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Victoria Hopkins

Verified Expert in Interior Design

With over 7 years of experience in interior design, Victoria is an acclaimed expert renowned for her ability to create vibrant, personalized spaces. She skillfully transforms concepts into elegant, comforting homes.

Home » Design Ideas & Inspirations » 27 Interior Design Tips and Secrets From The Pros

Interior Design Tips and Secrets

We all deserve quality lives and living in beautiful spaces that reflect our preferences and tastes. Our minimal and maximum havens should be places that delight our souls and offer the serenity that we deserve. Creativity is a subjective aspect and every interior designer works on their personal styles to draw aesthetics.

Sprucing your home can be as simple as changing your furniture designs in your living room, changing your paint colors on your accent walls, purchasing brand new rugs, changing your DIY lighting fixtures or curtains and draping in your small spaces.  

Interior decorating ideas and interior design tips state that a home should give an overriding feeling of comfort, safety, acceptance, freedom to be oneself and privacy. It can only be achieved by combining interior and exterior designing ideas, design tips and concepts. Let us find out how to bring a wow factor to your spaces regardless of if you are a novice or an enthusiast.

Read also – Top Interior Design Trends You Should Follow

1. Raise the ceiling

Houses with lower ceilings tend to have smaller and more restrictive spaces. Most individuals also paint their coving or cornicing in white along with the ceiling for the best interior design, especially in the dining room. The decorating secret outcome of the white paint is, that the spaces appear smaller.

The standard ceiling height is about 240cms. To achieve a heightened effect, one can paint the cornice the same as the walls. It will create a continuous flow to the eye. The decorating tip will create the effect that the ceiling starts higher creating an exaggerated space within the building.

To add on to the heightened effect for your design style, you can color the skirting the same color as the walls. It will avoid the color being broken creating a longer line and a more vertical feel. You can as well exaggerate the height by drawing vertical stripes using floor-to-ceiling curtains.

The drapery curtains can be hung high-end just under the ceiling or you can insert a rail within the ceiling. You can also use long mirrors to draw the effect of your home look in Los Angeles.

Read also – 21 Types of Interior Design Styles

interior design tips and secrets - raise the ceiling

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2. Draw a focal point

Another interior design trend is creating a stand-out feature in your spaces. The interior design idea will entice your view and draw more attention to the room. You can makeover your fireplace with statement mirrors. You can then create a decorative niche by filling it with flowers and oversized candles.

A beautifully curated sculpture can help in creating beautiful interiors for your minimalist house. Our favorite focal point can be achieved by complementing textures or wall coverings. If you have young children, you can accentuate and remodel their bedroom design by using a graphic mural or wall stickers for a perfect room look and save money on painting a small room.

Read also – 20 Best Interior Design Tips To Decorate Your Home

interior design tips and secrets - draw focal point

Image Credit: pinterest.com

3. Scheme balance

Millennial pink or rose gold accents can beautify your spaces creating a chic look. The key to winning a cohesive space lies in balancing the colors with the other elements in the room.

For example, if you want to introduce a yellow patterned cushion color, a yellow, and velvet lined accent chair can be used in the scheme. Your coffee table can then be covered in a blue table cloth or a blue art piece can be placed on top to complement the look.

Read also – 18 Ways To Integrate Japandi Interior Design Style Into Your Home

interior design tips and secrets - scheme balance

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4. Personalize

With global connections and social media, things have become generic as individuals strive to promote their personalities in the spaces. Individuals strive to draw out an extension of themselves in their spaces and incorporate it with the unique features in their homes.

However, personalizing a space does not occur once, it’s a process. When the overarching schemes have been devised and installed, more should be incorporated.

For example, you can decorate your spaces, bookshelf and upholstery with gorgeous shells, or beautiful art pieces and textiles collected from your travels can be added. You can reminisce about the happy times by adding memorable pictures, statement pieces or flowers to your collection.

Read also – 12 Best House Extension Ideas

interior design tips and secrets - personalize

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5. Using existing spaces

Architects and interior designers always know how to locate hidden spaces in homes that ordinary dwellers may not even be aware of. Interior designers can find what is perfect for a home. They have specialized in designing compact homes making them admirable and functional.

interior design tips and secrets - use existing spaces

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6. Minimal spaces and gloss

Glossy finishes are best for smaller spaces as they are reflective and create an illusion of spaciousness. Matte finish absorbs light limiting the brightness of a room.

interior design tips and secrets - minimal spaces and gloss

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7. Balance colors with white

More white colors will neutralize your spaces making it easier to incorporate other colors into your spaces. A pop of bright colors can be used to create different light effects and enhance a specific theme to a space. Purple may reflect royalty; blue may reflect calmness while red may illuminate life and excitement.

Read also – 20 Ways To Add Color To Your Home Without Painting

interior design tips and secrets - balance colors with white

Image Credit: satriabajahitam.com

8. Multifunctional furniture

Interior designers have devised ways to attain multi-functional furniture to create more spaces in a room. For example, cabinetry may open up as a dresser on one side and a crockery cabinet on the other side.

interior design tips and secrets - multifunctional furniture

Image Credit: basobaas.com

9. Cut costs

A balanced budget should not override your income. The expenses should be less than the income realized. Essentially, one should know when to save and when to splurge. You can therefore use materials that will be beautiful to own yet functional to your spaces to avoid overspending on costly items that can be used for the same purpose.

10. Segregate spaces without partitions

When you have large spaces, segregate them into smaller segments so as to work independently as functional units. You do not necessarily have to use partitions as it will cramp up the4 spaces. Design elements can work as partitions. For example, wooden rafters can mark the entryway and wallpapers can separate rooms. Low-height book racks can also separate rooms.

Read also – 14 Best Small Studio Apartment Decorating Ideas

interior design tips and secrets - segregate spaces without partitions

Image Credit: iiistudio.in

11. Design continuity

When you get into different rooms in a house, you should not feel like you are visiting a different house. The interiors should complement well and create unison in the spaces. There should be common threads of designs connecting the rooms together.

For example, different marble colors may be used. One can be grey in color with white veined grains while the other may be dominantly white with grey veins. The tabletop and the flooring can be from marble with the same colors to create cohesiveness.

interior design tips and secrets - design continuity

Image Credit: pinterest.com

12. Draw inspiration from personal experiences

Centre around your lifestyle and tastes. Incorporate the different designs you have gathered from your travels and voyages especially the ones that suit your preferences and tastes. It could be the flower vase you bought in Spain or the Eifel tower sculpture you got crafted in Paris. Use them to create a rich and nuanced home and reminisce on the good old times.

13. Use creative solutions

Recognize the distinctive characteristics in every space and establish the solutions to offer. Creative solutions will require considerable time to locate problems, plan and figure out improvisation. It is critical to take your time as rushing will offer haphazard results.

interior design tips and secrets - use creative solutions

Image Credit: pinterest.com

14. Expressive artwork

They are crucial in bringing your home together and bringing life to every room. You can source unique pieces that will bring out your preferences and tastes. Marvel your visitors with a conversational starter piece that’s embellished just for your style needs. A masterpiece will draw out your sense of life and energy creating a zest for more aesthetic items in your spaces.

Read also – 40 Best Home Decor Online Stores To Buy Amazing Home Arts

interior design tips and secrets - expressive artwork

Image Credit: homedecorideas.eu

15. Bring guests together

Encourage interaction from your sofa arrangements and entertainment bit. You can use a triangular pattern or a circular one to ensure inclusion.

16. More mirrors

Your mirrors do not necessarily have to be fixed on walls. You can have them fitted in any location to create a dramatic flair. They can make a monochromatic room appear larger and glamorous functioning as reflective surfaces.

interior design tips and secrets - more mirrors

Image Credit: the-sun.com

17. Avoid overt trends

Trendy objects may be appealing but you do not need to copy the overtly advertised items to have an aesthetic home. Although most designers are on the hunt for the latest and most innovative décor updates of the moment and what’s ahead, they avoid the highs and the lows as they do not last or may not suit a particular style.

There has been fringed wall art and bean-shaped coffee table advertised in other design firms but the basic designs might be the best for a specific style. The distinct rug styles at Ikea and ABC Carpet & Home may be the best items for a contemporary look.

18. Mix cool and warm tones

Mixing tones can often seem like an intimidating task, but once you find the perfect balance, it is magical. Making timeless designs is possible as trends fluctuate between cool and warm, the space will still look current and relevant.

A room can be light and airy while still being inviting and intimate. An individual’s taste will determine the best to choose from. Through mixing cool and warm tones, you can achieve balance and contrast to make a space feel complete.

Read also – A Guide To Use and Mix Pattern in Interior Design

interior design tips and secrets - mis cool and warm tones

Image Credit: impressiveinteriordesign.com

19. Always order samples

It might sound obvious, but many home decorators overlook samples when overcome with excitement about transforming their interiors. From wallpaper and paint to flooring and fabrics, you should always order a selection of samples before committing to any specific material.

Place the samples together, look at their quality and visualize how all the elements will work together in the room. You could even get crafty and create a mood board, full of all your favorite swatches.

20. Utilize the basics

The basic rules never disappoint when it comes to interior designs. For example, when creating a gorgeous house, it’s crucial to start with crisp white walls to offer a neutral foundation to design around other colors.

21. Symmetry Utilization

Many homeowners believe that creating a perfectly symmetrical space will result in a flawless interior design scheme, but it may not always be the case. In fact, by sticking with a symmetrical design, one could actually end up with a flat space that lacks warmth and personality.

Instead, aim for balance. It’s important to hang your wall art off-center, add texture to create cohesiveness and group mismatched pieces of furniture together for a playful twist. Asymmetrical elements will draw the eye and provide plenty of intrigues.

interior design tips and secrets - symmetry utilization

Image Credit: homesandgardens.com

22. Use curves and arches

Curves, circles and arches are the best designs to have in a house.  Including a softness to interiors that looks both modern and classic is essential.  For example, a bedroom design may be attained by turning a useful storage solution into an admirable feature, with added tiny down lighters that will make a display glow after dark. The lighters will echo the asymmetric curve of the headboard making it more admirable.

interior design tips and secrets - use curves and arches

Image Credit: pinterest.com

23. Paint the shutters

A well-dressed window can transform a room from drab to fab in one fell swoop. The latest trend is to use color to incorporate them fully into one’s decorating scheme. The design will use a two-tone effect, which in turn will make the budget shutters look like they were specifically made for the stylish bedroom.

Read also – How To Paint A Room?

interior design tips and secrets - paint the shutters

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24. Plan thoroughfares

A common design mistake that non-designers make specifically in open-plan spaces is cramming too much furniture into an area without leaving enough room for people to walk around comfortably. The most frequently used thoroughfares in a home should be at least 90cm wide, which is just enough for two people to pass each other.

Image Credit: pinterest.com

25. Balance your color scheme

If you want a failsafe way to proportion a three-color scheme like a pro, stick to 60% for your dominant color, 30% for your secondary color and 10% for your accent color. To add a fourth color into the mix, split the secondary color or, at a push, the dominant color, but never the accent.

Read also – 20 Top Interior Color Schemes for Your House Design

interior design tips and secrets - balance color scheme

Image Credit: pinterest.com

26. Color block walls

Block painting walls with harmonious or contrasting colors can alter a room’s sense of space and also give your scheme a fun twist. To get a crisp finish, always use masking or decorator’s tape. Get an instant style fix by marking out geometric shapes and filling in the blanks with a variety of colors that reflect your personality.

Read also – 20 Best Wall Decor Ideas To Decorate Your Blank Wall

interior design tips and secrets - color blocking walls

Image Credit: pinterest.com

27. Create cozy nooks

Turning awkward or unused space into a beautiful nook is a well-worn trick of many interior designers. Whether it’s a window seat or a reading nook, bespoke carpentry creates a stylish solution that fits the space like a glove. Make it comfortable with cushions and side tables and extra marks if you can add in some secret storage space!

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