In this post I’m sharing Interior Design Advice: Do’s and Don’ts Every Beginner Should Know
If you’re new to interior design and decor it’s common to feel overwhelmed, unsure and confused – especially when it comes to making the right decisions for your rooms.
There are so many choices today in styles, colors and materials… and it can be just plain hard to know what will work and won’t work in your space!
I recently was asked by Cottage and Bungalow magazine for my ‘do’s and don’ts’ advice to help beginner interior decorators and designers …..and guess what?
A design infographic was made including my design advice!
There are tons of amazing design tips and ideas for beginners, in this Beginner’s Guide To Interior Design & Decorating:
This infographic includes the fundamentals of home design and decorating, decorating styles and some helpful decorating ‘rules’.
These tips will help you whether you’re furnishing a new home, updating your kitchen, just want some inspiration to refresh a space or you’re tweaking your décor.
Here’s are a few of my Interior Design Do’s and Don’ts Every Beginner Should Know:
Do:
Decide what functions and feeling you want your room to have before you start decorating the space.
If you want the space to function as a home office you may need to find room for a bookcase and obtain more storage for office supplies.
Want your room to feel cozy?
Add lots of comfortable textiles to the room!
See my 7 tips to decorate a living room from start to finish and see step by step how to get the designer look!
Don’t:
Don’t select wall paint colors at the paint store!
The color on a small paint chip will look entirely different in your home compared to how it looks in the paint store.
Buy a small test sample and test it in your room before painting all the walls.
See my 60-30-10 color rule design tip to choose the right colors that balance and flow.
Do you need help with furniture layout, selecting furniture, room design or choosing paint colors?
See my online design & paint color services info – and client reviews!
Email me at [email protected] for more info!
More Interior Design Do’s and Don’ts
Don’t push all of your furniture against the walls. Give your furniture some space and pull a few pieces out from the walls.
Don’t forget about the power of decorating and accessories. Having too few decor items will make your home look uninviting.
Don’t skimp on the size of area rugs! Your rugs need to be big enough for your room and furniture.
Do hang your drapes and drapery rods as high as possible.
Do repeat your accent color a few times in a room to make it look pulled together.
Don’t pick your paint color first. Your flooring, countertops and other fixed elements in a room need to be selected first.
Do add some black into every room for some contrast and interest.
Do add layered lighting in a room. Don’t skimp on lighting! Make sure you have overhead and accent lighting in each space.
Do invest in a few quality pieces – especially furniture! – and layer in lesser expensive accents.
Don’t overdo accessories, photo frames or your room will look cluttered. Edit your accessories and family photos so your spaces don’t look cluttered.
Instead of tons of family photos in frames create a gallery wall of family photos!
Decorating or renovating a room can be such a fun process – and it also can be daunting.
There can be so many decisions to make!
Most people have a general idea of the look they want. But how to achieve it is another matter.
In order to create rooms you’ll love, that are functional and gorgeous, follow this design guide for success.
We all want comfortable and appealing rooms.
By incorporating these design elements your spaces will have that designer look.
Your rooms will be cohesive and pulled together.
When you ‘re a design and decorating beginner it’s easy to make mistakes that can be costly and waste time.
By following this beginner’s guide to interior design and decorating you will avoid mistakes and save time.
You’ll have a fabulous strategy to work with and to guide you!
Which will make you feel more confident too!
The bedrock of designing or decorating a room is to follow the 7 fundamentals of interior design: Rhythm, proportions, scale, balance, emphasis, harmony and unity.
All 7 should be incorporated into a room in order to create a layered, beautiful and functional room.
By following these design fundaments and design do’s and don’ts you’ll have a path forward to creating a room you’ll love!
Did you find this design and decor information helpful?
What do you struggle with when it comes to decorating? Paint colors? Styles?
Leet me know in the comments below!
Follow me on Instagram for more Design and Decor inspiration!
More Design and Decor Ideas:
- How To Arrange Furniture In A Long Living Room
- Top 50 Bestselling Paint Colors At Sherwin Williams
- 5 Best White Trim Paint Colors
- 5 Design Tricks To Brighten A Dark Room
- How to Mix Design Styles So They Don’t Clash!
- Sherwin Williams Evergreen Fog Color Of The Year 2022
- Agreeable Gray- Undertones & Coordinating Colors
- 7 Ways To Make A Small Room Feel Larger Instantly!
- How to Make Your Small Outdoor Space Look Bigger
- How To Arrange Furniture In A Small Living Room
- How To Identify Paint Color Undertones To Choose The Right Color
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Heather is a Designer and the owner of the Interior Design and Lifestyle website 
Thank you so much for breaking things down so they are brief and understandable for the lay person. I have so often been intimidated when looking for design help by the books that only cover one part of the whole. You are a life saver!