Many home owners feel intimidated about designing their own interiors – and many can’t afford the services of a professional interior designer. Decorating your home to suit YOU is easier than you think and can be
a lot of fun. You can also tailor your design ideas to suit your budget and you can do it in stages. Get family and friends to chip in with ideas and solutions that work for you. We’ve condensed ideas from leading decorators to three simple principles that anyone can follow. These ideas can be applied to every room in the house from the living room to the bedroom or bathroom.

1. FUNCTION
This is probably the most important thing to consider. It’s not great to have to have a beautiful room that doesn’t work well, is uncomfortable or awkward, and that people don’t want to spend time in. It’s also important that it’s easy to move around in the room or to pass through without too many obstructions.

Decide on the focus of your room and arrange your furniture accordingly. Nowadays, sadly, in the living room
it’s often television. But it could be the fireplace or the view from a window. If the room doesn’t have a natural focal point you can create one using a painting, a piece of sculpture or a table with a beautiful vase, or even shelves which display your most treasured objects.

Decide whether the furniture and the arrangement of the furniture suits your needs and looks good. Is the sofa comfortable? Does the dining room table allow you to walk behind the chairs easily or is it too cramped? Are your bedside tables too big or too small for what you need? If a piece of furniture doesn’t work get rid of it – sell it and try looking around second hand shops or auctions for something more suitable. Or swop it with a piece of furniture from another part of the house.

Try to keep most of the seating directed towards the focal point. Don’t block doors so people can move around easily and try not to block windows too. Make sure plug points and wall switches are easily accessible.

Lighting plays an important role in both the function of the room and the overall appeal. It’s no good having a home office that’s too dark to work in or a living room that’s so bright it looks clinical. There are three main types of lighting to consider. Ambient lighting is the overall light in the room which can help to create the desired atmosphere – think of a centre pendant, downlighters or wall lights. Accent lighting is used to pick out a particular object or area that you want to emphasise – consider a light above a picture or a small lamp placed near a treasured, pretty object, or maybe put a lamp behind a luscious pot plant for a dramatic effect. Task lighting is used to ensure you have enough light in working areas like kitchen counters or office desks. You might want a floor lamp behind your favourite chair so you can read comfortably.

2. MOOD
Think about the kind of mood you want to create in the room. Do you want your bedroom to be relaxing and soothing or do you want something refreshing and fun? Do you want the dining room to feel formal or more casual and family orientated? A good way to decide on the mood you want to create is to look at pictures in magazines, but you can get inspiration anywhere really. It could be a favourite painting or photograph, a cushion or even an item of clothing that makes you feel good.

Once you’ve established the mood you want to create work on the theme and follow it through in your design. The theme – like modern African, formal, funky or outdoors – will help you determine the major elements of the room. Carefully think about the floors, carpets and wall colours that fit your theme best. Then add the soft furnishings like curtains, cushions and throws. A throw is a great way to incorporate or disguise a sofa or chair to make it blend with your theme. Also think about different patterns and textures to add interest. If you use different patterns for wallpaper, curtains or cushions try to keep the background colour the same. Texture is another way to establish your desired mood. Shiny metallic finishes can be glamorous but a little cold. Natural finishes like timber are warmer – or you can mix the two for interest and contrast. As we mentioned above, lighting can really help establish the right mood, especially if you have different options – ceiling lights, lamps or even candles can set the tone. Dimmer switches are great option for different moods.

3. CHARACTER
This is the fun part where you can stamp your unique personality and character on a room. Make use of things like family photos or memorabilia from holidays or travels. Accessorise with your favourite cushions, vases, throws or even books. A collection of silverware or crockery adds interest and personality. Even an interesting piece of driftwood that has some meaning for you can add to the charm of a room. A tablescape of unusual and interesting objects is a great way to show off your interests and hobbies. Mostly accessories should fit with your theme but you can add some contrasting pieces if you like. In a modern minimalist room an antique mirror can create a great talking point, or can use a modern abstract painting in a traditional space.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match if it pleases you – you have to live with it. Above all be bold and show off what works best for you – every room, like every personality, is unique. There’s really no right or wrong.

Text by Michael Nott

From: S&D ISSUE 60