Over the many years I’ve been doing design work for my clients both in residential and commercial design, I have discovered many things. Even though each client brings new inspiration and challenges, I have developed a list of top tried-and-true tips that work for most design projects:
1. CONTINUITY
Choose a colour palette, or an actual style that you would like to decorate with. Stick to it! This will give you continuity throughout your space and allow you to build on it. When choosing a colour palette try to select no more than 2-3 core colours. You can easily vary the tones and be sure to buy tester samples from your local paint store. This is relatively inexpensive compared to purchasing full gallons that you may not even use. Test your colour choices in your space as your lighting will have an impact on the colour choice. An easy fun way to be creative is starting a visual board.
2. FLOW
Flow oh the flow! Ideally, do not block yourself or others into a space. Consider how people will move around your home, between the different rooms, and make sure you provide unobstructed paths.
3. LIGHTING DONE RIGHT
Lighting is an important factor to consider when it comes to creating an inviting office or home. Let your space welcome you by using floor and table lamps especially when styling bedrooms and living spaces. These are easily found in houseware stores. Also, lights that are slightly off the ceiling for let’s say hallways will give off more light than direct ceiling mounted fixtures.
4. HOME INVESTMENTS
It is a good idea to invest in quality pieces like sofas, casual chairs, and bedroom furniture (don’t forget your mattress). Consider current design trends if you’d like, but do it in accessories like pillows, throws, and decorative items, so you can easily swap them out when trends change or you get tired of them. Goodness know nobody wants to live with a floral-patterned sofa forever!
5. STYLING
When styling a home, groupings of 3 or 5 look best. For instance, accessories arranged on a coffee tables, sideboards, and bedside tables are a great places to display 3-5 items in your unique taste. To add visual interest, group items of different heights, textures, and complementary tones together.
6. BUY THAT FLOOR RUG
Rugs are not only a functional and comforting piece of decoration, they can ground and define the space. The right area rug can really create a “wow” statement. When choosing an area rug, consider the proportion to the size of the room.
7. LESS IS MORE
When redecorating, take a picture of your current space. Then, choose which unnecessary or outdated items you can remove. This will allow you the opportunity for you to design a fresh space, from a fresh perspective
8. ADD SOME FUN
Add fun, conversational pieces to your home. In a more naturally themed home, you can bring spaces to live with fun patterns and colour. Add that personality into your space.
9. MAGIC
Yes! It’s called Magic Eraser can’t tell you enough about this magic sponge but it has worked its wonders to clean or polish spots throughout your home. Note, make sure it’s damp before using.
Styling and designing your home can be simple, and easy when you keep these 9 simple home or office design tips in mind. How will you style and decorate your space?
About Alicia
Alicia Deakin is a passionate & creative mom who started her interior design business to create a livelihood for her family, when her children were small. Alicia was born in the Czech republic and came to Canada when she was six months of age. She spent the first 19 years of your life in Kelowna, BC then launched off to live in Connecticut and studied interior design in California.
Alicia’s ability to create also allowed her to be hands on. The satisfaction of getting her hands dirty, so to speak, allowed her to do more for herself and clients. Alicia’s love for travel and living experiences have exposed her to different styles and cultures. Alicia is a big believer in intuition and uses it often for personal and business ventures. Her passions are “making things beautiful” with a playful fun attitude. Alicia’s caring and kind ability to reach all ages of people by sharing her experiences have allowed her to help others transition through the art of design.
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