Interior Design Tips

It's always great fun inspiring my clients with ideas that they can execute themselves. Enjoy these helpful design tips which are often overlooked, and feel free to email me with any questions.

Interior Design Tips :


Design Tip #1: "Enjoy it while you've got it!"

Folks often fix up their home and add design touches when it's time to sell. And sometimes after doing this they like it so much that they decide to stay. It really happens. When I was working as a broker for Coldwell Banker, I'd see it quite often.

I often tell clients to fully enjoy their space while they're living in it. Taking the time to make a few changes around the house; and yes, spending a little bit of money, pays off in spades. You and your family are worth it. Try it and see. It's sure to lift your spirit.

[Click above photo to expand] A room I transformed. Beautifully enriched with just a few coats of paint, new wall hanging, and a slight rearrangement of the furniture.

Design Tip #2: "Copy-cats Beware"

Giving your home or apartment a personality doesn't mean it needs to be a knock-off of page 36 of a catalog, or mimic the inside of a model home. While these resources may provide great ideas or inspiration, they can create an impersonal and stale feel.

It's important to add things you like and enjoy to your space. Hang art and family photos that reflect your great energy. (Yes, you will make little holes in the walls to do it. It’s really not a big deal after you do a few times.) It's okay to mix different design influences and styles. Two overlapping looks can work together seamlessly, and offer a truly unique and comfortable environment.

[Click above photo to expand] Note the injection of unique pieces into this room. Fresh originality and excellent conversation starters.

Design Tip #3: "Color is your best friend"

White walls are safe, and they are perceived by many as bright or clean. But ask any designer worth their salt and they will tell you that color is indeed a great friend.

BeforeAfter

White walls are often the enemy of good design. Consider that paint is one of the least expensive ways to enrich a setting and bring forth positive change. Stop by the store and find those paint chips that evoke for you a special mood or feeling. If in doubt, contact a designer to create a customized palette (a combination of colors working together) that will match your personality and your current furnishings.

Really on a budget? Ask for the "Oops paint pile" at your local paint or hardware store. These are returned (unused) paints that are resold at a fraction of the price.

[Click above photos to expand] A client asked me to really warm up and personalize his space; make it more comfortable. See the before and after transformation above.

Design Tip #4: "Patience is a virtue"

When looking to purchase key pieces of furniture for your space, don't rush! It's a common mistake to hurry to fill in a room, and then end up with something that just doesn't fit the bill. Remember not to settle just for the sake of getting it all finished quickly.

Instead, I tell clients to write down their measurements and keep them in their wallets. Peruse your various sources, and wait to come upon the perfect piece. You'll know it when you see it...and trust me, it will be worth the wait.

Design Tip #5: "Design shopping on a shoestring"

If you don't have the funds to fill out your home or to refresh existing pieces, work around it. People are often surprised at the great furnishings that can be found from a variety of "common" sources.

Yard sales, flea markets, Goodwill, Out of the Closet, and various other second-hand stores often get a bad wrap, but can offer amazing accessories and pieces at a fraction of the cost.

Try visiting those sales and establishments closest to the nicer neighborhoods. Often the folks living in the surrounding area will drop off their higher-end furniture. Much like that scavenger hunt from your childhood, this can actually be quite fun.

[Click above photo to expand] Buddha statue found at a nearby yard sale. Colorful glass pieces sold all together for under $25 at a local flea market.

Design Tip #6: "Trade out with friends"

Sometimes I tell my clients about this creative way to spruce up their homes: Send an email to all of your friends with photos of furniture that you no longer need. In your message, explain that you are willing to part with any of these pieces. Any interested recipients must then offer you a furnishing of theirs in exchange. If you're both in agreement and love your respective items, then the trade is on. If not, that's okay too, and part of the fun. Entertain all your options, and see what turns up!

[Click above photo to expand] Example of lamp, table set & throw pillows "up for trade"; attach your own photos and email friends!

Design Tip #7: "Cluster your collections"

Showcasing a private collection can be a great way to personalize and warm your space. And there is nothing like admiring those objects that you appreciate so much. However, when displaying collections, it's a good idea to arrange them together in the same area as opposed to spread out and all over. (i.e., a wall of interesting clocks)

A tasteful theme situated in a common area can provide a unified and interesting look. Too much of a spread often leads to a feeling of disarray.

[Click above photo to expand] A Latin-flavored plate cluster I put together.

Design Tip #8: "Don't discount the 99-cent store"

While you're probably not going to make a furniture purchase for under a dollar, you might be surprised how often you can stumble upon pleasant storage solutions, canisters, boxes, files and the like. Next time you're feeling creative and are on a budget, give the 99-cent store a visit and see what's in stock.

Design Tip #9: "Fitting into small spaces"

Spaces which are not very large benefit tremendously from interesting storage solutions. When shopping next time you might consider ottomans with storage space inside, or trunk coffee tables.

       ClosedOpen

Storage solutions might even be unique and unexpected. Have a lot of watches? Arrange them all into a glass vase in the living room for display. Use when needed, and then return them to their new home.

[Click above photos to expand] This Balinese coffee table is gorgeous, and opens to store everything but the kitchen sink.

Design Tip #10: "Ever dig in the trash?"

At the risk of sounding un-classy... I'll mention that there is something known as Dumpster Diving that you should be aware of. Designers sometimes engage in the practice of checking the dumpsters of high end furniture stores. Believe it or not, these stores may toss items away which have only the smallest of scratches or defects. (But you didn't hear that from me.)

Design Tip #11: "Fabric on the walls?"

Covering a wall or walls with fabric (not wallpaper) is an inexpensive way to add personality to a room. Just buy your favorite fabric from the fabric store and use a spray adhesive to attach it to the wall. It stays on quite well until you decide to remove it, and then it comes off easily.

Fabric sometimes gets a bad wrap, but applying it to walls is actually a high-end design technique used in upscale home design. For renters fabric can be a great alternative to painting because when moving out it's just a matter of pulling the fabric down to get things back to how they were. No need to repaint!

[Click above photo to expand] This bedroom made an instant and cozy transition thanks to the patterns in the selected cloth.

Design Tip #12: "Don't feel cheap"

There is a design rule that says never to skimp when buying any furnishing which comes into contact with your skin.

Go for the quality. Buy the softest towels, the fluffiest bedding, and the most comfortable sofa you can afford. The reason for this is simple: Those household items we literally come into contact with on a daily basis provide opportunities to either experience luxury or to feel less than comfortable. Never underestimate the sense of touch and how it can impact the level of comfort in your own home.

[Click above photo to expand] Fluffy throw pillows will accent a sofa while providing a soft, comfortable setting to curl up on.