Interior décor should be an intensely personal undertaking influenced by the colors, themes, textures, and elements that you and your family members like. Regardless of whether you are decorating a house, apartment, loft, or holiday home, you need to be sure that it is a good representation of styles you admire.
It is easy to copy from magazines and design websites but at the end of the day, your personality should shine through your interior décor.
The Owner’s Needs
The first rule of design is that it needs to satisfy the purpose behind it. If you were decorating a home library or work area, for example, you would first procure shelves, tables, storage racks, comfortable chairs, and so on to suit the function of that space.
Anything that is purely ornamental would be a secondary concern. Of course the shelves and tables etc will still be in the type of material and finish you like such as metal or mahogany and you can DIY paint them as well if you’re following a certain color scheme.
Whenever planning interior décor for any room, first make an inventory of what you need for functional purposes and then purchase and arrange that in your personal style.
Some people simply like wood that is lighter colored or painted white while some prefer the old library look of burnished oak. Go with what appeals most to you.
Minimalist Or Maximalist?
A minimalist style has been very popular in recent years all over the world and it signifies a hyper-organized, clean, and put-together space where every item has its own spot and there is minimal use of items purely for décor purposes.
Efficiency is the name of the game with a minimalist style but it also goes with a certain personality type. If that is not you, you can also opt for a maximalist style that utilizes scores of colors, textures, items, and concepts within a single space.
You don’t necessarily need to use very bright colors unless you want to but the idea is that you have an abundance of items that strike your fancy such as vases, elaborate artwork, rugs, cushions, and so forth.
Hygge
Hygge is a Scandinavian concept of interior décor that emphasizes the concept of coziness, harmony, inner peace, and a feeling of safety and wellness.
The Hygge interior design uses colors and lighting that have a calming and relaxing effect on the mind. Most people find they can relate to and enjoy the concept of Hygge as it is a versatile interior design option especially in the context of the modern world where it is all the more important to unwind and de-stress.
You can include objects that relax you personally such as dog portraits or house portraits of places you have loved.
An Emotional Response
There are scores of interior design styles out there like shabby chic, beach style, vintage interiors, gothic vibes, classic styles, Japanese Zen, a typical French interior design, and countless others. Look at pictures of each and see which one makes you the happiest and speaks to you.
You can always amalgamate different aspects of multiple styles and bring them to life in your home. A combination of various styles that belong to different times in history brings forth a unique interior design perspective that showcases your different interests and preferences as well as your personality.