There is an artist in each one of us when it comes to home decoration.
Shelley Little , who shares her ideas on the design and architecture magazine FresHome, thinks that while homeowners have inspired ideas when it comes to their home design, they might not have the means or skills to put them together or there may be too many of these ideas and they don't know how to narrow them . And this is where an interior decorator comes in. Little advises also that while interior decorators are a great source of concepts and can very well put those ideas to motion, interior designing is a business and there are certainly tricks to the trade that the designers will not share with you, unless for a certain fee. But Kelsey Kloss spilled some of these tricks on Reader's Digest.
1. Throw pillow equation
As an accent to your couch, place two 20-inch-square pillows with matching bold pattern in the corners. Overlap them with two 16-inch pillows in a coordinating solid color then add one lumbar pillow with a subtle pattern (like a pinstripe) for balanced design.
2. Artwork at the right height
Most often people hang artwork too high .When there is too much space between a piece of furniture and an artwork, the eyes rest on the empty space between these two pieces. You should place a piece so its bottom is only between three to eight inches above a furniture, lower for large pieces and slightly higher for small pieces.
3. Re-arranged bookshelves
Arrange 60 percent of the books vertically and 40 percent horizontally on the shelves. This brings balance, spontaneity and can even show off the back of the bookshelf if lined with a decorative fabric. Horizontal books should be lower than vertical ones. For vertical books that are 12 inches tall, place three to four books horizontally up to four inches high. Add green plants, but not flowers, for a soft look.
4. Correct mirror placement
Put the mirror centered at about 57 inches high. This eye level is easy and strain-free for most people. For an illusion of more space, mount a mirror opposite a window to bounce light.
5. Rug arrangement
The size of the rug will be your basis on how furniture should be arranged around it. For an eight-by-ten-foot rug, put the sofa and chairs so that the front legs of each are somewhere on the rug but the back legs are not. With a five-by-eight-foot rug, keep the sofa completely out, but still place the front legs of the chairs on it. For a large family room, use two rugs to create two separate living areas.
6. Dining table measured
Make sure to get a table that is wider than 36 inches. This gives enough room to eat, even when the center of the table is filled with serving dishes and centerpieces. Consider a round table if you have limited space. It fits well into a small corner and offers more eating space since it has no edges.
7. Go-to color scheme
When choosing color, assign 60 percent of the room a dominant color, 30 percent a secondary color, and 10 percent an accent color. This may be translated to dominant color for the walls, secondary color for the upholstery and accent color for the floral arrangement or pillows. Frame the nice view outside your home by painting the interior window trims with a dark color.
8. Coffee table measurement checked
As couch seats today are usually about 20 inches high for easy sitting and standing, the ideal coffee table is 15 to 20 inches tall. Place it 18 inches from the sofa. This gives enough space for lounging and walking around the furniture. Pick a coffee table that is two thirds wide as the sofa.
