Interior designs have a natural eye for design. They just know exactly how to balance color schemes, where to hang artwork, and what lighting to use. You’ll notice there’s a massive difference to a home that’s been curated by an interior designer and that by a homeowner. Fortunately, there are tricks to the trade that you can pick up and apply yourself. Here are just some top design secrets you never see on TV.
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Use powder coating on bathroom fixtures
You notice how the homes in these interior design television shows always look so pristine. It’s because of the powder coating. This is another layer of coating on top of the paint which protects the fixture from corrosive materials like water and chemical. So to keep your bathroom fixtures looking pretty, make sure to use powder coating.
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Big wall art makes a space look bigger
It sounds like bringing in a big item will only make your space feel cramped, but that doesn’t hold true for wall art. Pick a bare wall in your home where you can display it and watch as your room transforms from small to spacious.
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Use bold wallpaper on the bathroom
The bathroom is the last place we think of beautifying but doing so can make a huge impact on how you feel. Go ahead and shop for beautiful wallpapers. The right one will not just make your bathroom look pretty, it can also hide the ugly parts and weird angles. A busy pattern will also hide corners, making the bathroom look bigger than it is. Going to the toilet will never be the same again if you can pull off this trick.
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Think of the floorplan
The floorplan is not just about the arrangement of your furniture, but also a guide to how people will navigate the room. For instance, you may want a wide couch for your living room but most of the options available are bulky ones. Good couches are hard to find so may want to make up for it with your other furniture choices instead. Get the bulky couch and then complement with a sleek coffee table.
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Use the power of three
The magic number when it comes to interior design is three. This is a great rule to follow when you’re grouping items in your home: always do it by odd numbers. For instance, three candles, give cushions, one vase, three picture frames –you get the idea.
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Color scheme with the 60:30:10 rule
Using color schemes can be tricky especially if you’re not good at balancing colors out. A sure way to pull this off is by following the 60:30:10 rule. So let’s say in a room, you’ll want the dominant color to take up 60% of the room, the secondary color to be 30%, and 10% as the accent color. If you want to add another color, use a similar shade to the secondary color, but not the dominant one or the accent.
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Dark rooms can be cozy if done right
Most interior designers advocate using bright neutral colors for painting a room but you can actually use dark colors too. Sometimes, whites and grays can actually make a place feel gloomy. However, if you pick the right shades of dark color like navy or burgundy, it can actually create a cozy mood. Just add in a few bright accents so it works in contrast with the dark background.
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Map out your gallery wall
The gallery wall should be planned out in advance. Sure, spontaneously placed artwork seems more personal and authentic but it can work against you. For your place to be beautiful, you need to map out your design beforehand. You can do this by cutting out cardboards in the size of the artworks you want to hang and rearranging them until you find the perfect layout.
Which of these secrets were you surprised to learn about? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
