Couple moving into a new space, carrying a canvas and a potted plant, highlighting basic interior design rules for a fool-proof redecorating plan.

Redecorating your home can be both exciting and daunting, especially if you're aiming for a flawless result. Whether you're refreshing a single room or overhauling your entire space, following a few basic interior design rules can ensure a cohesive and stylish outcome. From balancing color schemes to selecting the right furniture proportions, these guidelines can transform your decorating approach. The expert team at Star Furniture has compiled ten essential design rules to help you create a fool-proof redecorating plan. Let's dive into these key principles to elevate your interior design game.

1. Understand Your Space

Whether this is your first time redesigning a space or you're a seasoned pro, it's important to understand the space you're revamping before you buy furniture. Taking the time to assess the room you're working with will help you make the most of its aesthetic and functional potential. Finding the answers to certain questions can help create a clear vision of how you'd like the space to look and feel. Some practical questions to ask yourself include:

  • What is the purpose of the space?
  • Is it a place that will be used for a specific activity, such as working from home, or something more flexible, such as entertaining?
  • How would you like the layout of the space to flow?
  • Is it an area that will experience heavy foot traffic, such as a room that will be primarily used by you or your immediate family, such as a bedroom?

Once you've determined how you'd like to use the space, be sure to measure it and take note of any architectural features that could influence where furniture goes, such as a fireplace. If the space includes a unique or challenging feature, consider highlighting it so that it benefits the end result, such as painting a slanted ceiling an accent color or making an oversized window the focal point of the space.

2. Choose a Cohesive Color Palette

The colors that you choose to incorporate in your living spaces will set the tone for the ambiance of your entire home. While you may be tempted to use your favorite colors in a particular space, doing so may not create the home decor style or atmosphere you're striving for. With this in mind, it's important to choose colors that will complement each other, suit the room's function, and bring to life a cohesive look. When in doubt, you can't go wrong with choosing a neutral color scheme or shades that you'd find in nature, such as blue, green, and tan. 

Fortunately, you don't have to be an experienced designer to decorate with color like one. A simple rule of thumb to guide you through the process is the 60-30-10 color rule. This approach entails using a primary color for 60 percent of the room, a secondary color for 30 percent of it, and an accent color for the remaining 10 percent. An example of this would be adorning your living room in shades of cream (primary color), followed by light blue pieces (secondary color), and a few pops of coral (accent color). Of course, the percentages don't have to be precise, but the rule gives you a general idea to build upon as you choose furnishings and accessories. 

3. Balance Proportion and Scale

The style of the furniture you incorporate in your home is an important factor to consider when redecorating, but it's not the only factor that will influence the space's impact. The pieces you welcome into your living spaces should be the appropriate scale for the room's size and layout. Pieces that are too large can make the room feel small and crowded, while pieces that are too small can get lost and cause the room to feel off. It's best to choose a few furnishings that fit comfortably within a space while still providing plenty of room to walk around without bumping into things.

This is also worth keeping in mind when you're deciding where to position your furniture. Furnishings should be arranged in a way that suits the needs of the room while promoting effortless flow from one space to the next. 

Star’s pro tip: If you'd like to make a bold statement with your furnishings while prioritizing balance and flow, consider pairing pieces of different sizes and shapes. For instance, a round dining table could be a lovely addition to your dining room while making it feel more spacious.

4. Layer Lighting for Ambiance

One of the most basic interior design mistakes that homeowners commonly make is not properly arranging their light sources. It's true that selecting light fixtures that look fabulous can enhance the visual intrigue of a space, but your lighting journey shouldn't end there. Furnishing your home to look like it was decorated by an interior designer is as simple as learning how to layer your light sources.

There are three types of lighting: ambient, task, and accent. Incorporating a combination of the three into your living spaces can help you achieve an inviting ambiance while maximizing the functionality of your home. Ambient, or overhead, lights should be attractive while catering to the needs of the space. For instance, warm overhead lighting would be lovely in a bedroom but impractical in a kitchen where you need to see clearly. Task lights should be positioned in a space that makes the room more functional, such as a table lamp by your bed to make reading more convenient.

Finally, accent lights enhance the overall aesthetic of the space and can be used to highlight focal points, such as wall art. Once you've successfully layered the lights in a space, you won't believe how much better the room looks and feels.

Stylishly decorated living room with a modern chair, geometric coffee table, and wall art, showcasing basic interior design rules for a fool-proof redecorating plan.

5. Prioritize Functionality

Who cares how good a room looks if it's not functional? The most inviting spaces are the ones that are designed in a way that makes spending time in them a pleasure. With this in mind, it's important to prioritize functionality when designing any area of your home. One way to accomplish this is to choose furniture and decor that serves both aesthetic and practical purposes. For example, a bench in your entryway that includes built-in storage or swivel chairs at your kitchen bar that can be used in an adjoining room.

Prioritizing functionality is sometimes easier in some rooms than in others. For rooms that can be tricky to make sense of, such as ones with an open concept, creating zones for different activities can help. This can be done by dividing the room into smaller sections that are distinguished by furniture arrangements, such as a conversation set in one area and a dining set in another. While focusing on different activities between the areas is good, it's also important to balance style and function by choosing furnishings for each zone that complement the pieces in the other ones, including the same colors, materials, and finishes. The result will be a space that feels cohesive and balanced.

6. Incorporate Texture and Patterns

The secret to curating living spaces that pop with personality and warmth is texture. While it may not be the first thing you notice when walking into a stylish space, thoughtful textures and patterns help make a room feel alive. Incorporating texture into your home is easier than you might think. They can be added through a variety of accessories, including upholstered furnishings, rugs, curtains, pillows, and other decor. Not every accessory has to have a distinct texture but incorporating a few that do can instantly add depth and interest to the space. 

Star’s pro tip: Bring in pieces that have different types of texture, such as a chunky throw blanket paired with silk accent pillows. Like texture, patterned pieces help spaces feel more interesting. If a room is lacking pattern, bring in a wall hanging, accent chair, or curtains that can act as a focal point while promoting visual flow.

7. Create a Focal Point

Every well-designed room has a focal point. You might not recognize it immediately, but it's the element in the room that grounds everything else. In some spaces, the focal point is a natural feature, such as a large window or architectural feature. In other spaces, you can create a focal point with statement furniture or a bold piece of art. Once you've established what you'd like the focal point of the space to be, you can arrange the other furnishings and decor around it. For instance, if you'd like to make a painting of flowers the focal point of a room, you can do so by positioning it in a prominent location, such as the center of the main wall. Then incorporate furniture and accessories that complement the colors and textures of the painting, such as table lamps and throw pillows. While creating a focal point may seem like a straightforward process, there's one decorating blunder that should be avoided: creating multiple focal points. Rather than enhancing one another, too many focal points will compete with one another, causing the space to feel busy and chaotic.

8. Add Personal Touches

The best living spaces are the ones that feel personal. When redecorating an area of their homes, some homeowners can become so focused on making the space look good that they forget to make it reflect themselves. A personalized home is an inviting home. With this in mind, don't be afraid to adorn your living spaces with items that mean something to you. Personal items that could easily be used to elevate your living spaces include personal collections, artwork, photographs, and family heirlooms. If you're worried about displaying your personal items in a way that looks stylish, think about how you can combine new decor with meaningful pieces. This will help make the look feel cohesive. Additionally, you don't have to go overboard with personal items to make the space feel unique. You can incorporate your personal style with a few meaningful pieces without cluttering the space with too many knick-knacks.

9. Edit and Declutter

Nothing ruins a stylish room faster than clutter. Too many pieces in a space won't only make it look messy but can also make the room feel smaller than it is. One common misconception that some homeowners have is that if furniture or decor matches the room that they're in, then they belong there. This isn't always the case. In many cases, having fewer pieces in a space will make it look better than having too many. If a room feels off but you aren't sure why, consider paring down the existing furniture and decor. Likewise, it's a good idea to leave plenty of free space on the floor and surfaces in the room to help it feel open and spacious. Giving every item a proper home and incorporating storage solutions can make it easier to keep the clutter at bay. 

10. Plan for Flexibility

Whether you realize it or not, life is always changing. Your living spaces should evolve with your ever-changing needs. Luckily, you don't have to redecorate every time you pick up a new hobby or change up your routine. By designing your home with flexibility in mind, your living spaces can easily transition to meet your updated needs and style. A great way to create a home that can withstand the test of time is to decorate with timeless furnishings. Avoiding pieces that are overly trendy will help your living spaces feel comfortable and chic for years to come, even when the current trends shift. Additionally, it's helpful to invest in furniture that can be used in a variety of spaces. For instance, a sleeper sofa may be useful in your living room for a while but it can also be a comfortable addition to your spare bedroom in the future.

Embrace Fool-Proof Decorating with the Help of the Star Furniture Design Team

Home decorating should be an experience that is personal and fun. Just because you may not have much experience in interior design, doesn't mean you can't decorate your home like a pro. By creating a plan, using the right colors and lighting, and keeping clutter at bay, you won't believe how polished and stylish every area of your home will be in no time. For everything you need to bring your dream home to life, Star Furniture is here to help. Stop by one of our trusted furniture stores or visit us online to get started on your fool-proof decorating adventure today.

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