How to Give a Room a Designer Look

A well-designed room can be a showpiece in the home.

In order to give a room a designer look, several different things must be included. Anyone can design a room, but professional interior decorators often take things to a whole other level. The finished result is typically very well pulled together and gives the impression that a lot of money was spent on the room. With the right design elements, attention to detail and careful work, anyone can give a room a designer look without spending a lot of money.

Instructions

1. Find your design inspiration. The vast majority of interior designers begin their rooms with one unique item that inspires them. This can be anything from a decor object to a vibrantly colored throw pillow to a piece of artwork. Anything that inspires you can be used for your design inspiration. This piece should be used as the foundation for your design and should be placed prominently within the finished room.

2. Study interior design techniques. Studying the work of other designers can serve as inspiration. Read through design magazines and look at finished rooms online. Each room you see can help you formulate the ideas that you want to incorporate into your own room.

3. Begin with the walls. The walls are a very important component of the design of a room. This is the blank canvas that will begin to bring the room together. Choose your colors wisely if painting. While trendy colors may be all the rage, you may end up hating them in a very short period of time. Choose colors that not only blend with your chosen design for the room but also the rest of your house.

4. Add window treatments. After the walls, the window treatments are the next important step in giving a room a designer look. There are many different options including draperies, blinds, Roman shades, sheers and curtains. It is important to consider your design theme when adding window treatments. For example, a contemporary room would go well with blinds, a traditional room might have velvet draperies and a casual room would work well with Roman shades.

5. Bring in designer flooring options. Floors are often overlooked during the design process. If you will not be changing the current floor coverings, consider adding a rug to further bring the design together. If you are going to change the flooring material, once again consider your design theme and your budget before making your selection.

6. Arrange the furniture. Once the walls, windows and floors are done, it's time to begin arranging your furniture. Consider the focal point in the room and arrange your furniture around this point. Try several different configurations before deciding which one is right for the room.

7. Add decor objects. The last step in giving a room a designer look are the decor objects. There shouldn't be an overabundance of these objects in a room since they can make a room feel cluttered. Less is more in this instance. Your original design inspiration should be at the center of your design to bring the entire room together.

References

• Home Designing: Classy Living Rooms
• Digs Digs: New Modern Living Room Furniture