There are so much design tips that readers of décor magazines or décor blogs are able to get by letting the spaces inspire you, but there are also some very important and very specific design tips that you won’t get from your favorite magazine and here I am to share 7 very important ones with you.
DESIGN TIP #1 – ALWAYS BUDGET
Forget the size of your project, make sure you budget your buys and the work that need to get done. Redoing a space can get out of control very quickly. This is why this is my #1 design tip for all of my clients: always budget.
Sit down and write down the jobs you want to do, the pieces you want to buy, the rooms you want to paint, etc. Look for reference prices and make sure your budget allows for everything that you are planning and/or want to do.
Use this exercise to prioritize jobs, rethink about working in phases, but most importantly make sure that you are able to take the project on budget wise before doing anything drastic.
DESIGN TIP #2 – MEASURE, MEASURE, MEASURE
Make sure you measure absolutely every wall in your space, every furniture piece you have and are planning to reuse, every new piece you are planning to buy: I can’t stress this enough MEASURE EVERYTHING!
I have been brought into clients’ homes to help them figure out new layouts or to see how we can modify new pieces of furniture simply because things weren’t measured.
Scale at furniture showrooms can be tricky and misleading that´s why it’s extremely important that you measure everything.
DESIGN TIP #3 – WORK ON YOUR LAYOUT
When trying to figuring out a room or simply buying new furniture pieces always make sure you take the time to analyze if the layout of the room is functional.
It doesn’t matter what room you are working on, if the space isn’t functional it simply doesn’t work. Remember form should always follow function.
Analyze how you currently use the space, if there are any new uses you need or want to incorporate, any tech needs you have, how many people need to be able to be seated, etc. These are some of the details that will determine if your space is functional.
DESIGN TIP #4 – ROOMS SHOULD FLOW
Your entire house should flow design-wise from one room to the other, the perfect way to create this flow is to make sure the color palette of your house works together.
When I’m redoing an entire house I always choose the color palette of the house as a whole to make sure that the experience of going through the house is seamless. This doesn’t mean that you have to work with the same colors in all your rooms just make sure that they all work together.
When I’m called in to work on only one space of a house I take the extra time to get the colors of the other rooms, to make sure I get the same flow from room to room that I work hard to achieve when working on a whole house.
DESIGN TIP #5 – CREATE VIGNETTES
A vignette is a grouping of objects; these objects can be anything from wall art, decorative objects, furniture pieces, etc. These pieces don’t have to be the same, they don’t have to be all vases for example.
Having vignettes helps create different area within a room where your eye goes to and from, brings interest and also personality into your space.
Vignettes can be created on coffee tables, on mantles, dining rooms, by hanging together a group of pictures or art pieces, by grouping chairs in an area of the room, etc.
I have a board on Pinterest filled with inspiration on how to put together beautiful vignettes, make sure to check it out here.
DESIGN TIP #6 – BRING NATURE INSIDE
You really have no idea the impact bringing a plant into your space can have on your space until you do it. Plants add so much warmth and a freshness to a space that they can’t be treated as a simple after thought. You don’t necessarily have to bring in tons of plants into your space, bringing some flowers or a nice potted plant has great impact on your space.
You don’t have to be a gardener to keep a plant alive, just make sure you do your research and pick a plant that has the requirements that you and your space are able to give it in order to survive. You can work with succulents, air plants, snake plants, or potted trees. Your options are limitless.
DESIGN TIP #7 – MAKE YOUR SPACE YOURS
Your room doesn’t have to look like what you see in your favorite design magazine, your room needs to be yours first of all: it has to adjust to your needs and it has to be a representation of you and your style.
Make sure you bring in family pictures, keepsakes, memorabilia, pieces you love, old pieces that have been in your family, etc. These pieces speak your language and they all have a story behind them, they will add some much needed personality into your space and make your space yours!
ADDITIONAL DESIGN TIPS
These are only seven seven design tips that you won’t get from your favorite design magazine, hungry for more? Grab 5 times more design tips by downloading my 35 design tips straight from my drawing table.
Don’t forget to let me know what is your favorite takeaway from the design tips I have given you!
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