Interior Design Basics: 5 Interior Design Tips for Beginners

 

What Is Interior Design?

Interior design is a profession that focuses on architecture and space planning, creating cohesive and aesthetically pleasing designs for home interiors and businesses. Professional interior designers require focused schooling and formal training.

The Basics of Interior Design: 3 Design Principles

When getting started with your designs, there are a few interior design basics to keep in mind:

1. Style. Selecting an interior design style in the beginning will help you keep your space cohesive and focused. There are plenty of decorating styles to choose from—like shabby chic, Tuscan, mid-century modern, industrial, Scandinavian, or farmhouse—and many of them come with their own, unique design elements, color schemes or color palettes, window treatments, floor plans, and even styles of wall-art. Acquaint yourself with several different styles, including what design trends are popular right now, to get a taste for what styles and decorating ideas you like.
2. Focal point. Each room should have a focal point: an interesting or beautiful piece—such as a piece of art, a fireplace, or a nice couch—that draws viewers’ attention. Take care not to go overboard here: if you have too many focal points in a living space, it will start to feel overpowering and unfocused.
3. Balance. To achieve balance in every room, you’ll need to distribute the visual weight of your furniture and accents. Consider scale (large and small items), texture (hard and soft items), and position (high, eye-level, and low placement, and left and right placement). If you pay attention to subtle contrasts in a single space, you’ll be able to create rooms that feel complete and balanced.