Starting an interior design project can be quite overwhelming, especially when you don't know where to start. We've broken the process down so you can plan your design with ease.
Step 1: Understand your space
Understanding your space is a key part of the interior design process. What do you require from each room? Maybe an open plan kitchen, living and dining room or just a new kitchen refit.
A good place to start with this is by creating a Pinterest board. This way you can save all the ideas you like in one place. It can be helpful to look for designs with similar room dimensions and proportions to the one you are designing.
Another thing to consider when you are designing is the solar orientation. The way that your room faces will effect the way that light enters your room. For example rooms that face south will get the most consistent amount of light throughout the day. This may be useful when deciding on a colour scheme as you might want to avoid using darker colours in north facing rooms as they do not tend to get a lot of direct natural lighting.
Step 2: Creating a budget
The next step of the design process is setting a budget. Your budget will vary depending on the scale of your project. Are you having a new kitchen fitted, or just redesigning your living room? Think about what new furniture you require for each room.
The main features to consider when pricing up your project are:
Furniture
Accessories - cushions, curtains, rugs etc
Paint, wallpaper, new flooring.
Electrical - such as light fittings, switches and plug sockets
You will also need to work out the cost of labour for your builders, electricians, plumbers, painters/decorators and architect etc. Step 3: Developing your ideas Once you have developed your ideas via a Pinterest mood board and have a rough budget in mind you can start sourcing your kitchen or whatever furniture and fittings you need for your project. This is best completed by a professional as they can project manage as well as product 3D visuals and floor plans to help you better understand your space. You may also need to plan for new electrical features, such as new light fittings, and the location of new plugs sockets and switches. However, this is something that your architect will be able to assist you with.
Step 4: Choosing your materials and finishes When choosing your furnishings and materials it is always a good idea to refer back to the mood board you created on Pinterest so you have an idea of what design style you have chosen. A useful rule to keep in mind when choosing a colour scheme is the 60, 30, 10 rule: 60% - This will be the most dominant colour. For things such as walls, sofas and large, main furniture pieces. 30% - This is the secondary colour. For example, curtains, feature wall and side chairs/tables 10% - This is the accent colour, for throws, cushions, decorative accessories and artwork. Using our mood board as an example; The 60% is the white which is being used for the majority of the walls, as well as the kitchen counters and the backsplash. This also includes some of the larger furniture items like the kitchen cabinets and the sofa. The 30% is the grey which is for the feature wall and the dining table chairs and curtains. The 10% is the accent colour which is the copper. This is used for some of the accessories such as the cushions, plant pots and even the tap in the kitchen.
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