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Getting Started on Your Home’s Interior Design

The suggestions below might help you design a living space that you truly love.

Photography by © Shi Yunfeng

When it comes to your home, interior design is everything. It’s what makes the building that you live in feel like home after a long day of work, and design that suits you can make a big difference in your quality of life. However, if you don’t have a knack for visualizing the kind of look you’re after, and sometimes even if you do, it can be tough to know how to get started. The points below can help you on your way to a living space that you truly love.

Your Lifestyle

First, think about how you want to use your space. If you’re a single who throws parties, you’ll want something very different from a family with three small children. Maybe you’re an avid collector of art and you want somewhere to display your paintings, or you’re into working out or a sport, like cycling or hiking, and you want plenty of room for your equipment. If you work from home, you may want a separate space you can set aside as your office even if it’s not a whole room.

Photography by © Shi Yunfeng

With your particular set of needs in mind, you can move on to figure out what style suits you. Think as well about any special features you may want in your home. That could mean starting with some heavy-duty remodeling, such as knocking down walls. You might need to make the place more accessible, which could mean bringing in an architect. Wider doorways and home lifts for any architect’s project may not be as expensive as you imagine, and an architect’s input can help you be sure these are structurally sound additions.

Figure Out Your Style

Your next step is to figure out what style appeals to you. Look through magazines and online to find photos of rooms, and save the ones that appeal to you. One reason it’s good to think through your lifestyle and needs to start with is so that you’ll can combine practical reality with the photos you’ve fallen in love with. If you have pets, however much you may love creamy white furniture and carpet, that might not be the best choice for you. Whether you’re in love with minimalist design, French country, a breezy coastal vibe, or just about any other approach you see, it’s usually possible to make modifications to fit the way that you live.

Photography by © Shi Yunfeng

Hire Help or Go Alone

Unless you’ve really got a natural ability for decorating, you may not want try to do everything yourself, and even if you do, there may be elements you still need or want to consult a designer or architect about. The good news is that this doesn’t have to be all or nothing as you can work with professionals on some aspects and do others yourself. One advantage of professional consultations is that they may be able to come up with some additional ideas you may not have considered. They can also warn you away from pitfalls before you make an expensive mistake.

Images from Honor Maison designed by RUI DESIGN – See the full story here

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Weekend Apartment in the Jizera Mountains by Markéta Bromová architekti