Have you ever bought the perfect piece for your home? An accent chair that’s ready to go in your living room, a gorgeous lamp that will fit just right in the guest bedroom, or a set of pillows that will match ever-so-nicely with your throw blanket. And then, as soon as you bring it home and set it up, you realize… it doesn’t quite mesh? Believe me, I’ve been a victim of impulsive home shopping many times over – that’s why we’re going to look at some quick tips for improving your interior decorating & design skills! There are 4 main areas of focus when discussing interior design: lighting, color, accessories, and seating. Let’s learn the basics, apply this newfound knowledge during our home shopping trips, and become resident interior design experts! No more impulse purchases, no more non-matching pieces – just beautiful, cohesive home styles.
How you light your room has a big impact on its overall comfort. If the room only has overhead lighting, it might feel more like an office or a classroom, rather than a room to relax. Using different-height lighting (such as floor or table lamps) adds a touch of variety and gives a softer hue for a more flattering glow. Plus, lamps are a perfect way to accessorize a space! You can match the lamps and extra lighting to your overhead lighting with complementary shapes or materials (metal, wood, etc.). Most lamps also have dimmable bulbs, so you can adjust the overall brightness of the room anytime you’d like.
Color goes a long way in terms of room styling; it affects the overall size and mood of the room. Soft and light colors open up smaller rooms, while darker colors give the illusion of downsizing larger ones. The staple pieces of a room (bigger furniture such as sofas, tables, etc.) normally have a more neutral tone, and the pops of color come from accents and décor. You can be as creative & loud or as simple as you like for color coordinating!
The way you accessorize depends on your goal: are you wanting to add more space, more texture, more style, or more functionality? Space and functionality combine well with multipurpose pieces, such as storage ottomans and benches or seating with hidden features. For texture, adding different material pieces (such as rugs, décor, etc.) gives variety to the room. And style, well… that’s all you. Own your style!
Seating is always dependent on room size – a good rule of thumb is to have the general measurements of your seating areas whenever you’re out shopping. If your room is on the larger size, sofas and sectionals are common go-to’s to fit the most amount of people. Loveseats, chairs, recliners, and shorter sofas are great options for medium and smaller size rooms. Each Furniture Mart product is labeled with its measurements, so you’ll never have to pull out the tape measure when you’re shopping with us 😊!
It's okay to choose furniture, accessories, and décor that isn’t a perfect match, but looking for elements that complement each other are key for keeping your style uniform and cohesive. Next time you have an afternoon of home shopping, consider these 4 areas and see if that piece you’re eyeing is really the one for your home. Everyone’s a little bit of an interior designer – we can’t wait to help you discover yours!
