Interior Design Ideas

Start with Pictures

Start scouring the internet for rooms you like. Go to your local bookstore and flip through books on interior decorating. Pick up an interior decorating magazine. Notice what it is you like. Do you like an airy look or a cozy look? Do you prefer warm colors or cooler colors? Is there furniture you’ve fallen in love with, like wicker, iron or a canopy bed?

But be careful about choosing specific elements from pictures and then piecing them together. You could end up with an odd combination of interior designs that don’t really go together. In addition, an element that you love may only work when surrounded by the other elements in the pictures.

Where Else Can You get Interior Design Ideas?

You can get interior design ideas by simply paying attention to rooms around you. Your friends and family's homes may have things you like or things you definitely want to stay away from. You can also go to fabric stores, craft stores and home improvement stores for ideas. The sales people at these stores are very helpful. They will help you with ideas and teach you how to get what you envision.

Themes and Interior Design

If you are feeling overwhelmed, you may want to choose a theme for decorating that you can work throughout your room or house. Common themes include southwestern, Asian, romantic, or modern. If you live in an older home, you may want to build your theme around a historical theme. You can also choose something you love, like the ocean or the natural world and build your interior design around that theme.

However, if you plan on using a theme, remember that a little goes a long way. If you choose an ocean theme, you do not have to decorate with a shell-covered lamp or put nets up as window coverings, unless you really want to.

Build Rooms around Elements You Love

If you have a piece of art you love, build your room around it. Pull colors from it, or find complimentary colors. If you want to use a theme, build it around your art and find furniture that compliments it. Choose pillow colors based on the art or find little décor accessories that echo the elements in the art.

Work Your Way Up

When decorating your home it’s best to start with the flooring and work your way up. Decide what kind of flooring you want, carpet, tile or wood. Then choose a color for the walls. After that, work in your furniture or start looking at new furniture. Choose a few home décor elements that match everything and personalize the room. Finally, choose lightening elements that pull it all together.

Make a Plan

When you’re trying to decide on interior design ideas, it’s a good idea to make plans. Make a scale model of your room and furniture using graph paper. This can help you find where furniture will fit and help you visualize where to put it. Websites with bird’s eye views of rooms and the furniture in it will help you find ways to place furniture in difficult rooms. There are also computer programs that can walk you through your home and help you decide whether an interior design idea works.

Outside Links

• Home Portfolio
• Waverly
• See my Design