A very clean white themed room.

12 Design Secrets Interior Decorators Don’t Want You to Know

Going through a redesign phase or decorating a new place? If you don’t have a natural eye for design, it can be really difficult to place furniture, decor, and colors in the right area.

There’s a world of difference between a home decorated by a regular person and one designed by a professional interior decorator. Luckily, we’ve got some insider tips to take your home to the next level. Read on to learn some secrets straight from the pros to help you create the home of your dreams.

Use the Whole Room

A woman is sitting on a couch in front of the television.

The most common mistake people make when furnishing a room is lining their furniture up along the walls. While it may create more space to push your couch against the wall, bringing the sofa into the center of the space can create a cozier atmosphere for socializing. If your room is too small to do that, still keep your sofa against the wall and place a couple of accent chairs angled toward it to get the same vibe.

Stop at 6 Pillows

A very tidy bedroom.

Another mistake people make when decorating their bed is overdoing their pillow arrangements. There’s a lot of conflicting advice when it comes to accent pillows, but one rule that most interior designers can agree on is to only put 6 pillows on the bed. This includes two long pillows, two shorter pillows, and two large square accent pillows. The small and flimsy accent pillows aren’t very useful and can be irritating to throw off the bed every night.

Balance Your Color Scheme

Pillows are well placed on the couch.

A great color scheme typically includes 3 colors—a dominant color, a secondary color, and an accent color. As a rule of thumb, stick to proportioning 60% of the room as your dominant color, 30% as your secondary color, and 10% as your accent color.

Style Bookshelves Right

A well-arranged home office with shelves full of books.

Bookshelves are meant to hold just that: books! Aim for using two-thirds of the space for books and one-third of the space for accessories. Make sure not to overcrowd the space by grouping books and accessories of the same color together in odd numbers without filling up the whole shelf. Another way to add a touch of elegance is by including plants or flowers—trailing plants like philodendrons are a great choice for adding greenery.

Take Advantage of Natural Light

A simple living room with an opened door.

Natural light is the key to making a room appear larger and more welcoming. At the same time, we understand that most people don’t have large, floor-to-ceiling windows that let in light. Whatever windows you do have, make sure to keep your blinds open during the day to let in as much light as possible. On top of that, adding mirrors into your bedroom and living room can create more light when it bounces off of the reflection.

Play With Bedding Colors

A bed with teal colored bedding.

The bed is the focal point of the bedroom, so keep it looking fresh and showcasing your personal style! Play with bedding to include your favorite colors and patterns that showcase your personality. Look for quality bedding that you can easily layer to create your ideal look.

Add Pops of Color

A plant, book and framed photo are on top of a bedside table.

Adding bright colors to a room is another great way to create a lively space. If you’re scared of going bold, create a room with mainly neutral colors and add small pops of color in the accent pillows, artwork, and other components. If you’re trying to do this to your bedroom, colorful sheets and pillowcases paired with a neutral comforter look fun but still classy.

Welcome Negative Space

A hanging wooden clock on a white wall.

When it comes to interior design, clutter and overcrowding should be avoided in most cases. Try to leave some wall space free of decor to gain some breathing room. This will make the room appear larger and less crowded.

Go Monochrome

A very neat bedroom.

Monochrome is trending in fashion and interior decorating! This includes using different shades of the same color to decorate a room. Make sure to use mainly one shade of the color and then place little pieces around the room in different shades to add another dimension to the monochrome theme. You can’t go wrong using a darker color as the primary shade and lighter colors as the accents.

Incorporate Plants

A very bright bedroom with curtains open.

Plants don’t just look great in a room, they also filter the air in your home! Try to place plants throughout your home to add a bit of life to each room. Whether the theme is monochrome or bright and bubbly, there’s likely a plant that’ll style perfectly into it.

Change Colors to Reflect the Season

A dark bedroom with curtains open.

Every season has different colors that pair nicely with the outside temperatures. In Summer, it’s bright and citrusy colors, while in Fall, it’s darker autumn leaf hues. Depending on the time of year, there are certain colors you can play with to match the outdoor scenery by changing your bedding or accent pillows on your couch.

Layer Soft Textures

A close-up view of some fabric.

On beds and couches, combining different types of fabric is a great way to create depth and make the area look more inviting. For example, a neutral color palette on a bed looks great when you combine different types of wool, cotton, and other fabrics. Adding a throw blanket is a must.

As you enter the world of interior design, the endless decor options and color combinations can be quite intimidating, but we hope these tips help you to create decor themes that match your style. 

While it may take a while to repaint walls and buy new furniture, take a look at Cosy House Collection’s bedding and sheet sets to get started on your bedroom theme. Monochrome, neutral, or vibrantly patterned, we have a large collection of colors to make your bedroom uniquely you. Click here to shop now!

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