Where to Start?

When it comes to interior design you really only need to ask yourself one question to get the ball rolling. Just one, simple question will help you set the tone of your design and uncover your interior design style. Sometimes, we walk into a space and instinctively know this question wasn’t asked before starting. Thankfully, nothing is permanent in interior design and you can always go back and start again. Before you begin styling a space ask yourself these four little words: what is my intention? Before you roll your eyes, think about it: how many times have you gone into a home decor store where something beautiful caught your eye and you brought it home only to find it didn’t exactly fit in your space? (We’ve all done it, right??) Haven’t you ever brought home an absolutely perfect piece only to find you needed to then replace some of your existing pieces to make it work?

We try to live by these four little words when it comes to interior designing and decorating: what is my intention? Just as Oprah claims to set a daily intention, we also believe in setting an intention when it comes to design. All of this can be summarized as decorating with purpose.

Decorating with purpose…

If you’re like us, you probably have a serious decorating bug. Whether you like to switch up your decor frequently, play with trends, or move around the furniture on a regular basis, it can be helpful to understand your end goal before starting both small and large projects. For example, say you’re getting a little tired of how your living room is looking and you decide you want to rearrange. One of the first things you should ask yourself is, how do I want this space to work differently? Do you want it to flow better? Do you want it to be more entertaining-friendly? Do you want it to feel cozier and more private? Do you want to open it up and make the space feel larger? Setting your design intention will help you come up with a solid plan.

Let’s say you want to make your space more inviting for guests. Start by taking a quick inventory of what pieces you have. Do all of them work for entertaining? Or, is there something that would work better in a different room of your home? Sectionals are excellent seating options for frequent entertainers as they give everyone a comfy place to sit. However, if you’re looking to foster a more intimate-style setting, you may want to introduce smaller seating areas like two armchairs nestled in a corner, a sofa-loveseat combination or even a trendy pub table with bar stools. The point is, setting your design intention forces you to decorate with purpose. Your intention need not be rigid, though. Just because you set an intention doesn’t mean it can’t evolve. Give yourself some wiggle room and watch as your room begins to beautifully unfold.

Rethinking your design…

If you’ve never had to rethink your design because of an unexpected error, change, or goodness knows what then this section is NOT for you. Assuming you have run into problems, however, we want to clue you in on a little secret: every project runs into unexpected snags. Perhaps it’s inevitable or perhaps it’s just some weird interior design snafu — with pretty much any project you can rest-assured something unexpected will arise. This is when decorating with purpose becomes so essential. If you set a design intention you will always have a bottom-line to fall back on. For example, let’s say you find the PERFECT sofa for your family room. You’ve already measured twice and are now anxiously waiting to arrange your space only to find that the fabric choice looks completely different with your wall color. We’ve been there. (That’s why we arrange our showroom to offer a home-like interpretation of what each piece would look like in your own space.) You then have a few options: return the sofa and choose a different color, paint your family room a new hue, or let it be as it is. None of those sound terribly terrific so what about trying something different?

What was your original intention?

Go back to decorating with purpose: what was your design intention? Did you want your family room to feel more inviting and comfortable? Think through your options until you land on one that works for you. If the idea of returning the sofa stresses you out, there are plenty of other options that will ensure you aren’t stuck with an unexpected color-combo. For one, try changing up your throw pillows. The look of a piece can often be totally transformed just by highlighting it with different colors and, not to mention, changing your throw pillows is a lot easier than changing the wall color!  Is there any artwork hanging above or near the sofa? Just as throw pillows can change its look, so can the surrounding art. Don’t be afraid to play around with accent pieces to get a feel for how a piece works in your space. Lighting can also make a huge difference in color variation. If you have bright overhead lighting, try incorporating a softer table or floor lamp to change the feel of a piece. Regardless of what you end up choosing, it’s important to be flexible enough to rethink your design when decorating with purpose.

What’s on your decorating agenda? Do you have any upcoming projects? We want to hear from you! Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram and show us your style. For more ideas visit our showrooms where you’ll find the perfect piece to show off your individuality. As always, our professional staff is ready to assist you. With years of interior design experience, each of our expert staff members can help transform your space into the room you’ve always wanted. Our online store shows you just some of the many pieces we have to offer. Don’t forget to invite your pals and make your shopping trip into a girls-night experience!

Be sure to check our showroom to see our entire product line. At Home Interior Warehouse there’s always something new. For more design tips and showroom updates follow us on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s in store.