There’s more to it than meets the eye when making your house feel like home. It can be challenging to pull a room together, transform the features and make it stylish and functional while still making it feel homely.

There are many factors to consider, from deciding what color paint to use in different rooms to lighting options and where to put furniture. An interior designer can be of great help.

These DIY tips and decorating are essential for anyone renovating a house, updating the kitchen, or adding color to a living space. Interior designer Vanessa Arbuthnott reveals her insider tips and tricks to transform homes like a pro.

It’s your own

It’s your house. There are no rules in interior design. Everyone can design their home. You are the one in charge. It is essential to consider the latest trends, but you should always add your unique touch. You spend the majority of your time at home, so it’s critical that you feel comfortable.

Find design inspiration to create a mood board

Vanessa suggests transforming your interiors by collecting inspirational images in magazines, Insta (opens in a new tab), Pinterest, and other sources. Once you have a good collection, you can visualize your desired style. A mood board can be a creative way to reveal hidden design inspiration.

Vanessa explains how she does it: “Buy a large board with pins at your local stationary or art shop, and collect samples, images, and samples of fabrics, wallpapers, and furniture that you may want to use. You can then see how the elements will fit together in the room. It is essential to use textures in flooring, rugs, and fabrics like velvet, wool, and tweed. The mood board should be placed in the room for some time.

Colors and fabrics are essential

Start to narrow down the colors you’d like for your furniture, blinds, curtains, and painted walls. The third color could be used as an accent for accessories like tablecloths, lampshades, and bed quilts or to highlight cushions, lampshades, and bed quilts.

Vanessa shares a brilliant tip: Three colors are better than two. Use these colors throughout the room.

Test before you buy Paint and Paper

Vanessa advises buying paint samples and sample pots to see how the color changes depending on the lighting. Paint at least A2 size paint patches on the lightest and darkest walls of the same room to see how natural light affects the shade. It is beneficial for finding white paint because it changes in the morning.

The same goes for wallpaper: “Tape samples of wallpaper to the wall and drape large returnable samples over existing furniture, or pin them on existing curtains and blinds.” Watch and decide! She is elated.

Old into new: Transform the old

It’s much easier to work with a blank canvas, but we often have to work with sofas or rugs that are already in place. You can use the colors on the carpet to create a new look. You could reupholster your old favorite sofa for a fresh new look. You can use a color wheel to find out what colors go together. You can combine pinks and oranges with greens, duck eggs, and yellows with blues and greys.

Measure the furniture

Decide on the furniture that you want to put in your bedroom. Vanessa suggests that you should consider the scale of a room. A large one will need a sofa and footstool. Most designers suggest that even small spaces should have a large statement piece. This could be a headboard for a bedroom. The balance between large and smaller pieces will make your living room look appealing.

Take your time and analyze the look

Collect items as you see them. This way, you can buy things that you love. Vanessa advises you to refrain from settling for the first thing you see in a store or on the internet when looking for something. You can take your time to study the colors and style of your room by using accessories. As you add more things to your home, your interior design skills will grow.

Samples are available for return

Vanessa says, “Once you’ve narrowed down your choices and know what you want, you can order some samples you can return.” These half-meters of fabric work best when draped over the backs of chairs or pinned to existing blinds and curtains. After a few days, this test will determine if they are still pleasing to you. It’s also an excellent way to check the fabrics’ appearance with different paint colors.

Paint bold ideas

Strict rules no longer govern interior design. Instead, you can choose the color that suits your style. Interior designers are against painting door frames, ceilings, and skirting boards in brilliant white. Kelly Hoppen’s advice on painting skirting panels can be a game changer. She explains that painting the skirting in the same color as the walls will help make the room seem bigger.

Measuring is important

“Decision time occurs when you measure your windows.” You should measure your windows before ordering curtains or blinds for any room. You can read more about that here: How not to choose curtains – From measuring to styling, all is revealed.

Add finishing touches

“The finishing touches are the fun part!” Vanessa exclaims. “Lampshades and rugs can make a big difference. But it’s easier to decide once the walls are painted or wallpapered, and curtains are hung. Color accents can be created by the spines on books, throws on sofas, ceramics in the kitchen, and tablecloths.

Fill the room with your signature scent

Give your home an exclusive scent to transform it. Choose your signature scent for your home to create a sense of place. Luxury hotels have a specific scent that is used throughout the hotel. It’s essential to ensure your feelings are awakened when you enter the house. Use the best home fragrance with scented candles, essential oils, and diffusers to enhance your living space.