Here’s How to Nail Design Decisions Like a Pro
Want to design your home like a professional? Check out these brilliantly useful expert tips
Denise O'Connor
26 November 2017
Denise holds a degree in architecture from Richview School of Architecture in UCD. After graduating in Dublin she moved to London where she worked on residential, healthcare and office schemes including the award-winning headquarters for Holiday Extras for which she was project architect at Walker and Martin. In 2005 she returned to Dublin and set up architecture and interior design consultancy Optimise Design.
Denise is an architecture and interiors columnist for the Irish Times and a contributor for HOUZZ. She is also a regular contributor to various other publications and also gives lectures on a range of topics. She was a presenter for the first series of the RTE TV show ‘The Design Doctors’ and is the creator and name behind the successful paint collection for Dulux called Signature...
Denise holds a degree in architecture from Richview School of Architecture in UCD.... More
It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to achieving a stylish, practical and coordinated look in your home. Designers can make the process look effortless, but the reality is that, with years of experience, most have a few tricks up their sleeve. Follow these insider tips to help you make design decisions with confidence.
Establish a clear brief
Designers often get to know their clients before they start a renovation project, finding out as much as they can about their lifestyle, likes and dislikes, as well as their goals and dreams for their home. So it’s a good idea to do the same when decorating your own space.
Track how you use your home over the course of a week, paying attention to what is working and what’s not. Are you constantly searching for your car keys in the morning? Do you have to move your table every time you sit down to dinner? If you plan solutions for these issues, you’ll dramatically improve your day-to-day life.
Be willing to let go of the way things are currently set out and design a home that focuses on present priorities, while leaving room for future growth. You might not be able to have everything you want, but you can often get exactly what you need from a thoughtfully designed home
Designers often get to know their clients before they start a renovation project, finding out as much as they can about their lifestyle, likes and dislikes, as well as their goals and dreams for their home. So it’s a good idea to do the same when decorating your own space.
Track how you use your home over the course of a week, paying attention to what is working and what’s not. Are you constantly searching for your car keys in the morning? Do you have to move your table every time you sit down to dinner? If you plan solutions for these issues, you’ll dramatically improve your day-to-day life.
Be willing to let go of the way things are currently set out and design a home that focuses on present priorities, while leaving room for future growth. You might not be able to have everything you want, but you can often get exactly what you need from a thoughtfully designed home
Measure before you buy
Always check the dimensions of your room before you commit to buying something. It’s disappointing when you find your new furniture is too large or small. Designers will draw each piece of furniture on a layout of the room to make sure everything fits together before ordering.
Plan your furniture layout using the 3ft rule – always allow at least 3ft (90cm) of space between pieces. This create an easy flow around the house.
Always check the dimensions of your room before you commit to buying something. It’s disappointing when you find your new furniture is too large or small. Designers will draw each piece of furniture on a layout of the room to make sure everything fits together before ordering.
Plan your furniture layout using the 3ft rule – always allow at least 3ft (90cm) of space between pieces. This create an easy flow around the house.
Don’t get hung up on aesthetics
We all want our homes to look great, but it’s more important to ensure everything functions. Focus on the less glamorous, practical elements first when you’re planning your renovation.
Consider those day-to-day necessities, such as coat and shoe storage, laundry areas, and linen cupboards for stashing towels and sheets. They all sound pretty mundane, but without properly planning these spaces, your beautifully designed home will soon look pretty chaotic.
Discover how to store household linen (no matter how little space you have)
We all want our homes to look great, but it’s more important to ensure everything functions. Focus on the less glamorous, practical elements first when you’re planning your renovation.
Consider those day-to-day necessities, such as coat and shoe storage, laundry areas, and linen cupboards for stashing towels and sheets. They all sound pretty mundane, but without properly planning these spaces, your beautifully designed home will soon look pretty chaotic.
Discover how to store household linen (no matter how little space you have)
Coordinate your finishes
When you’re picking all those small elements, such as light switches, door handles and taps, it’s important to make sure they’re all in the same finish. For example, if you decide to buy chrome switches, don’t go for polished stainless-steel or brass door handles.
The same goes for timber – try not to mix shades of wood. For instance, if you have an oak floor, it might be a good idea to choose oak furniture, or a wood with similar tones. Also try to tone the floor tiles and worktop in your kitchen – again, they don’t have to match exactly, but the hues should complement each other.
When you’re picking all those small elements, such as light switches, door handles and taps, it’s important to make sure they’re all in the same finish. For example, if you decide to buy chrome switches, don’t go for polished stainless-steel or brass door handles.
The same goes for timber – try not to mix shades of wood. For instance, if you have an oak floor, it might be a good idea to choose oak furniture, or a wood with similar tones. Also try to tone the floor tiles and worktop in your kitchen – again, they don’t have to match exactly, but the hues should complement each other.
Match your lighting and electrics to your furniture layout
Work out where all of your furniture will go before you plan your radiator, socket and lighting layouts. Think carefully about how you’re going to use everything. For example, consider where you might need to put lamps, then position sockets nearby. Or plan where your sofa is going to go to avoid the problem of furniture being pushed up against radiators.
Work out where all of your furniture will go before you plan your radiator, socket and lighting layouts. Think carefully about how you’re going to use everything. For example, consider where you might need to put lamps, then position sockets nearby. Or plan where your sofa is going to go to avoid the problem of furniture being pushed up against radiators.
Try not to rush decisions
Rushing to have everything finished quickly can often lead to hasty purchases you may regret. You could end up spending too much money on an item you later dislike, but feel you can’t ditch because of how much it cost.
Sometimes, it isn’t possible to find the perfect mirror for your hall, or the right lamp for your living room, but it’s far better to wait until you stumble upon it than simply buy something to fill the gap.
Renovating your home? See if you recognise any of these side effects
Rushing to have everything finished quickly can often lead to hasty purchases you may regret. You could end up spending too much money on an item you later dislike, but feel you can’t ditch because of how much it cost.
Sometimes, it isn’t possible to find the perfect mirror for your hall, or the right lamp for your living room, but it’s far better to wait until you stumble upon it than simply buy something to fill the gap.
Renovating your home? See if you recognise any of these side effects
Think about the big picture
Designers don’t make any decisions without having a plan to work to. Prioritise what work needs to be done and, if the budget won’t allow everything to be done in one go, carry out parts of the project in stages.
When establishing a plan of work, it’s really important to think about the future and not just now. It can be easy to design your home in a way that works for small children, for example, but pretty quickly you’ll find yourself with a houseful of teenagers and your completely open-plan layout might not work so well.
Designers don’t make any decisions without having a plan to work to. Prioritise what work needs to be done and, if the budget won’t allow everything to be done in one go, carry out parts of the project in stages.
When establishing a plan of work, it’s really important to think about the future and not just now. It can be easy to design your home in a way that works for small children, for example, but pretty quickly you’ll find yourself with a houseful of teenagers and your completely open-plan layout might not work so well.
Stick to three colours
When picking your colour scheme, try to keep your palette to a mix of three colours, or shades. The secret to getting it right is in layering. Start with a neutral backdrop and build on colour carefully by adding bolder hues through accessories and art.
Your wall colours should form your backdrop. It’s also a good idea to stick to neutral shades for larger items, such as sofas and curtains, which are more costly to replace. Introduce your second colour with larger accents, such as armchairs or occasional pieces. Then use your third colour to bring the scheme to life with more vibrant accessories – think cushions, throws, artworks and rugs.
When picking your colour scheme, try to keep your palette to a mix of three colours, or shades. The secret to getting it right is in layering. Start with a neutral backdrop and build on colour carefully by adding bolder hues through accessories and art.
Your wall colours should form your backdrop. It’s also a good idea to stick to neutral shades for larger items, such as sofas and curtains, which are more costly to replace. Introduce your second colour with larger accents, such as armchairs or occasional pieces. Then use your third colour to bring the scheme to life with more vibrant accessories – think cushions, throws, artworks and rugs.
Have a colour reference
It can be really hard to remember the exact shade of your walls or sofa when you’re out shopping for furniture or accessories. A great idea is to compile a collection of swatches to take around with you for reference.
Gather paint samples and fabric swatches and keep them together in plastic sleeves, which can easily be carried with you when you’re out shopping. Have a sleeve for each room and add to it as you go along. By doing this, you’ll be able to match things perfectly, and pull together a scheme that coordinates beautifully.
Do you have any design advice you’ve learned from the experts? Share your tips and experiences in the Comments section.
It can be really hard to remember the exact shade of your walls or sofa when you’re out shopping for furniture or accessories. A great idea is to compile a collection of swatches to take around with you for reference.
Gather paint samples and fabric swatches and keep them together in plastic sleeves, which can easily be carried with you when you’re out shopping. Have a sleeve for each room and add to it as you go along. By doing this, you’ll be able to match things perfectly, and pull together a scheme that coordinates beautifully.
Do you have any design advice you’ve learned from the experts? Share your tips and experiences in the Comments section.
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@fallof14 Only if you don't have room for or use for a console table.
Console tables behind a sofa are a great design choice! If the back of your sofa faces the entry of the room (meaning the sofa is "floating" in the space, i.e., not backing up to a wall), then a console table with lamps, accessories, etc. adds a nice dimension to the entry. Another use for a console table is between the back of the sofa and the wall, if you need to pull the sofa closer to the center of the room. It all depends on the layout of the room.
Hi Celestina, thank you for your welcome :-) Yes I am on a few forums but that's it. No facebook no twitter no nothing. Yes it's already a form of social network, and I disclose some things about my home/decorating taste, but all trying to keep it to a minimum. In any case, I'm enjoying the Houzz forum, lots of inspiring pictures and ideas to browse through !