Studies show that the most popular definitions of a happy home are a space where you feel secure (69 percent), a place for relaxation (64 percent) and a space where you can be free to be yourself (57 percent). When it comes to making a home feel like a home and feel comfortable, interior design is a big reason why.
The interior design industry generates $10 billion annually as homeowners buy furniture, do remodeling projects or redecorate to spruce things up in a home. This is especially true of new homeowners. In a 2014 survey, millennial homeowners were just as likely to renovate their homes as other age groups and were driven by a desire to make a newly purchased home their own.
Interior designers recommend updating a room’s decor every five to 10 years, so whether you’re redecorating, renovating or redesigning, here are six tried and true tips to think about when doing interior design in your home.
- Add color: Adding color to a room, whether by adding a new coat of paint or going with a unified color scheme can really liven it up. If you’re redecorating a bedroom for example, consider matching the blinds with the bedspread and maybe a throw rug. Depending on your tastes, you can color coordinate a room as much as you want and even have a different color scheme for each room of the house.
- Add texture: Depending on how you want to set up a room, adding texture can add a lot to it. Adding touches like plants or rugs or furniture or a coffee table with a tabletop book and mission style lamps puts things in the room, things that people can see and touch.
- Invest in furniture: Furniture is usually the third most expensive thing a person will ever buy after a house and a car and people look at five key qualities.
- Durability
- The look
- Quality
- Comfort
- Cost
If those qualities are met, Americans have shown a willingness to spend money, whether they’re buying vintage furniture, outdoor furniture or leather furniture.
With so much cost associated with furniture, it pays to invest in good, quality pieces. If you’re in the market for furniture, leather furniture is a good option. It’s durable, looks good, is high quality, provides comfort and is well worth the long term investment. - Hang Mirrors: Mirrors can add character to a room, but keep in mind what they might reflect. Hanging a mirror in the right spot can visually expand a space and can also make a statement in a small space. A framed, full-length mirror for example can add a certain something to that room.
- Let there be lights: Regardless of what room you’re in, chances are good you’re going to need some light. If you’re in the living room, considering adding mission style lamps to end tables to provide some space for reading. If you’re in an office, mission style lamps can provide plenty of light for whatever work you’re doing.
It’s important to think about how much light and what type of light you want in a room. While the above examples with mission style lamps can be good for reading, if you’re looking to light a bigger area, find ways to bounce light off the ceiling to create a sense of brightness in the room. - Ask a designer: If interior decorating isn’t your thing, a designer is more than willing to help liven up your home. A designer can give you ideas on what type of style you might want for a house or how a certain color scheme might work in a home. A good designer is well-versed in all aspects of interior design and will know how to transform your home into a look you’ll love, knowing what works best and what doesn’t work.
If you’re looking to hire an interior designer, it’s important to know what to look for to make sure you’ll get exactly what you’re looking for. A home is a place to rest easy and feel comfortable and the right interior designer can liven up your home and make you feel at ease.
