How to incorporate personal flair into your interior design

Many first-time homeowners mistakenly believe that good interior design is what’s on the covers of home décor magazines. While these glossy images do reflect good design principles, that doesn’t mean they are the ideal of good design. That’s because those rooms are just staged for photographs and they aren’t designed to be lived in. Good design shouldn’t just look good, it should be functional for the people who have to live there and it should reflect their personalities as well. The following tips will help you incorporate some of your own personal flair into your interior design so it has that lived-in, comfortable look.

Never be "finished"

Good interior design evolves right along with your growing family. Your needs, interests, and tastes will change so your interior decorating should as well. Don’t approach interior design like a project with an end result and when you arrive at a look you love, don’t fall into the belief that the room can never be redecorated again. Another key to never being finished is always being on the lookout for that one piece that needs to be in your home. You may find it while traveling abroad or perhaps it’s in a local second-hand shop or antique store.

Focus on utility

Since you’ll constantly be adding to your collection, you have to be vigilant to avoid a pileup of clutter. A good way to prevent clutter is to make sure you’re only holding onto things that have utility-that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to have a practical use; if something calls to mind a cherished memory or if it is beautiful, it serves a purpose. By going through belongings regularly, you’ll find that things that used to serve a purpose, no longer do and things you once considered beautiful, no longer are. Be willing to part with them to make room for new things.

Pay no attention to trends

The trendier something is, the sooner it will go out of style, and when it does, it will date your home. Let your own personal taste and your instincts be your guide when selecting pieces and deciding on a style for your home. Along with that, don’t worry about what others may think. It’s your home and you’re going to be the person spending the most time in it, not your extended family members or guests so allow yourself the freedom to decorate however you like.

Don’t think too hard

Interior decorating is supposed to be find and exercise the creative part of your brain, not the analytical part. Go off appearance alone. If you like the way furniture or accessories are arranged in a given space, then it’s fine. Don’t worry so much about symmetry, measuring, math, and feng shui.

Let your home keep its charm

Don’t worry too much about modernizing an older home. There are many upgrades to make it more functional without getting rid of the features that make it unique. Old baseboard heaters can look new again with sleek baseboard heater covers. Old cupboards can be repainted and outfitted with new cabinet hardware.

 

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