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So much interior design advice is fluff and rubbish, and it can seem like some designers do it to make themselves sound important, don't you think? But, lots of it is very good too. Here are the pieces of interior design advice I've committed to memory and think you might find useful too.
Scale up
Abigail Ahern swears by this trick, suggesting that we don't be tempted to just put small things in small rooms, and big things in big rooms. Instead, mix things up and take the eye by surprise: an enormous lamp will look great in a small room, or a big piece of art, for example. I suppose you wouldn't want to go totally overboard with this (after all, how big of a sofa can one tiny living room take?), but one or two topsy turvy approaches to playing with size will make a room feel more interesting.
Add lots of lighting
Adding more lighting than you think you need is actually a really good design tip: there should be lots of sources of light in a room, so don’t just stop once you’ve fixed the ceiling light… a soft glow from a lampshade will make a room feel cosy, a series of wall lights in a dining room will let you see what you’re eating without enduring the glare of an overhead light, and strings of fairy lights or puddles of candles in corners will set the right tone for a living room you want to relax in.
Something new, something old, something black, something gold
This piece of interior design advice comes from Kate from Mad About the House. Mixing old things and new gives the room lots of interest, and kind of serves an emotional purpose too... after all, wouldn't a new property feel more like home with a photograph of a beloved Grandma, or a hand-me-down piece of crockery?
Something 'black' is a good idea because black 'anchors' the room - and if you think that sounds a bit like a wishy washy design statement, scroll through your favourite Instagram profiles and see if you can spot those darker hues being woven in throughout each feed. See? The same principle applies to homes & interiors.
Finally, something 'gold' refers to anything metallic. Or shiny. Basically, just another texture to spice things up and make a room look less flat or dull.
Think about texture
Another piece of interior design advice from Abigail Ahern here...When designing a room, texture is key. While you might have a thing for rough and ready interiors, if it's nothing but brick and polished concrete, it's going to feel very unwelcoming. What you should do is look for ways to add more textures - so add in a sheepskin throw, a metallic candle holder and a handful of greenery from outdoors, for example. These contrasting textures will tick all the boxes where your senses are concerned, making the whole room feel better put together.
Go with your gut
This is not a piece of advice limited to interior design as it serves us well in other areas of life, but when you’re decorating, simply go with your gut. The worst thing that can happen is that it won’t look quite as pin-worthy as you were hoping, but that’s not the end of the world, is it? Best case scenario, however, is that you’ll have made a beautiful home and it will reflect you, your personality and your lifestyle 100%. Seems worth the risk, right?
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