Interior Design Ideas To Share With Your Friends

Design is in some people’s nature, but if you’re someone who consults Pinterest first, you’re not alone. Even interior designers need to be inspired and guided at times. 

An interior designer would be our best friend if we could get assistance with everything from choosing what to hang on the wall to planning the layout of a small space. If you can’t afford that yet, here are some alternative options: Tips from designers who are among the best in the business.

Whether you’re interested in quick spring reformations incorporating bright colours and soft furnishings to more extensive renovations featuring trendy furnishings and innovative layouts, you can find the right look for any room, regardless of your budget.

Find out how to decorate like a pro by reading these tips straight from the pros.

Set the mood with a Scandi lounge

The Scandi personal style is one of the most popular interior design trends these days, and for good reason – it’s dramatic, dramatic and even more dramatic! Don’t feel like you have to go overboard with decoration if your space is more minimalistic. A clean and modern look is just as chic.

With its chunky wooden mantelpieces, black-framed mirrors, white textiles and simple but elegant furniture, it certainly lends itself to the big screen. We’re all about a Scandi-inspired living room that’s equally as fabulous! 

Upstaged with bold gold accessories (our faves are those ornate gold bookends to hold multiple copies of your favourite books) alongside smaller delicate pieces such as those gorgeous picture frames in the colour of your walls—the minimalist elements of a small or large living room feel both timeless and chic. 

Contrasting white furniture is obviously key here, but pay attention to what goes with what by choosing bolder or softer shades depending on where they’ll be placed in the entire room: light tones are better suited for window treatments; dark ones for seating; whites for traditional pieces (such as console tables) and harder oranges for lighter materials like wood bookcases or solid wood doors.

Choose the colour scheme based on your dream sofa

Get inspired by your couch. Top home design blogs recommend a sofa that is either the focal point or background of your decor. If you want your decor to pop, make sure the furniture piece is bold in colour and in contrast to your wall colour.

Display attractive items on open shelves

We love this idea of keeping small accessories and knickknacks together to create a more curated, decorative room and are all about the wood-panelled cabinet.

Decorate your media room in the right way

We love the visual element that television creates in any room, but it can be so overwhelming when you’re decorating. If we could have only one piece of furniture in our homes, it would have to be one of these stylish media room ranches. It’s the perfect way to bring your television into a space without cluttering up the rest of the space with huge pieces.

Strategic lighting sets the mood

Two of the biggest trends of 2022 are knickknacks and accent walls, so this year you want to start incorporating these. Opt for a lamp that controls the lighting, or if you’re still on a budget, consider something like pendant lights that adjust to match the whole room.

If you love to spend time in the evening with a good book, you can turn on the ambience by adding a couple of light fixtures right above your head.

There are lamps that are made using mild steel, which gives them a naturally aged and distressed look that can only be achieved with time. This comes with a dark polished brass base and an industrial-inspired shade that compliments any décor.

Beautiful backsplash designs

Find inspiration in gorgeous back-splashes! From textured stonework to captivating art glass choices, this sort of decorating is surely meant for your style preferences — whether you’re into contemporary or vintage interiors!

Bring nature into your home

One of the most inspired decorating tricks we’ve ever seen, it  has us rethinking our definition of “outdoor space.” Open-air living at its finest. The whole house can be filled with outdoor features, from the barnlike entryway and marble-topped bar to the built-in grill and saltwater pool—oh, and don’t forget about the retractable glass wall! It opens up onto a landscaped patio more beautiful than any park or garden. 

To put it simply, the philosophy behind this kind of design is to “bring the outside in”.. Buy a few potted plants and some outdoor rugs. 

Integrate a statement rug into your scheme

It’s all about making a statement with a bold pattern or colour. The rest of the room should fall in line. An oversize dark coloured rug can be the focal point for your space.

A large-scale, graphic area rug serves as a focal point for the space and provides tons of texture and dimension, setting a cohesive tone from the start. When choosing an area rug to invest in, look for one that fits your space and flooring material as well as your lifestyle. 

If you have children and pets, go with a durable fibre like wool that hides stains well, or if you’re planning on doing any entertaining or hosting overnight guests, choose a denser fibre that is better suited to stand up to wear and tear. 

And if you want something more lighthearted yet still suitable for entertaining, go with sheared velvet that adds fun dimension with its soft nap; if you want something incredibly luxurious underfoot but don’t necessarily want it at eye level (it can be hard to live with on a daily basis), look for one fashioned from cashmere.

Enjoy a splash of colour 

Consider adding colourful accents to the room, such as pillows and throws, for an added punch of texture and visual interest. The goal is to make the space functional for everyday life. You can easily incorporate vivid colours into your routine with unique items like a hand-painted tray or chair or a bold piece of artwork that makes a statement.

Bold-coloured Moroccan chairs add an element of drama to a neutral living room plus they’re also super comfy!

Add a personal touch to your space

A home doesn’t have to be an entirely new build or renovation in order for it to look totally different. If you’re looking for the chance to try out a new design without having invested too much time or money (and without having redone any walls), think about how you can use accessories in your space for the extra impact that can make all the difference. From throw pillows to artwork, there are plenty of ways you can add a fresh look without starting from scratch.

For example, if your bedroom doesn’t have any art on the walls, about the simplest thing you could do to change things up is mount a bulletin board in an interesting spot on the wall and hang some family photos on it, or tuck a few small prints under the edges of your mirror. 

The same goes for that blank wall space in front of your sofa—or for that matter, for empty walls in general. Painting them with bold colours or putting up unique wallpaper will instantly add style and personality. And then there are all those table-top accessories gently perched atop your coffee table or placed near your bedside: clocks and vases and candles, bowls and baskets—the snack bowl alone can make a huge difference!

Accessories can make all the difference in the appearance of a room. One easy way to give a space personality is by displaying interesting artwork or flowers around the space—and even adding colour to “boring” white walls!

Create a fresh look by experimenting with textures

The texture is such an important component in creating visual interest in any design that it deserves its own section—textures help us connect with our senses and emotions even before we dig deeper into colour or style. 

The appearance of wood can instantly make any room feel cosy; on the flip side, cold porcelain or linoleum floors are going to send a more industrial vibe. And textures are inherently different from one another; for example, faux leather has its own look that’s quite different from the leather itself. 

The texture is the key to creating intrigue in your home and can be a really fun way to switch up your space. The look of each room in a house can be totally transformed just by changing up the textures used to decorate it.

Play with pattern

When it comes to choosing the right type of pattern for your home, you’ll need to play around with styles, colours and even scale—how big or small does the pattern appear? The size of a given object is an important factor in determining what kind of patterns are going to look best. 

Adding textures to a living space creates a sensory experience

Mixing up textures can be a great way to create a lively space where one might not have existed before. For example, you can use an area rug in a room covered mostly in hardwood floors to add texture, colour and pattern.

Consider this: A pairing of wood, metal and leather are all fairly neutral in terms of their overall look—but they have vastly different textures. By combining these three materials in space (even if only two out of the three are used), you create something that feels different from any material by itself.

A gallery wall adds character and colour

If you need a gallery wall to show off your artwork, use lightweight frames and accessories that feature a mix of fashion and art glass in diffusing hues from cool to vibrant. You can even design your very own patterns or textures by mixing and matching the base frame and gallery glass just as you would with paint.

Combine modern and vintage pieces

Simplify your space by teaming up a more modern look with vintage finds. Let your interior designer know what pieces you want to incorporate, and then set about sourcing the great pieces that meet all of those demands. Why not team a round, tufted modern bench with an antique tall vase?

Shiplap wood paneling creates a coastal look

Create a nautical ambience in your living space with this sea-core style. A coastal interior has always been a favourite, and the beach-style decor is perfect for living rooms because it’s bright and airy, yet warm and welcoming. 

If you want this look, paint your room a pale blue, white, or cream colour. Finish off the look with the finishing touches; neutral-coloured furnishings spruced up with stripes.

Put houseplants on display

It’s easy to overlook the ornamental possibilities of house plants, but they’re surprisingly stylish. From hanging baskets and moveable wire trellises to terrariums and living walls, no space is off-limits. And I’m positive you’ll love the sight of your greenery from above!

Exposed brick walls add texture

Exposed brick is an easy way to add texture and dimension to a living room. If you have the look you’re going for, it can work as an accent or a backdrop. Just use a simple grout for that effect, but a textured paint or wallpaper would be even better. As long as the colors are neutral or slightly off-white (beige, tan), you don’t have to worry about going overkill.

For a light, airy feel, mix exposed brick walls or horizontal boards with household furniture pieces in rustic and modern styles.

The dark living room trend

NO, blue isn’t a recently tinged dark-hued of the 20s, it’s the colour of traditional cool. From dark-toned walls to furniture that looks rich without being loaded with gold leaves or embellishments, there are ways to make a space feel richer and more serious without overdoing it. 

Instead of a rustic lodge with rugs and wood floors, opt for clean lines like recessed industrial lighting and upholstered seating in your living room. If you like the old-school feel of cosiness with traditional touches but want to take things up a notch, spice things up with some of these trending wall colour schemes. 

From black or navy blue walls with pops of red or pink accents to rich earth tones like brown and grey blended together into warm neutrals, you can jazz up your space without feeling too much like you’re channelling grandma (but we’ll let you do it anyway).

Shabby chic is making a revival

Shabby chic is back. As designers shift their focus to a new lustre of minimalist elegance and grace, we can now embrace the appearance of old-fashioned charm alongside modern functionality without being called a heretic. 

Shabby chic as we know it today is not this weird, kitschy thing. It’s about the idea that you can have beautiful furnishings in your home if they’re not super expensive.