5 Common Interior Design Mistakes You Can Improve
Interior design mistakes can easily be committed if we are not planning carefully. You’ve got space in your home that looks unattractive but you are unsure of how you can improve it. There are some common design mistakes people make when it comes to decorating and we thought it would be good to take a look at a few.
Don’t Ignore Space Planning
Buying new furniture is exciting but unfortunately, it does not fit in the area where it is supposed to be. Well, this is the part where you must not ignore space planning. If you ignore paying attention to space planning, your space may end up out of place. This is a common interior design mistake.
Space planning helps you to define what you can fit in your area or space appropriately. It even helps you organize your home with good space planning. You may also check out our previous blog on Home Organization Tips and Benefits Straight from an Interior Designer.
It is crucial to ensure that your area or space is serving its purpose correctly. One of them is making sure that the traffic flows easily and your interiors are scaled appropriately. Thus, when you start home, it is best to measure the square footage of the space including the architectural elements of windows, doors, or archways.
I highly recommend hiring a professional interior designer in order to achieve good space planning on your design project. You may also check out and learn more ideas from our previous blog 5 Things to Ask an Interior Designer Before Hiring Them
Don’t Put Furniture Against the Wall
Putting your furniture against the wall is the top common interior design mistake. Some of their reasons are to make space look bigger. Yes, this may work with smaller rooms. But it may look weird to bigger spaces.
Don’t Be Afraid of Playing With Colors
Choosing the shades of your space and to blend it with your interior decors may sound easy, But it is actually an overwhelming task and if doubt comes you may just simply go for neutral colors. Neutral colors may be the safest option but I suggest NOT to be afraid to explore the art of colors to your interior designs. Playing with color shades could add energy and interest to your space. This is not really an interior design mistake but I recommend exploring more on colors. Colors can speak much on the homeowner's taste, style, and personality.
Don’t Stick with One Source of Lighting
One of the overlooked elements in interior design is lighting. Lighting can have a huge effect on the mood and tone of the space. Don’t stick to one source of lighting as much as possible. You may also make use of table lamps that offer softer lights. I also suggest going for overhead lighting with options to control the brightness according to what you need. There are a lot of options you can have with varied sources of lighting like candle lamps, standing lamps or even spotlights or fairy lights that will suit the ambiance of the space.
You can make use of natural lighting from the sun. This can be done by putting up skylight on your roofing so you can gain natural lighting during the day. Natural lighting evenly distributes the light all throughout the space.
Don’t Go For Blind Buying
With the trend of online shopping nowadays, buying different kinds of items that you need is very easy by simply clicking the button. But one of the many drawbacks of buying online is that you are blinded by quality, material, and size.
It is important that when you buy furniture or interior decorations for your home you will buy it in person. Seeing it personally, feeling the kind of material that is and how the designs and shade combinations are will help you decide if that is what your space needs. If you do not have the knowledge of quality and construction of what you are buying, you will most likely end up blind buying a piece of furniture that doesn't meet your expectations in style, durability, quality, size, or color.
Blind buying can be tempting to interior design mistakes. But again, it is best to buy the decorations and furniture in person.
In the world of interior design, space is a vital commodity. Thus, it is essential to boost every square inch of your space no matter how big or small it is. Don’t waste the space in your home where you can transform it into one of your favorite living spaces.
Do you need help in interior designing, let me help you transform your space into a beautiful area that you could ever imagine. Schedule your design consultation and learn how you can hire us by the hour program by clicking the link: https://www.designstiles.me/consult
5 Reasons To Hire An Interior Design By The Hour
We spend the majority of our lives in our homes, yet some of us don’t love the place we’re living in. Not because there is anything wrong with the walls, the yard, or the bones on the house, but because it’s not truly a HOME. A home doesn’t happen just because you move in. It happens when your surroundings reflect your personality, way of life, and ideals. That’s what a designer can help you achieve.
Even those with style for days may not have an eye for interior design. There’s no shame in it, we all have our talents in life. But, instead of trying to force it, and most likely failing, at creating a cozy, comfortable, stylish space, here are 5 times that hiring a designer (even for the small stuff) will pay off in spades. Now that we’ve created our Hire-By-The-Hour Packages ( Contact us here: http://bit.ly/designstiles-hourly) We wanted to show you a few ways you could leverage this amazing offer for your next project!
- Space Planning - When designing a space, we need to look at the size of the room, the elements, the way it flows, the natural light, and many other elements to determine where the best places are to situate furniture, rugs and decorative pieces, and many other elements. This is one of the first and most important steps in creating a space that feels cohesive.
- Color Palettes - Selecting the right paint colors is crucial to achieving the look and feel you’re after in your home. Too light and it can feel cold. Too dark and it can feel eerie. Too bright and it can feel tacky. And just one shade off can throw the whole design. The paint stays no matter what furniture inhabits a room. Don’t risk it, work with someone who knows just what shades, tones, and hues will work for you.
- Furniture Sourcing - Have you ever looked at a glossy home magazine and wondered “where do they find such beautiful, unique pieces?”. A question we get from our clients, and non-clients, all the time is “Tell me where to buy the right furniture!”. While it’s not information we give out freely, you can hire us (by the hour, now! Visit http://bit.ly/designstiles-hourly) to source furniture FOR YOU! We’ve spent the last decade building relationships, searching shops, and developing go-to spots for the right pieces for any space. Leverage our experience and connections to get the right furniture, lighting fixtures, and decor that you’ve been dreaming of.
- Contractor Liaison - Are you preparing for a remodel, and you keep hearing what sounds like gibberish come out of your contractor's mouth? They’re asking for heights of decorative pieces, finishes of handles, shapes, styles, and colors - and you draw a complete blank. Don’t let inexperience cost you a fabulous remodel. Hire us (in our new hire-by-the-hour package) to be the liaison between you and your contractor, telling him the right heights, colors, widths, depths, and shades, as well as sourcing materials and finishes on your behalf. Make remodeling easy by working with a designer!
- Interior Decorating & Refreshing - Sometimes, you may not need a top to bottom home redesign. You may need a refresh in decor, or someone to arrange things in a way that actually looks good. You could be hosting a holiday party and want the perfect mantle, tree, and tablescape. You could be changing the style of your sunroom or the accent colors in your kitchen, and want to bring in an expert to make the choices quickly, easily and beautifully. That’s the perfect time to hire a designer.
- If you’re thinking about layout, color palettes, interior finishes, remodeling, or refreshing your decor, you can now work with me and designstiles BY THE HOUR! Our clients have been nudging us to add this option for years, and we finally caved! >> http://bit.ly/designstiles-hourly
This gives you the opportunity to work with us on projects big and small, no matter what your needs are. Click here to request a quick discovery call so we can figure out how many hours you might need for the projects you’re thinking of!
>> http://bit.ly/designstiles-hourly
I can’t wait to speak with you!
Children's Bedroom Design: Timeless Ideas To Consider
Designing a children’s bedroom can be as fun for you to do as it is for the kids to enjoy afterwards. Children’s rooms are a whole new ball game for colors, shapes, storage ideas, and furnishings. Coming up with creative ways to include the practical elements of a bedroom is a fun challenge.
You might even see how excited the children are when it’s finished, making the project rewarding. Whether you are looking for inspiration or considering a redesign, here are the things that you should know for designing a room that has everything a kid could want. The more innovatively you can combine fun and function, the better!
Make it a happy place
A child’s bedroom should make them feel content. Think unique color combinations, mixing fun patterns and incorporating some of their favorite animals or accessories in the room, which can easily be swapped out when they're no longer obsessed with aforementioned item.
Ensure there is space for creativity
In this bedroom we redesigned, we incorporated a reading nook, a cozy little corner in this bedroom, as a place that little ones, or mom and dad could lounge in during story time. This encourages learning in a relaxed environment.
Let Imagination Run Wild
Kids bedrooms are for more than just bedtime! Their rooms should be fun and inspire creativity as well. Turn the space itself into an exciting place to be, rather than just a room containing a few essentials. I’d like to discuss more high end ideas vs. the traditional "little kid" stuff.
You could build an indoor tree house that they can climb a ladder to get into. Paint their desk with chalkboard paint so they can show off their art skills! Make a building station that encourages critical thinking! Giving kids a creative space allows them to be imaginative and think outside the box. Parents lives will also be much easierif their children really enjoy being in their own rooms!
Make it cozy
Kids need to feel safe and secure, so fill your child’s room with items they can use to self-soothe, like a large soft blanket with enough weight to feel like a hug. Bedding, pillows, and rugs should be soft to the touch, so feel all materials before bringing them into the room.
Have fun with wallpaper! So many options are full of personality. In the coral bedroom shown above, we used wallpaper on the ceiling to draw the eyes up, and truthfully, mother wanted to avoid her daughter peeling the paper if it were on the walls. By installing it on the ceiling, it created an element of surprise.
So let your creativity go wild when it comes to designing your child's bedroom, they do after all deserve the most beautiful room in the house.
If you’d like to talk about decorating a child’s bedroom or you want to add a touch of luxury elsewhere in your home then contact designstiles now for a free consultation!
6 Home Design Trends In LA You Must See Before Redecorating
If you want to make the most of your space for a lifetime and beyond, we thought we’d share our finds of home design trends in LA for inspiration before you start redecorating your home.
These home design trends to consider will give a go for good reason along with some our helpful tips. So whether you’re furnishing a new home, updating your kitchen or just want some inspiration to refresh your home, here are six trends in tweaking your décor.
Fashionable Twist
Upholstery textiles can instantly change the look of your furniture. There’s a lot more play with textures and bolder colors. Chairs and sofas were dressed in a plethora of fabrics that took cues from the fashion runways. These include the use of boucle, tweed, horsehair and animal prints on stylish seats spotted throughout the fair.
A Retro Mood
A sense of nostalgia is in. Rounded forms, velvet upholstery and the use of jewel tones added to the retro feel of the collections. There is a lot of multi-functional furniture; such as tables that can be used for all different corners of the sofa.
Seeing Red
The crimson hue took the interior world by storm this year. The most popular application of the color: the use of burgundy upholstery fabrics, which turned minimalist seats into statement pieces.
A brighter, fiery tone was also applied onto accent pieces such as side tables and stools; an easy way to bring a touch of this trend into your home.
Outdoors In
With the blurring of boundaries between indoors and out, it seemed only natural that outdoor furnishings should complement the design scheme within. Sofas, armchairs and daybeds in a variety of shapes and sizes adds to its relaxed look.
Precious Things
Marble has long been the preferred choice for luxurious table tops, and quartz is in high demand. Incorporate a wide range of natural stone that draws influence from the glamorous shine of jewelry pieces.
Wood Works
In response to the human desire to reconnect with nature, designers have increasingly incorporated natural materials such as wood in interior furnishings. These inventive designs feature geometric detailing and slim profiles that also highlight the beauty of the unique grain pattern found on each piece.
With these fantastic home design trends to consider, it will definitely update your home with confidence and ease. It all ties into the idea of your home as a place that is personal and comfortable, without sacrificing style.
Beyond full-service design, we also offer individual design consultations in the Los Angeles area.
If you are interested in learning more, book a complimentary consultation at designstiles.me/consult.
Tio's
My family's in the restaurant business. If you guess Mexican food, you've been paying attention.
My uncle had the genius idea of opening in a developing city where there was essentially zero competition. Business boomed and customers practically demanded a second location. In came my dad, followed by my other uncle and two more locations. Now Tio's (means uncle in Spanish) is on to their fifth location and expanding no.4. And since we're keeping things in the family, I've been brought on to create a design concept and make materials/decor selections.
I want it to have color moments in thought out places. I don't want people to walk in an have it be arriba arriba all up in your face as most Mexican restaurants are known for. No cliche wall murals here.
Here's a look into what my brain is thinking.
I want a neutral base with half painted walls in that rich green color to add depth and dimension. An easy way to bring in a bold hue without going overboard. Brighter colors and texture will be brought in through decorative items, art and selective zarape upholstery.
My first commercial space. Exciting times.
Throw Down
I love incorporating a throw into bedrooms and living/family rooms for a comfortable and styled look.
In photos, it gives the impression that real people live in these spaces.
And in real life, one easy grab and it allows you to bundle up shall you start to get chilly.
Colorful and cozy options if you're on the hunt.
one // two // three // four // five // six // seven
Happy Tuesday!
images via Architectural Digest, house of turquoise, adore, verdigris vie, house and home
Sailboating
I saw the cutest little wood and brass sailboat at TJ Maxx a few months ago.
Even though it was no more than about 13 bucks, I walked away without making the purchase.
I still think about it.
At the time I justified not buying it because I didn't want it sitting in my 'one day' pile.
Silly me.
Now I've got sailboats on the brain.
They look good even in a house not near the water.
Happy Tuesday!
Be My Guest: The Peak of Très Chic
Please welcome the super sweet Sam (say that ten times fast) for some interior inspiration.
Make sure to visit her blog for a daily dose of pretty.
Happy Tuesday!
Beach House
It's Summer and I don't have a beach house. Wahhhh.
So I did what any normal person would do and created my own via Pinterest. Der. According to Pinterest I also live in a house with 17 kitchens and 38 bedrooms. Not bad. I have some killer shoes and am always fabulously dressed. I should probably rename my Outfits I'd Wear board to Outfits I WORE. Look at me, yeah I wore this.
I love my pinterest life.
Back to the Beach House <------ capitalized because owning a Beach House is serious business.
What are you doing? Come visit. It gets lonely having the beach all to myself.
Isn't it so nice and bright?
I've done good, ey.
Happy Wednesday!
images via house beautiful, pink wallpaper, desire to inspire,
Check It
After looking at this picture, I decided I want a checkered floor.
Preferably of the gray and white variety.
For all I know this is actually black and white and the lighting is making it look gray.
This looks gray too.
I want it.
Gray looking again.
Photography can play some mind trickery sometimes. Like when a great photo can make a Big Mac look awesome and delicious. Even if we know they're usually shitty and delicious. But still we get it because the photo lied to us.
It works 'cause now I feel I need some gray and white checkered floors.
Happy Wednesday!