Not everyone is a born interior designer and you certainly shouldn’t put pressure on yourself to be one, however, there are some simple tricks that will guide you to create a beautiful interior-without a design degree, if all else fails, and you are looking for Interior Designers in Northern Ireland – look no further than the acclaimed and award winning Ian Thompson and his unique interiors that make houses homes across the nation.
The most important thing is to be true to yourself and remember your space is supposed to tie in with what you love and make you feel comfortable and at home. Get that couch you’ve been eyeing up and hang everything you like on your walls-who’s to tell you not to, but here are some tricks in doing simple things the right way.
Overdoing Design Trends
Keeping up with the latest trends and new quirks in interior design can be overwhelming, especially with it constantly changing like seasons.
It’s almost impossible to mirror that ‘perfectly designed interior’ at every step of those changes, and you don’t have to.
Having just created a space you’re happy with and seeing a new style emerge that you so badly want, can leave you with a bunch of things that are lost among others. Considering if the ‘new trend’ will work for you, and where it would fit in, is a clever way of organising your space-before jumping to rash decisions.
Not Having Multiple Light Sources
Imagine walking into a sitting room with just one light bulb hung onto the ceiling in the middle of the room-seems like a normal scenario, but having a space with only one light source can create an uninviting atmosphere. The sitting room is the heart of the home, along with the kitchen which is often either combined or close to it, and you want to make those spaces as comfortable as you can.
Now imagine walking into the sitting room to see a light in the corner near an armchair-inviting you to sit down, a few lights above to make the space brighter if need be, and a small lamp on a cupboard complimenting the lit fireplace. Automatically, a cosy room is created using multiple light sources.
Buying a Large Dining Table
Gone are the days of buying giant rectangular tables fitting 6-8 people-it’s simply impractical and takes up your precious space that can be used in smarter ways. Unless you have a big family and need a big table, you should aim to take as little space as possible. Using a round table gives you more flexibility in seating more people, and also creates a cosier vibe without edges and straight lines.
Going for a round table that sits 2-4 people gives you more space while also making your space look more modern and trendy.
Going Cheap on Big Pieces
A common mistake while shopping for furniture and other interior pieces is budgeting to get as much as you can for as cheap as possible. It’s much smarter however to eye-up and invest in one good piece and work from there. This doesn’t mean you have to break your bank to get the most expensive couch, but buying a durable and good quality piece that will last will put you in a good position.
A beautiful couch can give you a great starting point to get creative with decorating everything around it.
Hanging Art
Everyone loves a nice painting or photograph sitting on their walls decorating the space, but hanging art alone can make a huge difference. Gathering your favourite pieces of art and then getting creative with how you’ll lay them out on your wall is a fun process, and will personalise your space.
A great trick of figuring out where to place the pieces is cutting out a piece of paper around the frames and using them as an example, sticking them to the wall until you achieve your desired effect.
Next, you’ll want to make sure you’re levelling them correctly so they don’t cause you stress when you’re chilling on your couch and wondering if that painting is crooked. You can always use a removable hook to test your placements!
A great place to find unique home décor pieces is Etsy. If you’re interested in getting more guidance in Interior Design, be sure to get in touch with Interior Designer Ian Thompson who has been delighting clients with beautiful interiors for three decades.