Home Design Tips for Beginner Designers

Many treat renovation as a stressful period, associating it with sleepless nights and worries. So, you may be wondering if it can become a joyful stage of life. And we are sure that it’s possible! Indeed, with the right strategy, you can come up with a stunning result.

Luckily, in the information age, technology doesn’t stand still, so cool online solutions will definitely make the whole process easier for you. With our step-by-step guide, you will be saved from losing yourself in numerous design tasks.

Choose the Concept

A design project usually involves fresh ideas. However, there’s never a new fashion, but it’s old. Therefore, study as many references as possible to pick what suits you the most. Save photos, read about different styles, and pay attention to the design wherever you are, be it a cafe or an art gallery.

But we warn you: choosing stunning pictures and studying magazines can drag you so much that you can completely forget about your to-do list. Luckily, this problem is quickly resolved! If you think, WritePaper just go online, and you will quickly find the right authors. Let the professionals do their job while you focus on what’s more important at this very moment.

And now, let’s get back to design. Here are a few styles that you should certainly know about.

• Minimalism is a perfect solution for small apartments and tiny rooms. First, it helps create an impression of large free space. Second, you will need just a few colors and a basic minimum of furniture.
• If you want to see what the future has in store, begin studying hi-tech. It implies a large number of highlights, neon, and strict forms. Professionals usually combine high-tech with more relaxed approaches, like eco-style or neoclassic. Otherwise, there is a chance to get an office instead of a cozy bedroom. Add wooden floors and living plants to a rigorous hi-tech space, and you get something truly welcoming yet modern.
• Many of us literally grew up watching the movie adaptations of Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, often seeing 18^th and 19^th-century interiors on screen. We aren’t suggesting that you turn your apartment into a castle, but a little inspiration won’t hurt. Actually, this is how the style called neoclassicism appeared.

It’s characterized by elegance, pretentiousness, and nobility. However, the traditions of the past must be skillfully combined with today’s trends. For example, luxurious furniture will still look great in a room with plain walls and simple large windows.

Take Room Measurements

For a novice designer, this is the most important part of the job. With incorrect measurements, even a small miscalculation will result in a huge problem. In addition, after measuring the dimensions of the apartment, you’ll clearly see whether you can implement your idea.

Even though you may have an official plan for the apartment, don’t rely on it fully. The rooms could be rounded off or even changed by former tenants. Thus, a good layout requires accurate data.

Basically, you’ll need to measure:

• the length of each wall;
• the height of ceilings;
• windows (their height and width, as well as measurements from the floor to the window sill and from the highest point of the window to the ceiling);
• the height and width of the doors;
• the thickness of all structures (walls, partitions, and ceilings).

After careful measurements, make a schematic drawing of the layout and add dimensions to it. Also, see where the sun rises and which rooms will be more light. And the key part is finding out whether you can make serious changes in your apartment, say put up interior walls.

Create a Drawing

If you are comfortable doing everything by hand, then sketch out the drawing on paper. And be sure to follow the scaling rules.

However, more and more designers give up these methods in favor of online interior modeling tools. They allow you to create a 2D or 3D model of the room by entering the already known parameters and communications. Some of the most popular programs are Planner 5D, ArchiCAD, and HomeStyler. You don’t even have to download them – just complete the project online and save it.

Check Communications and Sockets

Before thinking through the decor and arranging the furniture, mark the places for sockets, lamps, and circuit breakers. When choosing places for outlets, think through where TV, kitchen appliances, and other devices will be. Well, now you see that the number of details to keep in mind is truly big!

At this stage, decide whether you will insulate the apartment and make stretch ceilings. In fact, any renovation starts with installing them. After that, you can proceed to buy finishing materials and furniture.

Create the Design Itself

Even though you are working on a design project on your own, you’ve got amazing assistants. In the programs we mentioned earlier, there are catalogs with furniture, finishing materials, decor, and lighting elements. You can go for ready-made ones or upload the necessary furniture to the library once you find its 3D model on the Internet.

When it comes to furniture, never underestimate experimenting and arranging it in different ways. After placing all the elements, study the completed model from different sides. There will certainly be unnecessary details, dark corners, and gray areas. Thus, correct them as it’s not too late!

Make an Estimate

At the final stage, you need to decide on the number of materials. We advise you to draw up a separate estimate for each room. This way, it will be more convenient to count materials and pick them up later in the store.

If you are tired of writing everything down by hand, use the already mentioned ArchiCAD computer program. It analyzes the entered data and calculates the required amount. Therefore, the result is a ready-made estimate that the tool made for you.

Most likely, you will spend more than you planned. After all, you need to take into account the costs of DIY projects and various accessories. They certainly add sophistication to your house by highlighting your taste and reflecting your personality.

To Wrap It Up

Creating any design requires not only a unique vision but also a lot of patience. You will need to work with drawings and numbers, which requires focus and dedication. However, the result won’t keep you waiting, and it will be more pleasant to realize that you did everything yourself!