Design 101: Basic Interior Design Tips

Maybe you’ve moved into a new place or you’re looking to refresh your home. Either way, with these basic interior design tips and some creativity, you’ll easily transform your space into something lovely.

1. Soft, light colours are your friends when painting smaller rooms. Dark wall colours in small rooms tend to make the area feel smaller. Using light colours will make a small space seem larger and less cramped.

2. You might be used to hanging art, but you should get acquainted with hanging mirrors. Mirrors reflect light from doors and windows helping to make a room seem larger and they add dimension to the space. Decorative mirrors, placed across from doors or windows, can instantly bring light to a room with limited natural light.

3. Give your furniture some breathing room. Unless the room you’re decorating is very small, don’t push all your furniture up against the walls. Pull your couch and other seating at least 12 inches away from the walls. Having your furniture float like this will make your space look larger, airier and more inviting.

4. Choose one focal point for your room and use it as a guide when you decorate. Some rooms have built in focal points such as a large window, but you can always choose your own focal point. This can be a piece of artwork or an interesting piece of furniture. You can use the main colour of your star piece in other elements throughout the rest of the room so that everything feels cohesive.

5. Play with different textures to keep the room interesting. Vary smooth, shiny, rough and matte textures. Patterns and prints also add depth and visual interest to a room.

Sources: Apartment Therapy, Fresh Home, The Spruce