Most of us dream of the day when our hard work and savings pay off; the day the agent hands us the keys to our brand new forever home. When you first took the walkthrough, your mind swam with ideas of how the design of the home will fit with new furnishings. Now that you are the proud owner, it’s time to fill in the blanks.
1. Creative Lighting
Effectively making use of natural light sources will not only make a room look bigger, but may also put a dent in utility bills. The issue with vaulted ceilings and natural light is the fact that those rooms tend to get dark quickly as the sunsets.
2. Table/Floor Lamps
As furniture is arranged to create focal points, so to should your choice in lamps. A nice table or floor lamp will create excellent space for reading or facilitate quiet conversations.
3. Ceiling Fixtures
Chandeliers and other ceiling fixtures come in chic designs such as glass and metals. They also have wonderful features that allow you to manipulate the light to brighten up a room for parties or dim them for movie night.
4. Shiny Surfaces
Not only can mirrors assist in making a small room look larger, but they can also bounce light around brightening up the room. The same thing happens when furniture with glossy or metallic finishes are added.
5. Furniture That Lasts
Choosing furniture that fits not only space but your lifestyle will go a long way to making the interior design feel more like home. Another thing to consider would be the health of the home when choosing furniture.
6. Beds and Mattresses
This is the one room in the house that can impact your health the most. After all, no one sleeps on a leather bed. For those with allergies, choosing a hypoallergenic mattress can make the difference between a comfortable night’s sleep and nights filled with stuffy noses.
7. Furniture Coverings
There is one fact that has always been true: cloth furniture can get just plain dirty over time. Unfortunately, it is not just dirt, it is also dust, dust mites, and other allergens that float in through open doors and windows. Furniture coverings can help minimize the effects of these pollutants in your home.
Coverings come in a multitude of sizes and are easy to take care of. It is awfully hard to shampoo the sofa on a weekly basis. When using a covering, that is not an issue.
8. Hardwood vs Carpet
Anyone who has ever lived in cooler climates can attest that there is nothing worse than a cold floor in the middle of the night. Carpets are wonderful to help insulate a room in the winter, but they require a lot of work to keep clean. Regular vacuuming and shampooing will help keep allergens such as pet hair and dander from collecting in the fibers. However, flooring such as hardwood or tile is a lot easier to clean and maintain. This is especially important for households with pets. On carpet, pet hair can tangle up in and clog vacuums.
9. Frames and Wall Hangings
Unlike our grandparents who put everything in the same type and style of frame, millennials are looking for a new way to set up pictures on tables and walls. Neon, which was once considered only for night club signs, has made a comeback.
10. DIY Frames
Not just for art projects anymore. It is a great way to create a small collection of frames to house family photos.
11. Statement Walls
Designing a statement wall is more than splashing a little paint on the walls or lining said wall with a variety of photos. There are plenty of ways to make a statement wall standout in your home. Wallpaper is making more than a splash and the patterns are better than ever.
Take into consideration light sources and the height of ceilings when considering fixtures and wall hangings. You do not want to plan your pictures only to discover that you have more wall than photos. It might take a little doing and a lot of creative thinking, but your dreams of designing your home will come true.
