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Interior Design Tips and
How-to Home Decorating Guide


Find my Best Interior Design Tips Here for your Successful Home Makeover...

Are you ready to design a wonderful interior decorating scheme for your home?

It’s normal to feel a little daunted before you start on your new home decor scheme - I always do!

Believe me, there are always plenty of questions...

But don’t worry... I’ll help you find the answers...

I will also share with you a great free tool to help you develop your design...

The best way to get a design that works is to plan it carefully.

That means lots of thinking about:

  • What you've already got in your home
  • What you need
  • What you want
  • What you can afford
  • What suits your home
  • How to get around any problems you've got

Yes it does take a little time, but it's well worth getting things straight in your own mind first...

If you know what you want, you can use this website to find out how to get it...

You can be sure that you aren't wasting your money...

...and that your finished interior design will really work!

Interior design tips - contemporary living room



I like to have a checklist to work through...

It’s what all the professional interior designers do...

And the reason they come up with such great designs...

Print out the following checklist - and use it...

Follow the links in each section.

They'll take you to lots more information about each subject, to help you make your decisions.

If you get stuck, share your interior design worries with me and with other readers...

We'll do our best to help...

If you don't need the full design process, take a look at our 'fast fixes' and 'cheap tricks' to get you started...

Your Interior Design Tips
Checklist



lounge makeover - designer style



Click here for a free printable version of the checklist
Opens in a new window
Pdf format
Adobe reader required

  1. How big is your project going to be? What can you afford?

    Think about your budget

  2. Think about what you want and need - Fill out a simple questionnaire

    This is a free download in Pdf format
    Opens in a new window
    Requires Adobe reader to view

  3. Get inspiration for your design...

    Look at:

  4. Get creative! Come up with your own interior design ideas with a mood board
  5. What feel do you want for your room? What colors do you like?

    Make sure you pick a color that likes your room, too!

    Choose a color

  6. Do you wish your room was bigger? More cozy? Wider?

    Find out some useful interior design tips to help create a more attractive proportion in the room

  7. Don't cram it all in any-old-how!

    Consider layout and arranging the furniture

    Also look at the free interior design software tool, here... to help you with this part

  8. Think about the lighting design
  9. Consider your curtains/blinds and other window treatments.
  10. What about your flooring?
  11. Do you want to use:

  12. Further considerations:

  13. Make sure you get the design looking good...

    Check out this really great free interior design software tool, here...

    Create a sample board

  14. Go shopping ........ yipppeeeeee! (Don’t forget to keep your budget in mind)
  15. Decide on the order of works
  16. Do it!! ... or better still get someone else to do it for you (yes please)

Click here for a free printable version of the checklist
Left click to view in your browser
Right click to download
Pdf format
Adobe reader required

Pssst! If you can't be bothered with the whole design process, take a look at our fast fixes and on a budget ideas for more help...

Make sure you also check out the pages on the rest of the website for more great interior design tips, on how to make your interior design work for you.



Room by Room

Follow the above interior design tips for your basic interior design process...

...but also check out specific hints and tips depending on which room you are planning...

Choosing a Style or Theme

Look at the different styles...

Get inspired by lots of pretty pictures in my gallery pages

If you have an older property check out the section on period properties.

If contemporary design is just your thing, see what's new in interior design - in the section on hot new trends and contemporary interior design ideas.

interior design tips and styles



Free Interactive Design Tool

Interior designing is easy with my recommended tool. Check out what it is and exactly how to use it on my page here...

Real Room Inspiration

Ask for help with your own design project...

Or just browse other people's ideas for inspiration...

Stuck for Ideas!

Give or Get Great Interior Design Advice...

If you ask for help with your room ideas, pay it back, and give someone else some help with their inspiration too.

Look below to read problems and ideas from other visitors to this site...

Submit your own questions, comments and ideas - all welcome here...

So, Are you Stuck for Ideas...?

While I always make every effort to answer your questions, I'm sorry but sometimes not all submissions will receive a response.

To improve the chances of your submission being included in the website, please let me know as much information as possible about your current interior decor, and what your problem is.

Which room do you need help with?

Real Readers' Interior Design Projects

Get interior design advice and inspiration with these interior design Q&As...

See what problems other readers have been dealing with, and what help and advice they got...

Can you help someone else with ideas and inspiration for their decorating project?

It doesn't need to be detailed or complicated, just share any thoughts or ideas about the rooms.

Click on the links below to see the rooms, the questions, and the answers, that other visitors have posted to this page...

Crown molding and base-boards  starstarstarstarstar
Question - can I use crown moulding with low ceilings?

Currently my ceilings are painted the brightest whitest white I could find; the walls are a ...

Small guest bedroom - getting it right!  starstarstarstarstar
Hi Charlotte,

I'm back again. Have changed a few ideas from my original design query , so I will start from the beginning.

Have now got 2 white ...

Mamma Mia inspired interior design in sunroom/conservatory  starstarstarstarstar
The sun-room/conservatory is 4mx3m, 1 wall is a beige brick the others are wooden. With a large double door and window in 1 wall, the other wall has two ...

North-facing bedroom/sitting room  starstarstarstarstar
I have a small North facing room which I have emptied of everything, I would like it as a little snug, and guest bedroom. All I have at at moment is a ...

Hollywood Glamour  starstarstarstarstar
Hi, my name is Tracey, I am creating a 1940's Hollywood Glamour in silver and blacks and greys and touch of white. I am getting stuck in trying to keep ...

Victorian ideas for a rental  starstarstarstarstar
I live in a rental and can't paint the walls but I can paint the trim, for it's easy to repaint if moving.

I love the Victorian look and have gotten ...

An outdoor feeling in an apartment  starstarstarstarstar
One of the walls in my living room is a large window which overlooks a lake and other apartments. It faces South. It gets a lot of sun.

Sometimes I ...

Open plan living space  starstarstarstarstar
Help,
I live in a 1800 square foot room and I am going to install a bathroom and shower and bathroom sink in it

I need ideas on how to get the most ...

Mixing Indian and minimalist styles  starstarstarstarstar
Hi, I'm from (Kolkata) India, a southern hemisphere country. The climate here is very much hot & wet. The night is more desirable than day during 9 months ...

Designing a language lab with a Moroccan theme  starstarstarstarstar
Hi everybody. I could really use some help on this project. I'm trying to design and build a room, which is currently empty, into a Starbucks-ey type ...

Spa Home Decor  starstarstarstarstar
I have a little spa in my house - no idea how to make it comfortable and elegant.

Thanks

Small Studio Apartment  starstarstarstarstar
I moved in to this smaller than usual studio apartment,my problem is how do arrange my shoes and clothes in the room and still keep everything clean.

What ...

Room for a Writer  starstarstarstarstar
This room is for a writer. It was a private space for them. In this room that have work area, rest area, collection(mini library) and maybe some storage ...

Entry/Foyer interior design ideas  starstarstarstarstar
First I would like to say, I'm on the traditional side. My foyer is as such.. to the right of the front door has space to put a table, straight ahead of ...

Entrance hall with an indoor plant box  starstarstarstarstar
An old fashioned (1980s) entrance hall with facebrick plant box currently planted with synthetic plants!

I have a couple of ideas:

1) Fill the plant ...

Old fashioned apartment ideas  starstarstarstarstar
I'm moving into an older apartment in which all the cabinetry, fireplace, etc are old fashioned.

Such as the fireplace is a traditional old red brick ...

Have just purchased a flat that is dark...  starstarstarstarstar
I have just purchased a flat that is dark...

It has an outside area off the lounge and a balcony off the bedroom. It is an end villa and dark inside....

Office/Meditation/Yoga Room  starstarstarstarstar
Your site is VERY nice.

I just need to know if you have any design ideas or plans for an office/meditation/yoga room.

I am moving and have a 14x16 ...

1st floor living room, kitchen woodwork and floors  starstarstarstarstar
We have a new addition to our house which will have a great room, living room, kitchen and powder room.

We want hardwood floors throughout. We also ...

How to furnish an L-shaped room  starstarstarstarstar
I have an L-shaped sunroom that I can't figure out how to furnish. The bottom part of the L is about 15 ft long.

It has a wood stove in the middle ...

Country cabin or wildlife feel ... any ideas?  starstarstarstarstar
Just purchased used 1800 sq ft double wide mobile home with cathedral ceilings.

Hunter green carpet throughout, except kitchen.

Want a country,...

Interior Design Help for Hallway Please  starstarstarstarstar
Hi. Just came upon your site. It is great and I have added it to my favorites.

I have a painting project for my hallway, which goes upstairs to ...

More Q&A - Stuck for Interior Design Ideas  Not rated yet
Read more questions from readers who were stuck for interior design ideas for their home. See how we helped with interior design advice, and ask your own question, here, too...

Loft Apartment Interior Design Ideas  Not rated yet
I just recently obtained a 2nd story loft with 2000 sqaure feet. It is currently not modern and looks like an old loft from the 60's

Need some design ...



More Reader Projects

See what other interior design projects other readers have got on at the moment...

Leigh wants some ideas for decorating a new home

Valerie wants ideas to liven up a plain white room

Look at more real home decorating projects - or share your own...

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You might also like:

How to Interior Design

How to Design

Color Workshop

Color Workshop

Layout

Room Layout

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GET THE BOOKS

Paperback and E-book versions available


Click here for more info

Interior Design It Yourself Book Volume 1
Interior Design It Yourself
Vol. I: Back to Basics

Available as:

Paperback Book

E-book Version - Save 47%

Bonus Edition E-book - Save 30%

Click here for more info about Vol I

Interior Design It Yourself Book Volume 2
Interior Design It Yourself
Vol. II: Room by Room

LAUNCH DATE: 1st Feb 2012

Available as:

Paperback Book

E-book Version - Save 65%

Click here for more info about Vol. II

Interior Design It Yourself Book Volume 3
Interior Design It Yourself
Vol. III: Styles by Design

NOT YET AVAILABLE - COMING SOON

Click here for more info about Vol. III

Interior Design It Yourself - Perfect Personality Palettes
Interior Design It Yourself
Perfect Personality Palettes

Available as:

E-book Version - Save 44%

Click here for more info about 'Perfect Personality Palettes'

Interior Design It Yourself - Volume I - Bonus Edition Ebook
Interior Design It Yourself
Vol. I Bonus Edition

Available as:

E-book Version - Save 30%

Click here for more info about the Bonus Edition

The Books - Out Now!

Click here for more about the books