Unique Tips for Interior Design

Interior design can be a blast, but it can also get stressful when you lack professional training. With so much riding on your performance—meaning that you love your own house—there can be a lot of pressure. Hiring an interior designer for every room in your house may not be something you want or need to do, but it will help you to design your home if you learn to think like one—at least temporarily. Check out these unique tips for interior design to let the DIY designer in you run free.

Put in the Expected Pieces and Then Jazz Them Up

Every living room needs seating options—there is no way to get around that. You may need to put in a regular couch with regular conversation chairs to make the room functional, but to make it a little more fun, design-wise, try adding an unexpected element. One of the most popular ways to add a bit of unexpected fun to a seating area is a suspended chair. These are chairs that hang from the ceiling and act as whimsical yet functional additions to your traditional setup.

Add an Element of Subtle Surprise

Each room should have one small element that is bold and surprising but not jarring. A subtle sense of excitement is the goal of this unique interior design tip. Too much excitement and the bold element is commanding the room; not enough, and it goes unnoticed. Striking a balance between shock value and style is the key. A great example of this is a bathroom with regular, neutral tiles—held together by gold grout. This bold addition of sparkle and shine in an otherwise traditional and mundane room brings it from basic to bold without overpowering the room.

Keep It Simple

When it comes to wall décor, you want to either use one large piece per room or a few small pieces. Overloading walls can make them feel cluttered and even dwarf the room. Decide on an accent wall, and focus your decor on that one, leaving the rest almost completely alone. Keeping your wall decor simple yet stylish is a great way to ensure the interior of your home feels complete and decorated without making it feel busy and overdone.

Three Common Kitchen Renovation Mistakes

When it comes to home renovation, there are few places that are more complicated to remodel than the kitchen. Kitchens have to balance fashion with function; plus, they’re both social spaces and workspaces. Remodeling mistakes are messy and expensive to make, so you should avoid them at all costs. Here are three common kitchen renovation mistakes you can skip during this remodeling job.

Being Impractical

There was a time when the kitchen was considered a workroom that no sensible homeowner would show their guests. Over time, however, it has come to be one of the centers of social life in the house. Because of that, it can be easy to forget its primary function as a workspace. When you’re laying out your kitchen, imagine yourself cooking in it. Is it easy to move from the sink to the stove to the countertop? Is there enough counter space? Is there enough space for storing dishes? Is there enough lighting to see what you’re cooking? Practicality is key when it comes to creating the perfect kitchen.

Not Considering the Technology

Along the lines of practicality, your kitchen’s main residents are the refrigerator, oven, stove, and other cooking appliances like toasters, crockpots, and rice makers, so think about these things before you design anything else. Coming to the end of your renovation project only to find you don’t have a spot with enough room for your fridge or oven to open is a sticky situation to be in. Your counter appliances will need outlets, so make sure that there are ample outlets in accessible spots.

Over- or Under-Decorating

Decorating is always the fun part, but it can be tricky in a kitchen. Because kitchens are workspaces first, you don’t want to crowd the area with so much décor that you can’t operate in it. But it’s also easy to sacrifice style for practicality. Much of your style will come from color, so painting your kitchen walls will probably be your biggest job, as well as the backsplash over the oven. Then, consider adding simple accessories that can hang on the wall or sit on a shelf in the open.

Renovating the kitchen can be a tough job to tackle, but all it takes is careful planning to avoid the most common kitchen renovation mistakes. If you do that, the result can be an awesome space to cook and to gather with loved ones. Bon appétit!

Guest Post - Home Design Tips: 8 Artistic Ways to Improve Your Entryway

Although one of the most commonly overlooked areas, your entryway is a vital space in your home. After all, it is a place that will welcome visitors to your home. Not to mention that it might be the only place that passers-by will see. 

That's why you should never treat it as an afterthought. You should pick a clever design feature that allows your entryway to look organized and refreshing. Plus, it is sure to make a great first impression on your visitors. 

Here are eight artistic ways on how to improve your entryway:

Add Pattern or a Pop of Color

You can replace the dull, boring paint with a bright, eye-catching wallpaper that will make your entryway warmer and inviting. 

You can also commission an artist to hang a stunning portrait in your entryway. It is something that can greet your guests and can be a good conversation starter piece. 

Adding an interesting pattern or a pop of color can light up the whole mood of the place. 

Carve Out an Entryway

If you have an open concept in your home, your front entryway can be challenging,

If it is hard to define your foyer with the rest of your home, then you or your guests might be left scratching their heads. 

Luckily, there is still something you can do if your home's architectural design does not have a distinct area for entryway. A piece of furniture, like a chest, can help anchor your space. 

You can also throw in a single side chair, and you can add a lovely bench or whatever seating in your entryway.

Ideally, your furniture design should go along with the style of your interior. That way, you are already giving your guests a clue what your house's theme and the motif is. 

If your entryway is too small to place a piece of furniture, you can also define it with wallpaper or a bold color. That way, everyone will know where the entry ends and where your home begins. 

Reflect Light

If you have a tight or limited space, on the other hand, you can use mirrors to help open up space.

It is common for small homes to have a tight entryway that lacks light. Thus, you can use mirrors to help reflect the light. This works particularly well if you have front doors that have windows in it.

When the mirror faces a light source, you can use it to double down whatever natural brightness you have. This makes your entryway airy and more extensive. 

Give a Statement

Your home's entryway is a great way to define the style of your home. If you live in a small house, you can capitalize on the vertical space you have.

Placing a statement chandelier, for instance, helps add some personality to your home. It also gives your guests an idea of your nature.

Another design idea you can do is group picture frames to make an interesting statement. 

If you love traveling, you can use your foyer walls to showcase your souvenirs from your past trips. It also provides your guests with an insight into what's important to you. 

Make Use of Rugs for a Warm Welcome

Never underestimate what a rug can do to your space. It does not just add color or life, but it also helps define an area. 

Adding a rug on the floor will add more texture and a softer appeal to your home. This can make your guests feel more welcome. 

Just keep your furniture away from the rug. That way, you are giving your carpet a chance to shine!

Use Furniture Multi-function Furniture

Expect that your foyer will be one of the most highly trafficked areas in your home. So, make that most of that space, and use furniture that serves a dual purpose. 

This can be a bench that doubles as a storage area or other furniture pieces with organizational solutions. This is where you can place important stuff that you bring with you every day, such as your car keys, and it will be easy enough to retrieve it. 

Rely on Size and Symmetry

Use symmetry to create order in your home, and then mix and match it with lamps and accessories. 

You can either use artwork or an oversize mirror to accomplish this. Do not be afraid to go big!

Pick a Theme

Choosing a single and unifying motif as a theme is a great way to introduce your visitors to your style when they walk in your door.

With this, the World of Stones recommends using wallpaper with minimalist hues or using natural stones to create a more rustic theme in your entryway.

Before your guests can go through other parts of your home, they have to go through your entryway. Make sure that you decorate it in a manner that is as inviting as possible to make a lasting impression. 

Author Bio: Andrew is an NY-based writer who covers DIY home projects, cleaning, and organization. When not writing, he spends his time with his two rescue dogs, Jet and Rocket.

Guest Post - How To Modernize Your Teens Bedroom

When it’s time to turn your teen’s bedroom into a hipper, more modern space, it can seem pretty daunting at first. However, there are plenty of simple and affordable ways to change up the look of a pre-teen bedroom and give it that fresh, updated look that your teen has probably been asking for. 

Planning out all the items you’ll need, curating a complimentary look for all the decor and furniture, and of course, finding the best minimalist approach are all important factors to keep in mind when it’s time for that long-awaited bedroom makeover. 

Get Organized Before You Get Started

Picking pieces and a color palette that will grow with your teen is important for being more minimalist in your makeover as it will last them several years rather than one or two. It might also be helpful to start a design book with fabric and paint swatches so that you don’t end up being tempted by something at the store that ultimately doesn’t fit the space. It’s also a good idea to make bullet points of what your teen wants and needs from their space. Do they want a lot of good lighting? A study area? An area to read a book? A selfie or TikTok station? If you have all this in mind during your makeover, it will be easier to stay on task and really make the most out of your time and money.

Utilize Multi-Use Pieces

It’s no secret that teens like to seclude themselves in their bedrooms in between meals and social events. This means it’s worth considering every area of your teen’s room as you’re remodeling in order to really utilize the entire space. It’s also important to consider your teen’s interests as well as their creative input. This space is for them and while you can steer them away from those less evergreen styles and decor choices, let your teen share their vision and you can work as a team to bring that vision to life. 

With all the changes, you’ll want to still make sure everything in the room flows together to create that optimal and modern-looking space. For teen room makeovers, consider the following: 

• Entertainment Central: Teens likely want a space to entertain their friends, watch movies, and play video games. Finding pieces with multiple functions can help them utilize their space. Try a sleeper couch that can sit guests or turn into a bed for a sleepover. Storage is also important but it can be tricky finding modern-looking options. One option could be modern wood lockers to not only hold and organize their stuff but also revamp their room with a unique twist on typical storage space. This is also an opportunity to give new life to old stuff — whether it comes from the attic or a local consignment store. 

• Creating Atmosphere with Paint and Lighting: Ceilings are often overlooked during makeovers but have a lot of design potential. Paint the ceiling to match the room or be the accent color. Swap out a sterile overhead light with an interesting fixture found at the thrift store. You can also match or contrast the room's color palette by adding window treatments and coordinated throw pillows

• Floor Solutions: Changing the floors in your teen’s bedroom can not only run a high price tag, but there’s no point in replacing them if they’re in good condition. However, rugs do bring an element of personality and can modernize a space easily. Rugs can be costly though, especially the bigger ones. Here, again, is a great time to head to your local thrift store or even check out Facebook marketplace.

Make Way for New Beginnings

When working on modernizing your teen’s bedroom, de-cluttering their space and donating any unnecessary items is a vital first step. It helps give your teen a clean slate, which is important when trying to update the space. Of course, sentimental items such as their first teddy bear or middle school science project don’t have to be tossed out, just consider placing them somewhere safe, but out of the room. 

As any veteran minimalist knows, one of the best decluttering tips is to create a system. This is a perfect chance to sit down with your teen and put together a plan to stay on top of clutter. How often do they need to be getting rid of old clothes? Twice a year? Every three months? If they take a lot of photos or hang onto important mementos like movie tickets, what is the best way to organize them? Pictures frames, photo albums, display boxes? If you can identify what clutter seems to accumulate the most, then you can set up a better system for organizing it. 

Modernizing your teen’s room doesn’t have to be a giant headache. With the right organization, creativity, and minimalist approaches, you can create a rejuvenated space that your teen is sure to enjoy spending all their free time in.

Author Bio: Noah Rue is a freelance writer.