Plan Your Home's Interior Design BEFORE You Buy
When planning your room's interior design or decor you need to first consider the room layout and how you want your home furnishings to be placed. You should plan your interior design BEFORE you buy your furniture. First measure the interior with a steel ruler and sketch it on to paper. Draw the room to scale, a 1/4" would equal a foot for example. Graph paper is easier to use, 1/4" or 1/8". If you find that difficult there are room layout kits that you can purchase.
Note were the windows, doors, electrical outlets and architectural features are, such as fire places and radiators. Once you have the design drawn you can use furniture cutouts, the same scale as the drawing, to arrange the interior design. When arranging your furniture pieces in your interior design plan avoid the door openings by about 3 feet and allow for any doors swinging into the room. For the Living room start in the central area of the room and plan a conversation group around a focal point such as a fireplace, wall unit or outdoor view. A U shaped conversation group is best. If the room' interior is large bring the grouping away from the walls and place an object opposite your focus point, such as a bookcase or table and a picture on the wall, to balance a fireplace for example. Is there space for secondary activities that you enjoy and want in this room, such as playing a piano, games table and book reading around the conversation group? Remember to place your lamps, floor and table around the room for mood and task lighting. In a dining room the table is the focus, it is the center of activity. The table should be centered under a chandelier with a center peice reaching up toward it. Furnishings such as a china cabinet buffet table, mirror or picture can be placed along the walls. There should be approximately 3 feet between the table and other objects to allow traffic through the room. The bed is the focus point in the bedroom. If it is one bed try centering it along the wall with painting or other decorative item above it, with one or two night stands on the sides. If there are two beds you can put a table between them. If possible center a dresser with mirror or amoire etc. along the opposite wall and add items for secondary activities, such as reading, in any other available space.
For those of you who are computer savy and technical you can also use computer software to plan your interior design. You can download programs off the internet or purchase software. There are great interior design programs which have 2D and 3D design features that allow you to draw, arrange the furniture, windows and window treatments, doors, carpet and upholstery fabric. It's great for viewing the finished product. Once you are satisfied with your interior design you are ready to go out and purchase your home furnishings. Take the measurements of the furniture pieces in your decorating plan with you.
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