12 Things in Your Home Interior Designers Notice Right Away
Ever wondered what an interior designer would think if they walked through your front door? If you haven’t, maybe you should. Interior designers are ultimately creative problem solvers — they want to transform indoor spaces and make them work seamlessly for the people who live there while making them look great, too.
Sure, on the one hand, aesthetics are highly subjective, yet on the other, design principles such as functionality, accessibility, scale, and craftsmanship are eternal.
If you want to make your home really stack up in terms of aesthetics and practicality, here are the 12 things an interior designer would notice as soon as they walk through your front door.
The Layout
When a designer first visits a client’s home, they always pick out what isn’t working (usually the layout and room function).
If there is construction work to be done, they look for architectural errors that can be fixed, like poorly aligned doorways and oddly placed overhead lighting.
The Arrangement of Furniture
Within minutes of walking into a room, most designers reconfigure the furniture in their head. Nothing drives designers crazier than a sofa against the wall in a large room.
People might have good taste, but they just don’t always know how to arrange the pieces.
The Cushions
More is always better — you don’t want two sad, small cushions looking lonely on your sofa.
The Finishing Touches
Small accents can say a lot.
They’re the little touches that make any space your home, and they signal attitude and glamour, like flowers or foliage by the door, an organized entry, and a well-stocked bar table.
A throw rug can go a long way, too.
The Styling of Shelves
How you organize your books says a lot. Books stacked in piles generally show that no one is reading them and they are there as decorative props.
Let your books breathe and make them accessible. Don’t make every shelf bulge — consider breaking them up with collections that relate to the volumes.
The Detail
We’re talking trims, mouldings, architraves, and other timber detailing on your walls.
Invest in trims and mouldings with perfect proportions that will unify a room and have a big impact on the aesthetics of a space. Cheap mouldings, cheap room.
The Functionality
It’s all about suitability to the people who live in the space.
Design is so personal and ultimately designers know it’s about creating spaces that reflect the people and families who inhabit them.
The clues designers look for? The size of the family, if they entertain, and what’s on their wish list.
The Smell
Candles are great, but there’s nothing worse than being greeted by an overwhelmingly pungent fragrance the minute you enter a home.
We understand that you want to make your home smell amazing but beware of too many candles, a powerful diffuser, or incense — visitors will wonder what you are trying to hide!
The Curtains
It seems like a minor detail, but window treatments are one of the first things designers notice when they walk into a room. Especially gaps.
Hang curtains from the ceiling architraves to the floor to give a room height. Avoid curtains that don’t touch the floor. Choose curtains that are full in shape and have elegant lines
The Bathroom Vanity
Pretty soaps and stacks of fresh, fluffy towels are not only elegant additions to a powder room, but important ones too.
Matching Decor
If everything matches, your home will look like a motel suite. Designers like to have a mix, because it makes your space individual.
The Lighting
Designers don’t like interiors lit up like a football stadium. So choose your lighting design carefully.
If you’re stuck with downlights, they’d prefer you to superglue the dimmer switch to the lowest setting. Soft lighting is magic.
This article originally appeared on our sister site, Homes to Love.
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