Scale Down Furniture

When it comes to furniture, it’s a good idea to think about proportions. You don’t want pieces of furniture bumping up against each other as this can emphasize the smallness of the room.

Instead, you want to create a sense of roominess by leaving space between furniture. It’s also a good idea to avoid bulky furniture that can take up too much of the room.

Incorporate Furniture Lower to the Ground

Furniture that is designed to sit low to the ground may not be the first thing you think about when making your space look larger. However, this is one of the easiest ways to create a sense of openness in small areas.

Essentially, when furniture sits lower to the ground, you create more room between your furniture and the ceilings, which is a great way to make the room feel larger.

Mirrors, Mirrors, and More Mirrors

If you’re looking for a quick and easy hack to maximize your living space, try adding mirrors. When done correctly, mirrors do a great job of creating a sense of openness, even in small living spaces. This is because mirrors not only reflect light, but they reflect the view, which easily tricks the eye to perceive more space.

Keep It Simple

It certainly never hurts to keep it simple when you need to maximize the space of a small room. Working with small spaces takes a bit of editing and a part of that editing process is arranging, adding, and removing certain pieces altogether.

The more pieces you add to your room, the more cluttered it will look and feel. If you have a lot of small objects, try grouping some together so that it can read as one installation. Additionally, you should avoid patterns that are too busy and colours that are overwhelming. Using neutral colours and patterns can help open up the overall space.

Learn More About Effective Interior Design

Just because you have a small space doesn’t mean you can’t get the most out of it. Small spaces can be fun, and with effective interior design, can help you maximize any room in your home. For the best results, consider hiring an interior designer. An interior designer understands how to make spaces more functional and appealing. They are able to assess your space and determine what the best solution is to open it up. Contact us to learn more.

The post 4 Ways to Make Spaces Look Bigger With Effective Interior Design appeared first on Interior Designer for Richmond & Dorset.

First, let’s discuss what green design is. There is no absolute definition, but the generally accepted concept is that green design improves the air quality in your home, and your materials have a limited impact on the environment. How this translates into your interior scheme is in using natural fibres, real wood, and maximizing natural light.

Natural Fibres

Opt for natural, nontreated fibres with flame-retardant chemicals. Synthetics emit chemical gases that can cause health problems ranging from infertility to developmental issues with children. Further, wool is a great choice for rugs as it is naturally flame-retardant. Cotton, linen, and silk blend with wool for durable and safe upholstery and rugs, and fabric blends without wool are available for window treatments.

Real Wood

Choose furniture made from solid wood. English oak and walnut have been the hallmark of British furniture for hundreds of years and are still going strong. Same with mahogany and teak. Real wood furniture is made with old woodworking techniques that favour wood joinery over glue. Thus, ensuring a strong bond without resorting to chemical adhesives, which are the primary culprits for interior VOC emissions. Avoid particleboard or MDF (sorry, IKEA) as the main adhesive ingredient in these synthetic pieces is formaldehyde, which causes all manner of respiratory problems.

Low-VOC Benefits

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) are chemicals that off-gas into your home. VOCs are what give paint that unmistakable odour, and are present in many synthetic fibres. Further, VOCs off-gassing can be toxic for some people and animals, so avoid them as best you can.

Natural Light

Arranging your furniture so that you take advantage of natural light allows you to use less artificial light. Thus, helping further reduce energy usage and your energy footprint.

Green design is ultimately a throwback to traditional design techniques used in modern conveniences. Contact us to learn more.

The post Green Design: Traditional Techniques for Modern Life appeared first on Interior Designer for Richmond & Dorset.

Interior Design Online

It really is as simple as you’re imagining. Essentially, it’s the same interior design service you’d expect without the need for anyone to visit your home personally. As long as you have a decent webcam, you can just as easily showcase the space you want to work on as you could with an in-person visit. The experience is quite short, with minimal effort on your part, while the designer should have everything they need to begin making plans. It’s quick, easy, and as convenient as interior design services get.

Another major advantage is that you have the option to choose online interior designers from nearly anywhere, not just from ones that are nearby. This means you have access to a wider variety of perspectives, ideas, and possibilities than ever before. You can browse for a designer that shares similarities with your own tastes, or maybe find one whose concepts are what you never knew you wanted. Since you can access them from anywhere, you can take the time to find the best one.

Professional Interior Design Services From Anywhere

Since 2004, I’ve been helping people create interior spaces that reflect their needs while being sustainable, efficient, and pleasant. Feel free to contact me for any questions or concerns regarding my online interior design services today.

The post Introducing Online Interior Design appeared first on Interior Designer for Richmond & Dorset.

For those leary of hiring a professional interior designer, the following is a take from Lisa Lewis on how she helps her customers design the spaces of their dreams without overstepping her boundaries as a designer:

What the Designer Has to Say

When clients come to me (Lisa Lewis) looking to me to help them design their dream space, the first thing I do is offer a complimentary “no strings attached” phone consultation. Thus, the client can explain exactly what they want. Once I find out the scope of the work, I dive in and come up with a ballpark estimate.

Estimate

If the client agrees that the provided price is a fair estimate, then, depending on the scope of the project, I begin doing schemes. My design services range from designing a specific space to making over entire rooms. A lengthy background of working on various projects has given me a wealth of knowledge upon which to draw.

Ideas

Once I provide my basic design ideas to my clients, they then have the opportunity to tell me what they do or do not like about the design. I will make any necessary adjustments to the design to help it meet the client’s needs moving forward. Once the client is fully satisfied with the design then I will move forward with the project. 

Depending on the project that I am currently working on, I may go at the project by myself or determine if it needs some more extensive coordination with and sourcing to help get the project completed according to the client’s expectations. 

Meetings

Throughout this entire design and execution process, I make sure that I have frequent meetings with my client about the work that I am doing. I always want to ensure complete satisfaction with the work at hand. I also want to know of any rising issues as I work on the project so I can correct them and ensure the client is 100% satisfied with my work.

Hard Work

I never leave the project location without a final check through to ensure that the issues are resolved. Doing this ensures that I end up with nothing less than happy customers!

Learn More About How Designers Work With Clients

This is how the design process works from the perspective of an experienced interior designer. The goal of the interior designer is to assist the client design their dream space! If a client is ever unhappy with the job, the designer is there to make it better!

Interior designers have one and only one job: to execute the design dreams of the client!

If you are looking for an experienced interior designer, take a look at Lisa Lewis’s profile. So, contact us to sign up for your free consultation!

The post How Do Interior Designers Work With Clients? appeared first on Interior Designer for Richmond & Dorset.