Decorating your home is a personal process; and of course, you should do so in a way that suits you. Whether you opt for more accessories in the home, or go for the wall paints, how you design your home with Home Design Rules is entirely up to you.
However, there are some rules that interior designers should NEVER break. In other words, there are certain things that you can’t pair up, or else they clash; and, there are things that your home can’t be without. Now, when you follow the rules, you can create a beautiful home that looks like it sprung out the pages of a magazine.
Want your home to look like that? Then you’re in luck with Home Design Rules!
This essential guide will show great ways to design your home without jeopardizing style. Many of these tips are common sense, while some of these may surprise you.
Here are the most important home design rules for you to follow:
- Make Sure You Buy The Right Size Rug
First and foremost, you’ll need some sort of a “welcome mat” for your guests to see. Now, there’s no denying that a good quality rug is expensive.
Do you want to get the most bang for your buck? Sometimes, but it’s not a have-to.
Should you go smaller? Not always.
Price and size are just some of the factors that you’ll need to consider when shopping for a rug. However, there’s more to buying a rug than such factors.
“A small rug is actually going to detract from the look of a room” says Graham Saunders, a design blogger at Academized. “If it’s not scaled to the room, it will throw the look of the whole room off. Plus, if the rug is too big for the room, then not only will it throw everything off, but it can also pose a tripping hazard to anyone inside the home.”
As such, if you want a decent rug in your home, it needs to at least sit under the front legs of your furniture. If it’s smaller than that, it’s better to go without the rug altogether.
- Always Hang Curtains That Are The Right Length
Love having curtains in the home? You’re not alone.
However, here’s a rule you may not have been aware of, and so have been breaking unknowingly. Perhaps you didn’t know how your curtains should be. If you don’t know how long your curtains should be, then don’t panic.
The best length of curtain is that that just touches the floor when they’re hung up. If they’re too short or too long, it’s going to make the room look unfinished.
To put it another way, think about it like getting dressed. You wouldn’t wear clothes that are too big or too small, as they aren’t going to look good on you. Instead, you’re going to buy clothes that fit just right. The same is true here. Therefore, be sure to measure your windows carefully, so you can buy the right length curtains.
- Take Care How You Hang Artwork
Who wouldn’t want to make their space feel more personal with some framed artwork? In fact, art is a great way to show off your personality.
Now, while it’s tempting to just start filling up empty walls, instead think about where you’ll place everything. Typically, art should be hung at eye level, so that everyone can easily see it.
Also, consider how you group artwork when hanging them up on your walls. It usually looks best when you group several frames of the same size together, or have one focal piece surrounded by a variety of different pieces. Or, you can opt for grouping your artwork into a certain theme, which can spice up the personality in your home.
- Never Order Furniture Without Measuring First
It sounds like common sense to have furniture in the home. However, you’d be amazed at how many people order furniture without measuring their space. That’s especially true in the age of online ordering, where you can kit out your entire home at the click of a mouse.
However, it’s possible to order something that turns out to be too big or too small for the home. Even when you read the measurements of the furniture online, you might still be surprised when the furniture comes and it’s not what you have imagined it would be.
So, before you order anything, make sure you grab that tape measure and measure the space out. That way, you’re not going to make any expensive and disappointing mistakes. You can take it one step further too, by taping out the space the furniture would take up in the room. That way, you can get a feel for how much space it’ll take and whether it would work.
- Have More Than One Source Of Light In A Room
Yes, you may have that ceiling light to illuminate the room, but visually, it just isn’t appealing. It can feel rather stark and unappealing, and that’s not what you want for your home.
Instead, add a variety of light sources to a room. This can include floor lamps, wall sconces, chandeliers, and so on. These will soften the light in the room, and it makes it feel much more relaxing and calming.
Also, don’t be afraid to add natural lighting into the home. Maybe you can alternate between natural lighting and artificial lighting. Maybe natural lighting during the day, but then your artificial light sources at night time. Whenever you alternate your light sources, you’re breathing life into your home.
- Don’t Go For Trendy Pieces Over Functional Ones
Finally, the home designing business, like any other industry, have succumbed to many trends, thanks to TV, the Internet, and social media. Nowadays, you’ll hear about the “next big thing” in furniture and home design. Whether the trendy piece of furniture is for the children’s bedrooms, for the man cave, or for any other place in the home, there’s always something to be had in today’s world, when it comes to designing a home.
But do you REALLY need such pieces of furniture?
Now, this isn’t to say that trendy furniture can’t give you what you’re looking for, but you need to think long term. If you’re going to buy a piece of furniture, is it going to stand the test of time? Will you be able to use it five years from now? Ten?
If in doubt, it’s always best to go with the furniture that has extra storage. That will always be useful, and you’ll be able to get the most out of it years from now.
Wrapping Up- Home Design Rules
So, there you have it!
Designing your home can be a sinch when you follow these rules in home designing. Just to recap:
- Buy the right size rug.
- Hang curtains that are the right length.
- Consider how you hang your art.
- Take necessary measurements before buying pieces of furniture online.
- Don’t settle for one light source. AND,
- Think functional before trendy, when it comes to furniture.
With these rules, you can make your home a calm, beautiful and relaxing place to be. Keep them in mind as you furnish and decorate any room.
Have fun decorating your humble abode!