Interior Design Styles

Dining Room

interior space planning

Successful interior space planning will have a large impact on how functional and pleasing your living space will ultimately be.

Carefully consider some basic questions:

• How will your room be used?

• How do you want your room to look and feel?

Having a firm idea of what your goal is for the space will help you set the stage for orchestrating the individual parts that will make your vision reality.

Interior Space Planning Elements

There are some basic elements of good interior space design you should consider. All play a critical role in how a space is perceived and used.

Color - this element has enormous influence on your room's look and feel. Restful, exciting, cozy, or airy? Use this powerful tool to help you reach your interior space design goals.

Lighting - effective use of this factor can make your room function better and look better at the same time. Learn how incorporating the three layers of lighting can do the trick.

Furniture Arrangement - another important interior planning consideration is the placement of furniture. A key here is to create focused social groupings that allow for movement.

Interior Space Challenges

Sometimes even after your idea of how a room should look, feel and function has been established, challenges arise from the size or shape of the room. Often these problem rooms tend to be odd shaped or particularly large or small.

I have developed a list of top tips that I believe can help in these challenging, interior space planning situations.

Tips for small spaces - when your room is small there are things you can do to make it work better. Check out these tips and tricks...

Tips for large spaces - feeling lost in your attempts to tackle a large space? These techniques can help you make the situation an asset...

Beyond Interior Space

If it often the case in interior space planning that the designer takes advantage of the placement of architectural details like windows, doors and skylights and glass walls to “bring the outside in”. This merging of interior and exterior to create a stronger sense of shared space is a good approach. I think this concept can also work the other direction. There are times in interior space planning when it’s beneficial to "bring the inside out".

You can take advantage of attached outdoor spaces like patios, porches and decks to effectively increase the living area of your home. A partially screened patio is, in my opinion, a great way to do this. It’s not that difficult or extremely expensive to do. I consider it an extension of interior planning techniques.

I designed a simple patio for my small home that added about 240 square feet of living space during the summer months. The exterior room integrates with the interior through a connection to my kitchen. It’s a great place to host summer parties in a way that my main interior space could not support.

First, the area next to the house was leveled. Then basic concrete tiles were installed to create the floor.

I painted the standard gray, concrete tiles a warm beige hue using concrete floor paint to keep the color scheme inviting, yet light and natural.

The unsightly embankment was screened off with easy care, vinyl fence panels that act as the walls of the space.

I completed the scheme with natural, teak-toned, wooden furniture and accessorized with faux bamboo planters. The surrounding natural green of the plants and foliage complement the terra cotta and teak reds. It's quite an enjoyable little "room".

For some additional ideas on how to make your outdoor living spaces more exciting and inviting I recommend checking out the landscape ideas page at home-and-landscape-design-ideas.com. (Note: Link opens a new window)

In your interior space planning efforts, don’t forget to consider ways of expanding your interior design approach to the outside.

interior space planning

Successful interior space planning will have a large impact on how functional and pleasing your living space will ultimately be.

Carefully consider some basic questions:

• How will your room be used?

• How do you want your room to look and feel?

Having a firm idea of what your goal is for the space will help you set the stage for orchestrating the individual parts that will make your vision reality.

Interior Space Planning Elements

There are some basic elements of good interior space design you should consider. All play a critical role in how a space is perceived and used.

Color - this element has enormous influence on your room's look and feel. Restful, exciting, cozy, or airy? Use this powerful tool to help you reach your interior space design goals.

Lighting - effective use of this factor can make your room function better and look better at the same time. Learn how incorporating the three layers of lighting can do the trick.

Furniture Arrangement - another important interior planning consideration is the placement of furniture. A key here is to create focused social groupings that allow for movement.

Interior Space Challenges

Sometimes even after your idea of how a room should look, feel and function has been established, challenges arise from the size or shape of the room. Often these problem rooms tend to be odd shaped or particularly large or small.

I have developed a list of top tips that I believe can help in these challenging, interior space planning situations.

Tips for small spaces - when your room is small there are things you can do to make it work better. Check out these tips and tricks...

Tips for large spaces - feeling lost in your attempts to tackle a large space? These techniques can help you make the situation an asset...

Beyond Interior Space

If it often the case in interior space planning that the designer takes advantage of the placement of architectural details like windows, doors and skylights and glass walls to “bring the outside in”. This merging of interior and exterior to create a stronger sense of shared space is a good approach. I think this concept can also work the other direction. There are times in interior space planning when it’s beneficial to "bring the inside out".

You can take advantage of attached outdoor spaces like patios, porches and decks to effectively increase the living area of your home. A partially screened patio is, in my opinion, a great way to do this. It’s not that difficult or extremely expensive to do. I consider it an extension of interior planning techniques.

I designed a simple patio for my small home that added about 240 square feet of living space during the summer months. The exterior room integrates with the interior through a connection to my kitchen. It’s a great place to host summer parties in a way that my main interior space could not support.

First, the area next to the house was leveled. Then basic concrete tiles were installed to create the floor.

I painted the standard gray, concrete tiles a warm beige hue using concrete floor paint to keep the color scheme inviting, yet light and natural.

The unsightly embankment was screened off with easy care, vinyl fence panels that act as the walls of the space.

I completed the scheme with natural, teak-toned, wooden furniture and accessorized with faux bamboo planters. The surrounding natural green of the plants and foliage complement the terra cotta and teak reds. It's quite an enjoyable little "room".

For some additional ideas on how to make your outdoor living spaces more exciting and inviting I recommend checking out the landscape ideas page at home-and-landscape-design-ideas.com. (Note: Link opens a new window)

In your interior space planning efforts, don’t forget to consider ways of expanding your interior design approach to the outside.

Arts and Crafts

Arts and Crafts style interior design revolves around finely crafted furniture and interior features - usually of wood.

In the United States, a variation of this style that became popular through the years is called Mission Style.

Arts and Crafts interior elements feature prominent straight lines and a lack of excessive embellishment seen in some other traditional and classic styles. The careful craftsmanship of materials often provides a hint of native culture, particularly in the Mission Style variation which gives a nod to Spanish influence.

Geometric forms of stained glass-like mica establish a strong sense of Arts and Crafts when used for lamp shades, windows or panel inserts in cabinetry.

This style is versatile enough to work within a traditional or transitional environment.

Style Tips:

• Look for wooden furniture featuring a series of square, vertical slats and simple construction.

• Consider an area rug or an accent fabric with a native, southwestern motif. It works well with this style

• Choose a brown based color palette for the more authentic look of Arts and Crafts, or opt for a more contemporary color scheme to convey a less literal look - like the bedroom shown here.

• Add Tiffany style lamps, especially those with pyramidal or rectilinear shades.

Wall Decoration

When it comes to decorative wall art, you have an opportunity to make a design statement. Here are some important tips to using framed photos and prints in a way that will enhance your interior design scheme.

1. Choose what you love.

2. Keep it at eye level.

3. Create a grouping.

4. Accent it.

Following these guidelines will help you achieve a higher level of sophistication as you decorate.

Choose What You Love

One of the most important things to remember when choosing decorative wall art is to choose pieces that appeal to you. Of course, if you are choosing wall décor after you have established a color scheme you will also want to consider a color palette that ties into your overall scheme in some way. On the other hand, if you haven’t established your color scheme you could use your favorite wall art as the inspiration for the development of your room scheme.

Regardless of which end of the design spectrum you find yourself on, it’s important to truly enjoy the objects you surround yourself with. Avoid choosing decorative wall art based solely on faddish trends if you don’t find it appealing.

Black and white framed photos are a great option that will work in most design scenarios and virtually any color scheme. I think they provide an updated look to an interior environment by beautifully bridging the line between the classic and the contemporary.

You can create your own black and white art display (like mine shown here) rather easily by taking some interesting digital photos, converting them to black and white, printing them on photo quality paper, and then framing them in decorator frames that you can find in specialty stores or at your local discount retailer. It’s a fun way to personalize and add sophistication to your décor.

Whatever style of interior design wall art you choose -whether it is black and white or brilliant color - always go for what you love.

Keep It at Eye Level

When it comes to art placement on the wall, you will generally want to mount it at eye level. One of the biggest mistakes people make in regard to wall décor is mounting it too high wall. Your guests won’t be able to truly enjoy the beauty of the item as it soars high above them near the ceiling. They may also wonder if the Jolly Green Giant is living in the house. More than just looking silly, unusually high wall décor can throw off the balance of your room.

Of course, there are some slight exceptions. An example might be a row of small, antique dinner plates mounted above a doorway in the kitchen. Another variation might be a large collection of prints or photos which together act as one display. In this case you would likely want to keep the center of the grouping at eye level.

Not all decorative wall art need be mounted on the wall, however. You may have a couple of large, framed photos, paintings or even a tall mirror which will work well resting on the floor and leaning against the wall. This can have a nice impact in the right situations. Even in this case, though, the items will be more or less at eye level when viewed from a sitting position in the room. In general, eye level should be the rule of thumb.

Create a Grouping

When you have a collection of related wall décor items, make a grouping. Instead of spreading them in various locations throughout the room, your related wall décor will have more impact as a focal point if you keep it grouped together.

There are different ways to group decorative wall art items of a related nature. Some grouping options to consider are:

• Horizontal

• Vertical

• Quadrant

• Asymmetrical

A horizontal grouping (art work placed side by side) might work well on an expanse of wall that you want to feel longer. The linear effect will enhance the horizontal planes of the room and move the eye along the length of the wall. It will have a similar effect that horizontal stripes have on a person. It makes the object (in this case, the wall) appear wider (longer).

A vertical arrangement (art work mounted one above the other) would work well in a room with a lower than usual ceiling. This creates the effect of a vertical stripe...drawing the eye upward and subtly making the space feel taller. I’ve found this to be a successful option for my own living room (shown above).

Arranging your related wall art in a quadrant configuration looks great and can also serve as a focal point. Whether it is located on an open wall space in the living room, over a side table in the dining room, or above the headboard of a bed, a quadrant arrangement adds a beautiful level of sophistication to almost any room scheme.

If you want to break up the symmetry inherent in the previous three grouping options, an asymmetrical arrangement may be the right choice for you. While the items would still be grouped together, the effect wouldn’t be exactly square or rectangle. The collection could be staggered in step-like fashion on the wall, for example.

Regardless of arrangement option, you can make your own groupings from printing and framing digital photos. Another option would be to frame pictures from a favorite calendar since these images tend to be very themed in nature. You can buy pre-matted picture frames that work great for this and help establish a designer look.

Accent It

Once you have established your choice of decorative wall art, consider whether you want it to be a piece that includes accent lighting. There are various options available to illuminate art work. Accent lighting can make wall décor stand out while also providing the third level of lighting recommended for an all around, sophisticated, lighting scheme. Check out my interior design lighting page for more on the general subject of interior illumination.

Make sure when all is said and done that your eye also has a place to rest as it scans the walls. Resist the urge to completely cover every square inch of the wall space in your room. Too much wall décor can be visually overwhelming. It’s important that a room has a rhythm of visual interest and rest. Retain an appropriate level of clear space to strike a balance with your decorative wall art.

interior design career

So, you’re considering a professional interior design career? Awesome! Right now you’re probably really excited. Maybe you’re even imagining yourself as the next Design Star or even better!

First things first, though. To achieve your dreams, you will need a plan. A broad range of information can help you develop the plan that’s right for you.

Consider the following:

• Designer vs. Decorator

• Career potential

• Design schools

You’ve come to the right place for information. Let’s get rolling. After all…your design career can’t wait forever.

Interior Designer vs. Interior Decorator

What’s the difference, you ask? Consider this…if you’re interested in working primarily with the surface elements of interior decoration, you may want to pursue a career as an interior decorator instead of a designer.

Many people don’t understand the distinction between an interior decorator and an interior designer. An interior decorator works primarily within the structural elements as they currently exist and brings together a pleasing visual configuration of furnishings, finishes and lighting within that environment. A decorator needs no formal training. However, many decorators boost their career possibilities and income potential by taking interior decorating or design course work while staying in tune with evolving style trends.

An interior designer, on the other hand, does all of that and more. A designer also considers the structural and spatial features as changeable elements that can be manipulated to better meet the needs of the client. Designers might add or remove walls, for example – changing the shape and flow of interior space altogether. This is why preparing for an interior designer career includes training in building codes, interior sketching, design software and an understanding of architectural drawings among many other things.

An interior design career that specializes in a particular area of design is becoming more common. You can focus on commercial interior design instead of residential interior design, for instance. Or take it even further, right down to the specific room if you’d like. If kitchen design gets you excited, for example, you could focus on that room alone in your career emphasis

Career Potential

What about income potential? I know that’s got to be on your mind. Well, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), an interior designer in the United States could expect to make just under $41,000 annually (median figure) in 2004. Of course, your interior design salary will vary significantly depending on experience and other factors. As an inexperienced designer you could start out with a much lower salary. A highly experienced pro at a prestigious design firm, on the other hand, might command a six figure income.

The outlook is bright for talented designers. The BLS expects interior design opportunities to grow faster than average in the years ahead.

If you’re serious about an interior design career, getting a degree in interior design while also building a portfolio is a good career start. It should quality you for an entry level position within an interior design or architectural firm – probably in an apprenticeship type scenario. Becoming an independent designer can take time. You will likely need to build your level of experience by working first with a more experienced designer. Professional licensure or certification is something you’ll want to pursue for an increased level of credibility. This may even be required by your state.

Design Schools

Getting an interior design degree is very important for ultimate success in an interior design career. For more information on an interior design degree at a traditional campus, check out my interior design schools page.

Even if attending a traditional interior design school isn't practical for you at the moment, there is still a way. Online!

I have personally experienced the benefits of an online interior design program through the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. It was great! For details on my experience with The Art Institute and why an online interior design program might be perfect for you, check out my online interior design school page.

Whether you choose a campus or online education, a degree is a critical component of a successful interior design career. After you receive the information you’ve requested from various schools, evaluate it carefully and then determine which program best meets your long term goals.

interior design styles

Looking at various interior design styles can be helpful in developing your own style perspective.

The approaches to interior design are diverse. But there are some widely accepted methods to interior planning and decor that are consistent enough to be classified as specific design styles.

I have highlighted some style approaches below. When linking to each individual page you will see more detailed information as well as photos and style tips.