Making Your Space Your Own

In the modern world it is simple and easy to buy generic stuff.  Stores have stock items, this includes anything from furniture to flooring.  These items are usually reasonably prices and as a result they are used for a wide variety of home and workplace improvements. This isn’t a bad thing; however, using stock goods does present a unique challenge.  How do you make your space stand out and what do you do to make an area special?

Floorplan

When it comes to interior design spacing is everything.  You can never measure too many times and it is important to understand how much square footage you are working with.  Additionally, the shape of a room is extremely important.  Understanding this is the key to any quality design.  An undersized or oversized couch can make a break a room.  This can be said for dining room tables and office furniture as well.  You want the furniture to fit and allow the room to flow properly.  A table that is too big can cause logistical problems when you have guests over.  Sure there is plenty of space to sit but there might not be enough room to walk to the seats.  This rule holds true for bedrooms and offices as well.  It doesn’t matter how nice of a desk or bed you have.  If it doesn’t fit it can ruin the room. 

So how do you ensure you purchase the right size product?  Measuring is a great tool however dimensions can be hard to visualize.  There are several solutions to this problem.  The simplest is also the most traditional.  Get yourself a pad of paper and a ruler and make a so scale diagram.  Do not worry if it isn’t perfect, what matter is it is functional.  Additionally, you can save a lot of time and money buy doing this yourself.  People pay designers to solve space problems and there go to tool is floor planning software.  Sure they come up with a beautiful picture that would put your hand drawn layout to shame but your work is just as functional.  If you do not feel comfortable with this approach and you find it difficult to imagine, you can lay out the space prior to moving in or purchasing. A simple role of painters tape is a wonderful tool.  Spend an afternoon in the space you want to design and layout the furniture using tape.  It will give you a feel for how much space is between everything and will allow you to walk around and discover issues.  Finally, if you are still not sure leave the tape in place and get some help.  Our friends and families are always willing to help.

Accessorizing

Once you have your space designed, you buy all the proper furniture and get it moved in and it still looks generic. That is to be expected at first. Sure if you did your layout properly it fits well and looks nice but it lacks that sense of uniqueness you are seeking.  This is where accessorizing is crucial.  There are a number of ways to you can make a statement in a room.  This can be done through rugs, artwork, family photos, or sports memorabilia.  The key to success when accessorizing any room is to have a key color scheme or theme.  An important first step is to pick the color scheme you want. This should encompass the wall color, the floor color, and the furniture color.  You need a scheme that works with all three.  Additionally, you should come up with a style.  Do you want to be more traditional or more modern design?  There is no wrong answer but having traditional furniture with style modern accessories could be a major mistake.   It is okay to blend styles but you must be careful.  You must make sure the colors match, the themes match, and they all coordinate.  Proper décor makes a statement and has a wow factor when you look at it.  If you do not have a consistent theme you run the risk of your space looking cluttered an unorganized.  When accessorizing, do not fear making a statement but be careful not to overdo it.

Making it yours

Everyone wants a picture perfect room.  We want our house to look like the places shown in magazines or on HGTV but we must remember that our space is supposed to be comfortable.  We do not want to spend so much time worrying about what others think that we forgot what we want.  So when designing a space make sure you have your wish list set.  Know what you want and what will make you comfortable in the space.  No matter what you do someone will always think you should have done something differently, do not worry about that.  If you are comfortable and you think your space looks amazing that is all that matters.  In conclusion, do not fear stock products. With the right amount of design effort and accessorizing they can be an affordable solution to any space.  Custom products are nice but they are expensive and they are sometimes overkill.  Let what you want take shape and let the furniture be the notes in your own personal home symphony.