If your home decorating needs a tune-up, it's beneficial to start with DIY interior designs. You can get the same results as professional interior designers within budget and with your own personal style flair.
Choosing the right color scheme for a living space can be tricky. If you're not sure where to start, seek out inspiration online or in interior design magazines. If you find yourself gravitating toward a particular shade, use it as your starting point. Then, choose two more colors to complement it.
One simple formula for using a tricolor palette is to choose two main colors to use on walls and large pieces like sofas. Use the third hue for accent pieces such as wall art, light fixtures, area rugs or an end table.
It's easy to fall into the trap of using too many small items in one room. While it might feel like you're saving space, an overabundance of smaller furnishings can make a small room cluttered and chaotic. Instead, use one or two large furniture pieces to inspire the rest of your design.
Try an enormous sofa, some low-backed loungers or a dramatic coffee table. Play with different furniture styles to add dimension and interest to a room, no matter the size.
Designers often use trays, decorative bowls and baskets to display collections or loose objects. Your dining room table is an excellent place to try this design trick. Try combining your favorite accents to create a vignette as a centerpiece.
Get creative and combine unexpected textures and shapes of objects. If you need a focal point to start with, an elegant candle is always a stylish choice.
Equally important for color is texture, especially when you are using an abundance of one shade, like white or gray. Usually, a space seems to consist of one color scheme, but often a close examination shows several shades of the same color used in various fabrics and other elements.
For example, a room with white paint can be enhanced with linen draperies, glossy silk pillows, rattan chairs and baskets. All these components add texture and create a warm, rich atmosphere and bring new life to "plain" white paint.
With a little creativity and work, you can become your own interior designer. Use these ideas as inspiration to bring the decor in your entire home to the next level.
Terese Ferrara is a long-time resident of the Bay Area and has been a partner with the Goss | Ferrara Real Estate Team. She and her husband raised their two daughters in San Jose, where she successfully continues to build her real estate career.
After earning a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University, she went on to teach in the San Jose Unified School District for 9 years. Transitioning to real estate was a logical choice, utilizing her patient demeanor to educate all levels of buyers and sellers. Knowledge and experience demonstrate her vested interest in delivering the highest level of care and professionalism to every client. She consistently strives to exceed her client’s expectations throughout the entire real estate transaction and remains a trusted advisor long after each close.
As a board member on KW Bay Area Estates’ Associate Leadership Council (ALC), she aids in support of culture and professional development strategies for over 180 associates. Terese is also a Director for the Santa Clara County Association of Realtors Foundation, which supports community service initiatives in Silicon Valley.
Terese is the consummate real estate professional dedicated to providing unparalleled service to her clients through ongoing training and education, keeping her on top of the dynamic market and latest real estate trends. Her high-touch approach coupled with honesty and integrity support her commitment to her client’s real estate needs.
