When it comes to interior design, there are no rules. How your personal space looks is usually up to you, your budget, and taste. But the creative freedom available to homeowners should be subject to important factors like functionality. This heavily draws from your geography and how houses in your location are structured to suit the weather, seasons and any other related consideration.
To illustrate, a smart interior designer or homeowner in Canada would, instead of looking for generic window blinds, specifically search for and use insulating blinds to help protect against harsh winters.
Before we look at additional important considerations for your interior design, it’s useful to compare the common design styles that homeowners and interior designers typically prefer.
Minimalism vs. Maximalism
Over the years, interior design trends have alternated between maximalist and minimalist styles. Many interior designers are also polarized along these styles. While Kim and Kanye’s Los Angeles’ home, which became a hot topic after it was featured on the February 2020 issue of
Architectural Digest, was the ultimate minimalist paradise to some, others thought the perfectly pristine house was bland and creepy. They preferred more maximalist designs or chose to remain somewhere between both.
Minimalism and maximalism are capable of being very functional and suited to the lifestyle of the person who prefers them, so it cannot be argued that either is ideal. Neither is an objectively better style. This is why this article was not intended to help you decide between which of the two you should adopt.
Vintage vs. Modern
Vintage interior designs never go out of style – and in recent times, they have gained more popularity for their positive environmental impact, nostalgic quality and overall artistic feel.
Modern designs on the other hand have remained a favorite of many because they do not require the level of intentionality that vintage styles would typically require. They also allow the designer or homeowner more freedom in deciding the various elements that they want to include to achieve their vision.
Also in this case, neither of the two styles is objectively better because what you value would determine which style would be a good fit for you.
Having analyzed why the above styles are not the bigger issues in interior designs, here are the five key things you should consider:
Size
The size of your space is the first thing to consider when designing. After determining the size, you can proceed to map out your space and decide where to put what, the size and quantity of the items you want to include and how to maximize the space you have available.
If you proceed to design without considering the amount of space you have, you might come out with a failed experiment with your space being too cramped up or poorly used.
Budget
Your budget is how much you have and are willing to spend on your interior design. Besides this being a healthy approach towards projects, it is also financially expedient.
While it is easy to build castles in the air or want a design similar to a photo you saw on Pinterest, you should learn to be flexible and think of creative ways to get the best possible design within your budget. This can be achieved by deciding what you can afford and sticking to spending the sum you have available on the most important items for your interior design.
It also helps to know where to get the best deals and bargains such as dedicated websites, yard sales, etc.
For interior designers, it is crucial that you learn to work within your client’s budget. While it is true that clients might sometimes make unrealistic requests, it is your responsibility to explain what their budget can afford and advise them accordingly.
Light
Lighting does more than just make a room look good. It plays a huge role in your mood, comfort, motivation, and sleep.
Like most other things earlier discussed, people have different preferences in terms of lighting. Most people prefer well-lit rooms and would cut back on huge curtains and thicker blinds to ensure that they get in as much light into their space as possible. Others prefer darker rooms and would use furniture, curtains or blinds to limit the entry of sunlight into their space.
The colors to be used in interior design is also affected by your lighting preference. Brighter colors are more suited to spaces that are designed to be well lit while darker colors would work well for darker rooms. If you would like a pop of color or a contrasting effect, you could opt for the opposite.
Family
If you have a family, your interior design is no longer wholly subject to your preferences but what works for you and the rest of your family. Ask for their thoughts and input in the design so that the outcome is one that they can all connect to.
It is also important that safety is priority over aesthetics where there are children involved.
Durability
An effective way to ensure that you get the best out of your interior design items is investing in durable pieces. Buying non-durable or low-quality items will not only make the overall space look cheap and tacky but will cost more to repair or replace in future. So it is advisable to value durability over pricing and aesthetics.