As we flip through the pages of interior design magazines, we can’t help but wonder about what it takes to evolve and update our own living spaces. Aside from budget restrictions, the lack of interior design know-how can often make this task seem daunting.

However, sprucing up your space doesn’t necessarily involve spending a fortune. What’s more, with a couple of design tricks up your sleeve, you can design a space that looks like it was styled by a true professional.

It can be as simple as incorporating the five design elements listed below – have a look!

Lighting as a powerful design tool

Let’s start from one design element that’s often overlooked – lighting. When given enough attention, it can drastically change the look and feel of the room, so it pays to learn some interior lighting design basics.

What interior designers love to do is introduce several sources of lighting. They’ll use overhead lighting as a general source of light (e.g. chandeliers, track lighting) but they’ll also incorporate task lighting in workspaces (e.g. table lamps, under counter lights and pendants) as well as accent lighting (e.g. wall sconces, candlelight). Learning how to use lighting to your advantage will help you transform the atmosphere in your home in an easy and inexpensive way.

The color scheme for a perfect backdrop

When it comes to selecting the color scheme for our living spaces, experts suggest we start with a piece that we like the most. It may be a rug, a throw pillow, or a sofa. Their suggestion is that we use one of them as a piece to draw inspiration from and select our dominant color.

Since it’s used for floors, walls, and rugs, the dominant color is often a neutral one (gray, white, tan) while the remaining colors give you an opportunity to get creative. For best results, it’s advisable that you limit your color scheme to three colors or shades – this is the so-called 60-30-10 color rule.

Texture to give your space richness

Just like colors, the texture is another essential interior design element that can enrich any living space. This is especially true when it comes to monochromatic rooms where the lack of color is often compensated by textures.

Take a cue from professional designers – think in terms of how the room looks and feels. For example, quality plywood furniture mixed with natural, hand-woven rugs and cozy throw pillows and blankets can bring in a warm and tranquil vibe into your interiors while also adding depth to your living space. Pair these trendy plywood furniture pieces with contrasting textures such as stone and leather to add visual weight to your space and create a sense of balance and cohesiveness.

Decoration as a form of self-expression

Let’s move on to accessories – just like herbs and spices add flavor to a dish, decor pieces add character to a room. A form of self-expression, the decoration is that one design tool that can help personalize your living space and turn a house into a home.

From family photos, gallery walls, and artwork to vases, flowers, plants, trays, figurines, and candlesticks – as long as they’re meaningful and have value, accessories will give your room a personality and a unique flair. Declutter your home before decorating and display only, as Marie Kondo put it, the things that spark joy. Hint: Coffee tables look better when arranged following the rule of three.

A statement piece as a perfect focal point

Last but not least, introducing statement pieces is something every room can benefit from. Just like the name itself suggests, these pieces are there to make a statement and draw the eye towards them.

This attention-grabber can be anything from a statement armchair in bold hue or pattern or an accent wall to an extravagant painting or a show-stopping sculpture. Adding at least one outstanding element is a great way to create a focal point if there aren’t any existing features you can rely on (e.g. built-in shelving, fireplaces, and vaulted ceilings). Doing so will infuse your room with a sense of style and take your design to a new level.

A well-designed living space involves making the right decisions style-wise, and by taking a cue from experts themselves, you can completely transform the feel of your living space without putting a dent in your wallet. Use these styling tricks to take your room from drab to fab and design a space you’ll love – all by yourself.

Chloe is a graduated journalist from Adelaide and a regular contributor to Smooth Decorator. She loves everything related to decor, aesthetic and lifestyle topics. She is also passionate about photography. Her biggest dream is to travel the whole world and take some stunning photographs of beautiful places. Besides all this, she enjoys drinking coffee and reading a beautiful book from time to time.

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Interiors Revitalized is a full-service home staging, model home merchandising, and interior design firm located in Jacksonville Florida.  In addition to Jacksonville, we serve the  St. Johns, St. Augustine, Orange Park, Fleming Island, and Fernandina Beach areas. Contact us today at 904.625.2214 to discuss your home staging or interior design project.  We’ll make that first offer your best offer!

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