Planning an Interior Design For a House
Home interior designs often have multiple functions and require many things to work correctly. For example, a music room might need storage for instruments and their accessories, seating and a space to practice, etc.
It is important to consider all of these factors when planning the design of a house interior. Here are some tips for doing so:
Design a Mood Board
A mood board is a useful tool for organising interior design ideas, especially when it comes to creating a cohesive and coherent look. There are a lot of different elements to consider when designing a space: colours, textures, furniture, and so on. Mood boards allow you to see how all of these aspects work together, and they can also be helpful in communicating your vision to your team or clients.
To create a mood board, start by collecting images that inspire you. This can include anything from photographs to magazine clippings. You can even use online tools to help you find visual inspiration, like Designspiration. Ideally, the images you select should represent the general theme or aesthetic that you want to achieve in your space.
It’s also important to pay attention to the texture of the imagery you choose. For example, rough paper feels disruptive while smooth marble feels clean and elegant. Whether you’re creating a digital or physical mood board, make sure to include a range of different textures that can communicate the desired vibe of your project.
Once you’ve finished your mood board, it’s a good idea to ask for feedback from others. This will ensure that your design is heading in the right direction and that everyone on your team or client understands the overall concept.
Decide on a Colour Palette
Once you’ve determined what kind of mood you want the room to evoke, it’s time to start picking out colors. This is often easier than you think, especially if you’re using existing finishes. For example, if you have a green marble fireplace or herringbone wood floors you want to keep, they’ll likely fall into your favored color palette automatically.
For walls, try to stick with three colors or less. Less than that can feel too matchy-matchy, and more than five may overwhelm a space. Generally, you can use a neutral as the background and then select a bolder color to add in the form of paint or decor.
The next step is to choose a color scheme that’s consistent across the entire room (if you’re doing an open floor plan). To do this, start with the dominant wall color and then select tints of that shade to use for accent walls and other elements in the room. Analogous color schemes – ones that use shades from either side of a specific color on the wheel – are particularly easy to work with, as they provide natural contrast without too much variation in hue.
Once you have your color palette, experiment with how it looks in the actual room, as lighting can dramatically change how a color will look. Also, don’t forget to get paint samples of each color. If you’re using a paint store, ask them to print the color mixing information on the back of each sample so you can easily re-create it in a future painting.
Select the Objects and Furniture
If you’re planning an interior design for a house, one of the most important decisions to make is what furniture and decorative elements to select. This is what will set the tone for the space, so it’s important to make a clear list of the desired objects. This will guide the designer when sourcing pieces, and will help ensure that you don’t exceed your budget.
Another consideration when selecting the objects and furniture is the style of the home. Many homeowners prefer a mix of styles, which can create an interesting and unique look. For example, industrial homes may feature structural elements like bare brick and beams, while juxtaposing them with softer and sleeker furnishings. Using the right balance of contrasting elements is key to successful home interior design.
It’s also a good idea to look at the lighting conditions in a room. The natural light can drastically affect the way that certain materials (e.g. wood) look throughout the day.
You can also use a home-design app to help you plan your layout. These apps will allow you to plug in the dimensions of your rooms, and then use the furniture builder to place virtual pieces on a floorplan and see how they will work. This can be a great tool for visualizing your design ideas before you start making any physical purchases.
Plan the Layout
Before anything can be added to a room, the layout of the space needs to be carefully planned. This includes the positioning of furniture, appliances and fixtures as well as ensuring that all the different elements are properly balanced and in harmony with each other. Ideally, the layout should also incorporate elements of negative space in order to make the elements that are included ‘sing’ and prevent the scheme from becoming too overcrowded or cluttered.
It is essential that all the necessary dimensions are recorded in the space planning stage, especially the length of interior walls. This can be done by measuring along the baseboard and noting the measurement at each corner, taking into account doorways and even doorless entry ways. This will help ensure that the design can be carried out within the existing structure of the house.
Finally, it is important to consider the intended room usage when planning the layout. This will require asking important questions such as what the room is intended for, how many people will be using it at one time, if any reclining furniture or sofabeds are required, and so on.
Once the layout has been planned, it is a good idea to test out the design with some sample furniture, decor and other items. This will help the client to decide if the final scheme meets their goals and requirements. Foyr Neo is a great online interior design software tool to use for this purpose. With this software, it is possible to create photorealistic 4K renders of a room layout so that the client can see how their dreams will become reality.