No matter if it’s your first home or simply looking to update the appearance of an existing space, great decor requires following specific rules and principles that this course will introduce.
Each room should have an eye-catching focal point that draws the eye, such as artwork or a fireplace. One way to do this is by adding visually striking items, like art.
Color
Color can completely change an interior space. It can make rooms cozy or bright, convey emotions like excitement, relaxation, mystery, serenity or passion and more. Therefore, it is so essential to understand how color works within your home environment and its interactions with other components.
Finding your ideal hue may seem like an impossible feat for those just beginning their search, but that doesn’t have to be the case! A great place to begin would be by flipping through home design magazines and selecting pictures that resonate with you, then taking note of which hues were used within them – this can help determine whether light, bright or dark shades resonate more strongly and which moods they create.
Once you’ve chosen your color scheme, use it to choose furniture, fabrics and accessories that complement it. If you’re nervous about making mistakes when picking out furniture and textiles for the room, paint a sample on one wall first to test its look before committing fully. Or ask your paint store to mix a slightly lighter or darker shade than what you want so you can test its effect before going all-out on a whole room project.
When selecting the ideal hues for any space, there are countless possibilities available to you; however, knowing some basic rules will help prevent mistakes that could make your interior appear messy. For instance, primary colors should remain separate – it might be tempting to blend red and blue together but this could create an unpleasant muddy effect in your room’s design.
Choose a shade of blue that belongs to the same family as red. Then you can add accents in either brighter or darker tones of red to achieve balance.
Patterns
According to Kyuhyung Cho, people often associate patterns with wallpaper or colorful interior fabrics; however, patterns are used throughout interior spaces and play an essential part in its aesthetics. Patterns add texture, interest, contrast and visual balance that enhance any design scheme; such as wall coverings, tiles, flooring upholstery ceiling patterns.
When it comes to using patterns in your home, there are a few rules you should keep in mind when mixing patterns of different sizes. Avoid choosing ones of equal sizes because a room filled with too many patterns may feel too busy and overwhelming; rather make sure the larger patterns serve as focal points while smaller or medium sized patterns serve as accent pieces.
Another important consideration is the color of your pattern. Your choice of hue can have a substantial impact on the atmosphere and energy of any space; for instance, selecting neutral tones or light pastels could help create an atmosphere conducive to relaxation, whereas for lively spaces choose bright or bold colours instead.
Finally, keep in mind that patterns can also be an excellent way to highlight certain elements in your home. For instance, vertical panelling on high pitched ceilings or tall doors made to look taller by adding horizontal line patterns can accentuate certain aspects. Large windows can appear larger by using a contrasting striped window treatment or adding marble pattern onto their benchtop in the kitchen.
Texture
Texture is one of the most essential aspects of home interior design, as it transforms any room from mundane to beautiful by adding depth and intrigue. Texture also helps you achieve cohesive designs – professional designers often utilize this aspect as a way of injecting personality and individuality into their rooms, by choosing different textures for walls or textured materials for furniture.
Interior design incorporates two distinct kinds of textures: visual and tactile. Visual textures refer to an object’s surface quality such as smooth or rough fabric, leather or wood surfaces; exposed brick surfaces, matte paint finishes or linen wallpaper are examples of visual textures. Tactile textures offer another important dimension of home interior design as they allow us to experience a space through touch – for instance combining velvet sofa with fluffy faux fur rug is an effective combination of tactile textures.
Contrast is another key aspect of texture. Contrasting textures can help balance out a room while drawing attention to certain focal points; for example, pairing your upholstered sofa with throw pillows made of different materials or patterns will create visual weight in your living space and establish balance and visual weight in its design.
Finally, texture can be added through decorative objects like vases, vessels and sentimental figurines – these can help make a room feel complete while showing guests your personal style and offering them a glimpse into who you are as an individual.
Focal Points
Focal points are what draw visitors’ eyes upon entering a room and direct the flow of attention around it. Typically, focal points stand out from other features in design as being outstanding and eye-catching; they could include anything from artwork or lighting fixtures, to an accent wall painted in bright hues; even unique furniture pieces like an upholstered headboard or large sectional sofa can become focal points of attention.
At times, rooms already feature natural focal points like fireplaces, large windows or built-in bookcases that serve as great starting points when designing them. Starting off by taking this route can save time when creating something from scratch; rather than creating something entirely new from scratch it’s important to understand the purpose of each space and highlight any existing features which work well with it.
Simple tricks can be used to highlight certain features or objects as focal points in a room, drawing the eye directly towards them. Picture and track lighting can help highlight pieces such as artwork or decor on walls. Contrasting colors also help bring attention directly to an object, making it stand out against its surroundings such as with bold paint jobs or patterns wallpaper.
Focal points can be found in any room, no matter its size. From statement floor or wall treatments to striking pieces of artwork, focal points make any space feel more welcoming while serving as sources of design inspiration throughout it. In particular, focal points can play an integral part of living rooms and bedrooms by inviting visitors into them while also serving as inspiration when selecting elements to design throughout.
Accent Pieces
Home interior design relies heavily on accent pieces to make a statement about a space, adding personality and character. They create focal points in rooms, draw the eye to specific parts, accentuate other decor pieces and personalize spaces according to your unique tastes and personalities.
Accent furniture is typically smaller pieces of decor used to accentuate or contrast other pieces and accessories in a space, such as chairs or small tables. Accent furniture typically serves more functional than decorative purposes by providing guests with somewhere comfortable to sit, as well as providing space to display books or other objects.
As with any piece, accent pieces must be used sparingly. Too many accent pieces can clutter a space and look unfinished, so the key is finding pieces that create an overall cohesive look before placing them strategically throughout.
Keep this in mind when selecting accent pieces: they should always complement other decor elements like rugs, pillows and wall art for optimal results. This will create an environment in your space that is balanced and harmonious.
When selecting pieces as accents, one effective approach is the 60-30-10 rule. This states that 60% of your room should feature its primary hue; 30% should feature secondary tones; and 10% should contain accent colors.