Beginners Guide to Interior Design and Decorating on a Budget

Designing your space can be incredibly exciting, but also intimidating, daunting, and challengingly complex. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged when the vision in your head doesn’t seem to be materializing. That’s why it’s important to have a clear idea of what you want and a plan of action for making your vision a reality. You should also know what you want to spend on the entire project from start to end while keeping in mind that decorating your home on a budget is possible – all it takes is a little creativity and resourcefulness. Inexpensive home decor doesn’t mean low quality, it just means that you need to get creative to find affordable decorating ideas that work for your space and your budget.

But maybe you’ve got a healthy budget and don’t need advice on affordable interior design though you are a novice when it comes to home decor and interior design. So how do you make what you’ve got work while peppering everything with new home decor finds to refresh the space? Ask any interior designer for advice on interior decoration for beginners and they’ll be sure to tell you that there’s practical routes to be had, and that no home can feel complete overnight. As just like with everything in life, functional interior design takes time to get right, so don’t rush the process as interior decoration is not just about aesthetics entirely. In fact, interior design can make your everyday life all the better as it can affect your mood and spark productivity and pride in the meantime. And since you’re a novice when it comes to interior design, we put ourselves in the perspective of interior decorators to come up with this handy interior design guide that just about anyone can master with confidence and ease.

FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU WANT

•  Whether you’re looking to bring in the best interior design in your space or need inspiration for an upcoming renovation or simply need smart storage ideas, it pays to hone in on what you want and need before you figure out how to design anything. Because at the end of it all, something as serious as a home remodel or a complete overhaul can cost a small fortune. And frankly you’ll find joy in teaching yourself how to decorate so you can make the best of the space you have. So before you get started on your interior design journey, ask yourself these essential questions to devise the best plan for how to decorate every room in your home, from living room design to the elements that will tie everything together:
• Where am I hoping to make changes? Identify the spaces you want to address throughout your space, and list them in order from the highest priority to the lowest priority to help you generate a game plan.

Living room design

One of a home’s most commonly used and seen rooms, creating a warm, inviting, and unforgettable living room design should be considered an essential. Even if you’ve got a sense that your living room design feels complete, it’s always a great idea to refresh the space with different placements and new additions in even the smallest of doses.

Bedroom design

Getting bedroom design right is also another essential element in a home since it’s a personal space that you turn to rest and recharge after a long day.

Bathroom design

Another personal zone that’s often overlooked, pay attention to functionality and the little details that can make bathroom design all the more visually interesting and unique.

Kitchen design

Whether you’re building a new kitchen from scratch or remodeling and updating your current one, getting kitchen design right can be expensive and time-consuming – making it one of the most important spaces in a home to pay the most attention to as it’ll be one of the most critical to corner.

What am I trying to accomplish?

Before you begin charting course to create your own dream design, ask yourself what matters to you most within your budget and reach as luxury interior design can be a considerable investment and it can also be time-consuming. So as you consider the best interior routes for your space, think about what’s been missing all along and what should be eliminated for good. This will, in turn, help you create the best decoration practices for your space that are practical and visually pleasing to boot. To make the interior design process easier for you, do create a design vision for your space through sketches and inspirational images.

Why do I want to design (or redesign) this space?

It’s important to understand your motivation for starting a new interior design project or update in any space. Think about your interior design needs and scan all the space you have to work with to identify what is not working so you can better understand why your space needs a design change to begin with. Think about the essential design requirements you’d like to see and what would make your space feel more like a sophisticated interior than it already is.

How involved do you want to be?

Like we said before – no space can feel and look complete overnight as the interior design process takes time to get right. And the interior design process can be trying as there’s a lot more problem solving to it than most people realize. So it’s up to you to decide whether you’re more of a DIY interior design enthusiast or if you would prefer a surprise reveal, in which case you should hire interior designer to do all of the work for you behind-the-scenes. After all, it’s not entirely impossible to find local affordable interior designers near you. The thing about working with professional interior designers is that they know what they’re doing and can help you avoid potentially costly and time-consuming mistakes.

Who do you need to help you execute your interior design project?

Think about the scope of your project and what exactly each task will entail to complete successfully. If you need to hire an interior designer or other professionals and experts, like general contractors or electricians, do your research before consulting with them. Either by word of mouth, through a suggestion by an interior designer or by online reviews, explore the history of local general contractors so you can feel confident that they will successfully complete the job at hand on time, and within budget. Always hire people who make you feel comfortable and share your vision. And if you’ll be working with interior design firms throughout the course of your project, keep in mind that many of them already know and work with the best local contractors near you, so do ask about their backgrounds and if they have a portfolio with projects for you to peruse.

When do you hope to start and complete your project?

Create an ideal schedule for your interior design project to keep you organized and on track, and be prepared to adapt as needed. And do remain flexible in your approach as you never know how long something could take when issues arise that are out of your control. And if you’re decorating on your own, remember that bringing a home to life won’t happen in one fell swoop, in fact, it could take a while to get right, so think of it as a slow process to ensure a well-judged feel.

FIND YOUR STYLE

If you’re a novice decorator and don’t know the difference between traditional design and contemporary design, you should explore the distinct differences between all interior decorating styles and what makes them unique. Once you’ve determined your goals, involvement, and possible team needed for your project, then is the time to choose a decorating style to help define the interior design process for you. If you don’t already have a strong sense of what you want, start exploring design blogs, Pinterest, and magazines to figure out what you gravitate towards. Create home inspiration boards on Pinterest and start pinning anything and everything you like or don’t like (If you decide to hire an interior decorator, it might be helpful to create a board for them of looks that you also want to avoid). After you’ve been pinning for a while, you’ll probably start to notice some patterns and similarities, which means that your personal style preferences are emerging to lead you in the right direction. Here’s a quick breakdown of each interior design style to consider for your space long with what makes them viable, and what you’ll need to complete the look:

Traditional design

Traditional interior design is one of the most universally appealing and classic of all of the interior design styles to consider. In fact, it’s a foolproof route to go if you’re looking to invest in timeless pieces that will endure in style for years to come. As when it comes to popular interior design styles, you’ll find that most of the other design styles to consider have their roots in traditional interior design ideas since the style is straightforward and easy on the eye. That said, traditional interior design doesn’t mean that you’ll be limited to the expected as you’ll still be able to add witty and visually interesting elements throughout a traditionally styled home that will let you make an intriguing and unforgettable statement. To make traditional interior design feel unique to your home, bring in unexpected conversation-starters like a striking modern pendant lamp that will have everyone talking. And when it comes to furnishings, bring in the usual suspects. By this, we mean a neutral oversized sofa whether that be a dark navy, gray, white or khaki, handsome dark wood tables and surfaces, higs-shine brass details, and traditional Persian rugs. To save from an overtly preppy yet refined look, pepper your traditionally designed spaces with riotous artworks, prints, and sculptural elements in even the smallest of doses.

Contemporary design

People often confuse contemporary interior design with modern interior design even though the two are entirely unique to themselves. Contemporary interior design is basically current furniture that doesn’t evoke or take its cues from past design style movements. While modern interior design style calls for forward-thinking silhouettes and colors that can hail from anywhere between can almost mean anything the ‘50s to modern furnishings you can buy at a local furniture dealer today. Contemporary interior design style trends also allow you to have more freedom as modern interior design usually features square, graphic lines and a particular take on design periods of the past. Think clean and minimal and straightforward with just the right amount of personality and visual play.

Mid Century Modern design

One of the most popular and most prolific interior design styles over the last 75+ years, mid-century modern interior design takes its cues from the best of the ‘50s and ‘60s while boasting a clean and timeless retro-inspired Danish feel. Think clean, straight forward silhouettes, organic shapes, subtle fabrications, and an importance on the functionality of every element. These are essentially the hallmarks and calling cards of mid-century modern interior design. When it comes to mid-century modern interior design, the design styles minimal spirit makes it a go-to route when looking to update traditional style interior design with a certain sense of charm and intriguing nostalgia. And mid-century modern furniture looks terrific in almost any space and lends a space timeless and tried and true elements when looking to create a stunningly decadent and diverse interior design style for every room in your home – from your entryway to your formal living room to even your outdoor spaces. And if you’re on the hunt for on-trend interior design styles that will endure over time and remain popular to boot, nothing beats the allure of mid-century modern interior design for a classic feel that’s still subtly cool..

Modern Farm House Decor

If you’re looking to lend spaces in your home warmth, practicality, comfort, and inviting interior design with a relaxed yet pulled together spirit, modern farmhouse decor is a timeless and universally appealing route to consider for your home. Warm and comforting, modern farmhouse interior design is inspired by a provincial feel for the ultimate in everyday luxury that boasts a heady mix of high & low contrasts that will be sure to work especially well for a growing family since many of its elements already boast a timeworn, distressed feel. Think rustic country elements elevated for the today via a rich mix with hints of the industrial, minimal, and the Scandinavian to help you create unique spaces while taking full advantage of each architectural element in a space – flawed or not.

Bohemian style interior design

Playful and full of spirit and personality, bohemian interior design has been one of the most timeless and endlessly popular interior design styles of them all for decades on end, thanks to the decorative freedom it allows for. Bohemian interior design calls for a fuss-free sense of wanderlust freedom that’s unarguably distinct and unforgettable. The interior design style features a multi-ethnic inspired casual mix of unique finds and vintage and antique elements brought in via far-flung flea-market travels and the eclectic design style also brings with it hints of delightful everyday glamour with crystal embellishments, beaded textiles, jewel tones, and an overall casual spirit. If you’re already lucky enough to be working with a variety of unique furnishings and are into the idea of glorious juxtapositions that are rich and heady, bohemian interior design might just be the right direction to consider for every room in your home. To get the look thing velvet fabrications, metallic details, and pieces with an aged feel.

Art Deco interior design

If you love all things decadent and jewel-like, Art Deco interior design, inspired by the spirit of the 1920’s, this style throwback design style may just be your calling card. Think the Great Gatsby and the roaring ‘20s as Art Deco interior design easily conveys all things opulent. Think elegant, glamorous and sleek, and above all, handsomely symmetrical for the perfect balance as the interior design style instantly evokes the forever-chic spirit of the 1920’s.