Designing your home’s interior can be one of the most interesting, inspiring and exciting things about being a homeowner. Interior design allows you to express yourself in every nook and cranny of your surrounding space. It’s a great feeling when you hear the oohs and the aahs of your guests as they step into your home.
Alas, interior design isn’t as easy as it looks. Having a desired outcome is important, but what’s crucial is the planning that should be done beforehand – and that leads us to our first point in beautifying your interior: figure out a floor plan.
1. Figure out a floor plan
Before looking at what furniture you want or what color the walls should be, think about the flow of traffic through your home. You definitely don’t want to build a maze that leaves your guests dumbfounded just figuring out how to get to the bathroom.
Strategic placement of furnishing allows you to direct how your guests move about and by default, what their eyes focus on. You’ll be amazed at even the smallest tweaks and alterations can shift their gaze away from an unsightly view to a dazzling piece of artwork or decoration.
2. Make a bold statement with a black accent wall
Next, color your walls. Most people go with the safe option of white for their walls. It’s the most neutral of colors after all, pairing well with every other color. But in recent times, a new trend has surfaced that’s taking the interior design world by storm.
Introducing the black accent wall.
If you’re looking at giving extra depth to your room with a hip and modern twist, we recommend this simple method. This enables you to place bright and beautiful decorations – curtains, flower vases and art pieces – that will be further accentuated against a dark background.
However, location is the key to your success. Black paint naturally gives a visual weight to the area around it so you’ll want plenty of lighting in that area to avoid it looking grim. We suggest choosing a wall with lots of natural lighting in a big open area so you have the freedom to accessorize around it. You’ll be surprised at how much a single black wall can change the overall look of your home.
3. Sunlight is your friend – the more, the merrier
Have you come across a musty smell in certain areas of the house? That’s what the lack of sunlight does. The ultraviolet rays from the sun are naturally antiseptic, reducing the production of bacteria and preventing your home from smelling like a wet sock.
Photo by Nathan Fertig
Not only that, sunlight is also good for health, improving your immune system, blood circulation and boosting endorphins and serotonin levels. Sunlight literally puts you in a happier mood and encourages better health, so make the most of nature’s gift, draw your curtains and brighten up your home. Besides, sunlight is necessary for indoor plants, which leads us to the next point.
4. Boost wellness, life and energy with indoor plants
Plants are great for injecting life, making the room feel fresh and more alive. Not to mention, it does a perfect job filling in awkward empty spaces. Not only do they make your home more welcoming and appealing, plants provide numerous psychological and physiological benefits as well. Being the earth’s natural air filters, plants will improve the quality of air in your home, helping you breathe easier, feel calmer, and sleep better.
Photo by Gemma Evans
However, do be mindful that the placement of your plants do not disrupt traffic flow. Try bringing in smaller plants first, such as air plants, Chinese money plants and aloes as they generally take up less space, are easier to move about and fit in smaller areas.
5. Achieve a beautifully balanced color scheme with the 60-30-10 rule
What is the 60-30-10 rule? It is a classic décor rule to help you put a color scheme that works harmoniously together. You don’t have to be a mathematician as this concept is incredibly easy to use and works for most rooms with different shapes and sizes. Here’s how to use it.
The 60% represents the main color you’ll want. In a living room, this would be most of the walls, large furniture, and perhaps even your floor. The idea is that this 60% works as the base color, almost like a backdrop, so it’s best to choose a neutral color if you haven’t yet decided on the remaining two complementary colors.
The 30% would be your secondary color, providing a nice variety and subtle contrast from the 60%. Some items under this category are curtains, small furniture, side chairs or benches, accent walls, and floor accessories like rugs and carpets.
The remaining 10% is your accent color for you to play around with. It can be bold or subtle, depending on the look you’re going for. This tertiary color can be used to highlight items you want to show off, giving the room a personality!
For a retro, old school look, try 60% dark blue, 30% brown, and 10% yellow. If you prefer something a little classier, try with 60% white, 30% gray, and 10% red.
At the end of the day, interior design isn’t a one-off thing; your taste and preference will change overtime so don’t be afraid to experiment. There is also no ‘one-size fits all’ rule in interior design so trust your intuition. Get creative, explore, and most importantly, HAVE FUN!
