
TEN INTERIOR DESIGN TIPS TO CREATE YOUR DREAM HOME
INTERIOR DESIGN AND HOME STAGING
Tips you didn’t know you needed.
Create your dream home.
We all know the feeling of walking into someone’s home and just going “WOW”. They nailed it—their home is somehow a space that feels like them, while also inspired and beautiful. Maybe you wished you could live there yourself.
It can be easy to slowly collect furniture and decorations over time, and find yourself with an interior space that is functional, but doesn’t feel like you.
You may have wanted to make a change, but don’t know where to start. If you’re not a designer, the prospect can seem overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put together our top ten tips to design your dream home, so that no matter where your skills lie, you can create a home that you love to be in.

Break out the Pinterest boards.
As excited as you are for redesigning your home, it’s important to start off by preparing. Don’t just rush off and start buying—start by determining your budget, assessing your space, and figuring out what you want your new look to be.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed at this stage, so we recommend creating an inspiration board. Start collecting images of products, room shots, and colour palettes that you would love to have in your new place. Once you have that together, you can get a sense of what your new space will look like and determine if anything doesn’t fit.
Renovations? Nah. Let’s stick to redecorating.
It might be tempting to go after a specific look that you fell in love with online, but if that won’t work in your home, don’t force it. You’ll have a much better result if you embrace the existing layout and use it to your advantage.
Some things to keep in mind are the scale and proportion of rooms, ceiling height, and window and door locations. Use the natural traffic patterns to your advantage and don’t break the flow of movement.

I spy…
Respect and use the room’s obvious focal points. These are the first places your eyes naturally land when you enter a room.
Fireplaces are obvious focal points in rooms, so start there and design outward to create a cohesive look. Other natural focal points are windows (especially with beautiful views outside), built-in shelving, vaulted ceilings, and angled walls. Make sure to emphasize these features.
You can also create your own focal points with artwork or TVs. The goal is to create an easy place for your eyes to rest and then journey around the room. Other ways to create your own focal points are using accent walls, backsplashes, or statement furniture.
Remember to use lighting to help your focal points stand out, and don’t overload one room with too many!
Time to use those Tetris skills.
Matching the correct furniture scale to the room is crucial to avoid making the space look too small or too spacious. Putting giant furniture in a small room will not only waste space, but make the area feel crowded and unfriendly. The opposite can also be a problem, making a room feel too empty, so balance is key.
If you’re working with a small space, try experimenting with mirrors. They are great for adding depth to rooms and creating a larger feel without any structural renovations.

Storage is your best friend.
Use it whenever possible to keep counters and surfaces free of clutter. You should have a place for everything, and work to keep things in their designated location.
Closed in storage not only completely hides clutter, but gives you another surface to show off beautiful decorations. For regularly used items, consider using baskets or something easily accessible so that your item is always easy to access, but not damaging the overall look when not being used. Once you form a routine, it will become easy to put things away after you use them and maintain your ideal look.
Keeping it classy.
One of the simplest ways to create an elevated feel in your home is to bring in natural elements. Natural woods and plants are perfect for making your space feel warm and inviting. Try adding more green to your space, or using nature-themed decorations.
Another elevating trick we highly recommend is investing in art. A beautiful painting or collection will create a more human feeling in your space, as well as adding interest and allowing you to express your style. Surrounding yourself with art that you love is a perfect way to make your home feel truly yours.

Ditch the boring balancing act.
Not everything has to match. A common mistake that people make when doing their own interior design is believing that everything has to be symmetrical. In fact, an overly styled, perfectly matching room can look lifeless. Instead, embrace contrast!
Contrasting colours and textures create visual interest and drama in a space. It gives your eyes a path to move around the room as they scan from one contrasting element to the next, and creates a sense of balance.
A home should feel inviting and friendly, not like a museum. Design doesn’t have to be excessively structured—your home should feel like an extension of yourself.
A breath of fresh air.
Similar to the point above, don’t try to match everything perfectly together. Adding variety in colour, mixing metals and finishes, and using unique and meaningful accessories creates a look and feel that’s far more interesting. When everything is the same, it can feel flat.
A note of caution for this tip—don’t go with wildly contrasting elements, but find options that are different enough while still complementary that they create a unique and fresh look.
We’ve also seen a problem with overly formal layouts of furnishings, which create a static and boring look. Keep it dynamic by layering and not overly styling the space.

Grab all your books, let’s go.
For all the book lovers out there, your bookshelves are a huge asset when it comes to designing your space. You have so much freedom when arranging your shelves, as books can be placed vertically, horizontally, stacked in a pyramid, or positioned in an “L” formation. Using variety on your shelves will create a dynamic and interesting look.
For the health of your books, remember that stacking them vertically is best for the spine. That should be your default with other styles used occasionally to create interest.
Start with placing the books when designing your shelves, and then add other decorative items afterwards. Keep a relatively even mix of open space among the shelves to create breathing room and add display items.
Accessorize
The small details matter just as much as the big ones. Accessories can make or break a space, so pick options that work for your room scale and style. A large space requires large furniture, but add a mix of large and small accessories to keep the space grounded.
On the flip side, make sure to avoid over-cluttering your space with too many objects. It’s a common mistake people make, each time adding just one more thing to a shelf or a table, and suddenly there’s a collection that starts to look messy rather than interesting. Each item should serve a purpose and have a place (and you can swap them out for seasonal updates!).
When creating your own interior design, remember to have fun. The essence of design is about evoking feeling. Don’t forget to experiment. Take risks and try new things!
This is about you—about creating a look and style that you love.