Key Steps in Creating a Winning Interior Design
Where do you start when designing a room? A question I get asked a lot. It’s easy if you have a creative mind. I’ve always got ideas swirling around up there. But, if you’re thinking about taking up interior design as a career or just want to design your new home/ revamp an existing room in your house and don’t know where to begin, I have written this one for you…
Layout
I usually start by obtaining an existing floorplan. If I can’t get a hold of one then I measure the room and draw a rough sketch of the layout. I note radiator locations, sockets, windows etc. Anything that’s fixed in place. Remember to measure the height of the ceiling and window dimensions too. I then use an online floorplanner tool to draw the layout to scale. There are lots of free tools available so just use one that you find user-friendly. Note: if you plan to fill a particular space with an item of furniture then measure the distance between the wall and the fireplace, for example, and also measure the width of the fireplace. This also helps with the accurate positioning of these fixtures on your drawing. These tools usually have conventional items that you just drag and drop into your floorplan and then change the dimensions as required.
2D drawing of a plan I completed recently for a client
You can then start to fill the room with furniture. Play around with layouts and think about the flow of the room. Some basic rules to follow are:
Allow enough space to walk around furniture, especially if you need to access curtains, lamps, other rooms etc.
Use rugs to zone off areas, particularly in large rooms, to make it cosy and inviting. Rugs also add texture and warm in a room with wooden floors.
Place the front legs of any seating onto the rug and tables either fully on or fully off the rug.
Create a conversational space by placing seating 4 to 8 feet apart.
Use a variety of seating options and make sure they’re visually balanced. A sofa is likely to be the largest item of furniture in a room, so by placing two armchairs opposite the sofa, it won’t look out of place.
TV’s should ideally be about 7 feet away from the sofa.
If there isn’t enough room to keep a dining set in a position where you’re able to fully pull out chairs, then tuck it into a corner and pull it out when required.
The height of a bedside table should be equal to the height of the mattress. Keep them really close to the side of the bed, otherwise you won’t be able to reach anything that’s on top of it.
Provide plenty of low level lighting to create ambiance.
Sometimes, a home that has been designed by an interior designer, can look too ‘made up’ so remember, it has to be beautiful as well as practical. It is someone’s home at the end of the day.
3D version of the floorplan
Get to know your client
Whether you’re designing for a client or yourself, consider what key objectives you want to achieve with your design. Is storage a priority? Are pets going to be living here? Is the room to be multi-functional i.e. both a lounge and a guest space or a lounge and a study, for example? Make a list of requirements and then start to think of solutions for each point. If your client or your partner has a distinct style then you’ll be able to find inspiration from there. If they’re not sure what they like or are open to suggestions then it helps to find some generic photos of different room schemes and ask which they prefer. Try to choose obvious styles, such a mid-century modern or industrial or shabby chic so that you can clearly define the genre. From there, ask about colours – what are definite no no’s and which colours are preferred. If you’re starting from scratch, find out if you need to source things like crockery, cutlery, towels and a TV. Is there a bed size preference, firmness of the mattress etc.? How many people should the dining table seat?
Establish a budget and a fee plan. Remember, your fee includes making as many site visits as required, a full design service, drawing up floor-plans and layouts, any changes required along the way. Plus, costing the room scheme, delivery management, unpacking and assembling furniture, project management of contractors, time spent tracking and following up orders. There's also the risk of a product being damaged on arrival so time spent resolving those issues is also included.
Window Dressing
Get several quotes from curtain, blind or shutter specialists. Usually, they will arrange a meeting at your house, take measurements, bring samples and give you a quote. There are lots of online services available where you send in your own dimensions and the curtains or blinds are made to measure. Make sure you double check all measurements before sending them in. For this particular project, the client wanted electric blinds. I gathered four separate quotes and looked at so many different varieties of blinds. The rollers for the lounge were the most practical because of the awkward shape of the windows. There was a £3k difference between the cheapest and most expensive quotes. There wasn’t a difference in product and the service was actually better with the cheapest company. So, it goes to show, it’s worth investing the time in obtaining quotes.
In my natural habitat – barefoot and drooling over fabric samples!
Key Items of Furniture
I don’t use moodboards as such. I usually just make a collage in ‘Paint’. I copy and paste photos of key pieces of furniture. I use Pinterest to create a board for each client and I take the main inspiration photos and paste them into Paint too. This helps provide a visual for the client (or your partner) and gives them an insight into your design process.
When it comes to sourcing furniture, it’s useful to have trade accounts. Although, some companies require proof of registration with Companies House and a VAT number. Also, some won’t accept a residential address. I find that these companies usually provide mass-produced furniture that’s made in China and sold in every furniture shop available. Don’t get me wrong, it would be much easier to source everything from one place, get it delivered at once and finish a project very quickly. It’s just lazy design! I prefer to make life hard, haha! Seriously though, I think it’s important to make considered choices. Building relationships with artisans, promoting small-batch products and sourcing locally are all ways in which to achieve this. It stretches out the process but it’s worth the effort in the end.
Things to consider when purchasing furniture:
PEFC or FSC Certification (protect forests and guarantee responsibly sourced timber)
Made of recyclable materials
Handmade products using time-honoured techniques
Upholstery - textiles with flax and hemp fibres have low water consumption and reduced pesticide requirements
The Fur Free Retailer program helps you shop at guaranteed fur-free companies
RDS (Responsible Down Standard), a certification for ethical sourcing of down feathers that safeguards the welfare of ducks and geese
BCI (Better Cotton Initiative), an organisation that promotes better standards in cotton growing and its practices
ICS (Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability), an audit protocol that requires companies to comply with common international labour standards
This sofa is made of PEFC approved wood. The fabric is 100% linen (which comes from the flax plant). The blanket and the floor cushion are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.
Accessories
This is where you can get personal and really add character to a room. Choose pieces that tell a story. If you (or your clients) are whisky lovers – designate a shelf to decanters and pewter whisky labels. If you’re a musician then you could get creative with sheet music or display instruments. If you’re designing a holiday home then consider the surroundings – is it beachy or a cosy hideaway? Try not to go theme-y with this one! Just a nod to these things is sufficient. Cluster accessories into groups of three; odd numbers are naturally more appealing to the eye than even numbers.
These cushions are handmade and dyed with natural dyes
Opt for feather filled cushions. They’re more malleable than synthetic ones and you can karate chop them down the middle for that renowned ‘my house was styled by a pro’ look. Synchronise objects of varying shapes and sizes asymmetrically. For example, balance a tall, large item with a few smaller ones. Nestle the objects together to add visual weight and create layers. A stack of books can help elevate smaller objects. Make displays even more interesting by mixing up the textures. Use elements such as wood, metal and glass.
Pick objects from the same colour palette to pull random items together. Use trays, baskets and bowls to zone pieces together. Use accessories to add a pop of colour. A zesty orange lampshade in a neutral room demands attention. Your background colour (walls, floors, large furniture etc.) should make up around 70% of your design. The secondary colour should make up around 20% (curtains, rugs etc.) and the accent colour around 10% (accessories). Use greenery to add life to a room. Plants also help filter the air, they absorb harmful toxins released from things like cleaning products and new furniture. If you just can’t seem to look after plants or you’re not home often enough then fake ones will still add texture to the room. Plus, some of the fake ones are really convincing nowadays!
Dinnerware can be displayed on a shelf or in a glass cabinet. Even if it’s not on display permanently, don’t overlook it! It is an accessory that is both functional and decorative. You wouldn’t want to drag down the rest of your interior by bringing out the shoddy plates at your next dinner party.
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