Quick Tips for Choosing Home Design Elements

The best interior design elements are anything that you like – but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t rules and guidelines to help make your home better. The following are some quick tips for choosing home design elements.

1.Pick the paint color last

When it comes time to redecorate a room, many homeowners believe they should choose the paint color first. However, doing this can severely limit your design choices. Instead, find large furniture pieces your love first, and then continue to build the room with coordinating accessories. After the majority of the room is designed, head to the paint store to find the perfect shade.

2.Create a focal point

Whether you’ve chosen it intentionally or not, the focal point of the room is what the eyes are immediately drawn to. Too many bold pieces in a space can create visual noise and leave it feeling cluttered. Instead, chose a focal point such as a fireplace, artwork, or a piece of furniture and allow it to be the star of the room; the rest of the furnishings and accessories should have a supporting role. A well placed focal point can also help draw attention away from any eyesores in the room.

3.Mix color, texture, and scale

Mix color, texture, and scale to create a curated look that still uses lots of patterns. As a rule, a room should have no more than three prints: 60% of your favorite, 30% of your second favorite, and 10% of a bold accent print. However, don’t forget the solids; without any neutrals or solid colors, a room will be left feeling more circus-y than intentionally put together.

4.Be wary of trends

What’s in and popular this year could leave your home looking dated and out-of-style next year. To prevent this, avoid using design trends in a big way. For example, instead of painting an entire wall with a chevron pattern, buy several throw pillows or art pieces with the pattern. This gives your home a modern, fresh look – but can also be easily changed when it falls out of favor.

5.Don’t go overboard with a theme
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A rustic cabin doesn’t have to be entirely outfitted in exposed wood and dark colors; likewise, Cape Cod style doesn’t have to mean a house full of bead board and sailboat prints. Instead, create a room using a color palette, furnishings, artwork, and other accessories that support the theme without resorting to clichés.