There is no secret to successful designers except streamline thinking and staying creative. Here are some tips which will save you lot of bucks and give the pleasure of doing it on your own. 

Whether moving into a new house or redoing an old one, before you do anything with decorating it, look around and assess the positives and negatives of the architecture/structure. Assess one space at a time but keep the big picture in mind. A jutting pillar may seem like an eyesore but perhaps will incorporate well in the overall scheme to create interest. Or may be it is better to leave it alone and divert the attention to something more positive like a beautiful window. If you have a great feature — it by using colour, texture, light. 

Before jumping to planning the available space, ask yourself how you want to live — do you want to entertain large groups of people, or you like private spaces? What activities are to be carried in the space? This will help you figure the flow of traffic around the area. Smooth pattern is key to comfortable space. How clearly separated you want the areas meant for different activities? Limited space may call for flexible planning. Your lifestyle requirements determine the spatial organisation in your house.

The right colours

Colour in a room should be determined based on how you want to feel in the space. Whether choosing it for upholstery, draperies, carpet, or wall, it is better to stay in one colour group and use its different textures and tones.

This tactic gives a sense of harmony and restfulness to the space. Unrelated colours or too many colours create discontinuity and abruption in the flow of space and mood. Bold colours work better as backdrops on one wall. Don’t think neutrals will create boring spaces, just use brighter ones for accessories. Look into nature for inspiration. Bring in the unexpected element. It generates immediate interest in the room. For instance, fabric texture can be anyway between silky smooth to rough jute like. Use your common sense and mix common with luxurious feel. Imagine placing a stone carved bust against a glossy finish wall — contrast of texture shows off the best of both. Make sure the lighting complements the colour to create a balanced environment. 

Right space

Prior to arranging the furniture, think of the proportions between open space, full and the right scale of pieces. It is not about buying stuff and filling up the available space. More importantly it is about creating space – the mood. For giving a feel of larger space use a single lighter colour or stay at least in the same group. A quick fix for enhancing space is mirror, but keep in mind what view will it reflect, it should be pleasing enough for you to enjoy repeatedly in the room. If you have an outdoor area attached to the space, consider putting outdoor lighting to expand the view during night time and give a feel of ‘space beyond’. Using curtains is not always a must, especially when you have a big window looking out to a vista, just leave it naked. Giving continuous floor treatments make space appear bigger. Wall treatments also work in the same way. Don’t leave corners dark.

Logic should drive the arrangement of furniture. Comfort and welcome look are paramount. Only the right circulation will give the smooth transitions between spaces. Leave sufficient room for furniture against the wall and for movement around it. You must develop a focal point for the area. Arrange your space around the focal points. Not only this will tie up the space but will also become a topic of conversation in a gathering. If room allows, create two conversation areas, may be one for a group and other for a couple of people. The right mix of proportion in a room creates the magic. Avoid all furniture pieces of same height or width. Mix and match. Allow the eye to move around freely in the room. Mix of three, two, single seaters gives greater interest and flexibility than an L-shape sofa. Today living rooms are multipurpose, so plan your furniture to accommodate the user and activity. Keep it formal enough to entertain but don’t make it uptight. Keep it warm with personalised with accessories and give a welcome look. It should reflect you, not imitate some one you are not. Try to avoid making the TV and other electronic items the focal point of the room. The room is about people and not the gadgets. Use coffee tables lower than seating to create an open and relaxed feel.

Dining rooms should feel clean, open and comfortable. These should be extensions of either the kitchen or the living areas. Do not stuff it up. Use the right kind of lighting. Round and square tables are good for conversations while rectangular are flexible. Chairs must be comfortable. Again you need not have all the pairs look alike — mix and match. Create an atmosphere to enjoy the meals with your dear ones. Use accessories to create intimacy.
Lighting in the room is the most versatile addition to create the atmosphere suiting your mood. Invest in it and use it. Don’t floodlight the room unnecessarily. Use natural plus artificial lighting. Use uplights, chandeliers, floor lamps, table lamps, candles, and yes, dimmers are must. Keep window treatments simple and elegant, specially if the area is small. Avoid opaque fabrics if privacy is not an issue.

For bedrooms, relaxing atmosphere is a must. Make it as comfortable as you can afford to. After all, this space recharges your battery. Use right kind of reading light. Make it your oasis. Use flowers, luxurious linens, artwork, mood lighting. Lighting your vanity correctly is the key to get good makeup. Ideally it should be on both sides of the mirror. Attached bath should have the same colour scheme to give a good flow between spaces. And you will have to break out of the habit of considering your bathroom just as a loo. In fact many people see it as reflection of your taste. Do the bathrooms as well as you would do any other space. Decorate it and make your time spent there enjoyable. 

Breathe in life to your space with accessories. Accessories do not have to be expensive but avoid imitations. Imitations seem cheaper than the inexpensive. Make your collection around interest and passion. Pick while travelling. Place them artfully or group them interestingly. Display and rotate. And remember refined fewer is better than too many. Don’t get caught up in staying trendy — it is a costly affair plus full time job, instead make accessories work for you. Invest in good pieces that last long. Look into yourself and your surroundings for your personal style. Once you start feeling right, comfortable and connected to your interiors — you know you have hit it right.