the room and forget about the smaller details. Accent pieces should be used to personalize the room and help add interest. You don’t have to purchase all of these at once, though. As you’re shopping, keep an eye out for anything that will add to the room and help it look more complete.

Avoid Putting All Furniture Against the Wall

When you’re planning where everything should go, consider moving large furniture out from the wall. It’s natural to push sofas, tables, and other large furniture pieces against the wall, but that can lead to the room feeling a bit flat. Keep the furniture at least a few inches away from the wall to make it look like there’s more room for airflow and to help create a better look for the room.

Don’t Forget to Have Fun

Especially if you’re new to interior design, you’re going to spend a lot of time working out what you want the rooms to look like, what you should purchase, and how everything will be set up. That’s fine, and it’s natural to spend quite a bit of time to get everything perfect. At the same time, remember to have fun with the design. It’s not going to end up looking like a showroom, and that’s fine. Instead, you’ll want rooms you can use and live in, not something you’re afraid to be in because you might mess something up and change the look of the room.

Whether you’re moving into your first home or you’re tired of the way your home looks and want a change, redesigning the rooms can make a huge difference. Interior design is personal, so you’ll want to think carefully about what you want the rooms to look like and what you’d like to purchase or use to get the look you’re after. Use the tips here to get started, and you’ll be able to create rooms that you’ll love spending time in.

A friend who works with a group of Chesterfield Va painters says the way most professionals do it is to incorporate the room colors they want with furniture styles and colors to create the perfect match before painting or buying anything. But most of us do not have those interior designer imaginations necessary to build out the perfect room without actually looking at paints and furniture colors and agonizing over every hint and hue. Here are a few design ideas.

If you really want to get into something unusual you might want to consider polished concrete floors in one or more rooms. This offers a striking, albeit pricey, look that can be made to work with a variety of home styles.

This is typically done in a sunken den that is on a slab but can be done in rooms with crawl spaces as well. Of course these floors are as durable as any floor can be, and can be done to look any way you want it to. For example the homeowner in the floor pictured desired to have more of a wood grain look. These can be made to look like wood, marble, or concrete and come in a variety of colors. We found a lot of detail information on this style at the site of a company that specializes in polished concrete. Another site developed to give you a lot of ideas is this one.

For bathrooms, where practical we highly recommend tile with quartz or granite tops and tile showers with glass shower doors. This always creates stunning bathrooms that feel solid and are very practical. For the backsplashes for the sink(s) it is becoming popular now to use a different tile than the floor or countertop. This provides some contrast and, if carefully done, creates a very attractive look.

One last thing to mention here has to do with lighting. As with everything else in the home, there are hundreds of lighting ideas. Lighting tends to be pushed to the back burner due to its lack of glamor based on all the other interior requirements. But lighting can really make the room much more enjoyable if thought is put into it. The lights need to be strategically placed based on how the room is used. Dens and dining rooms are completely different when it comes to light. There are too many things to discuss regarding lighting for this post but we have found a couple sites that can give you a decent start. For general lighting ideas you can get well rounded selection here. For germicidal UVC lighting check out this one. From here you should be able to get some specific ideas and then you can target your searches to sites that highlight the types to are most interested in.