image via Design Sponge
Last week my cute cousin emailed me because she was having a hard time picking fabrics in her home and she asked me for some advice on how to become better at Interior Design. I thought this was an interesting question. It caused me to think, how does one become a better designer?
There are so many talented women who aren’t “designers” by title but yet they still have a desire to make their homes beautiful. Although I am sure there are many many different ways you can broaden your design horizons here are the tips I gave to her.
It is fascinating to me how design blogs are changing the world of design. New and amazing projects and ideas are posted each day. The inspiration is never ending! You can learn almost anything from how to pick paint colors, how to build a headboard, what are the current trends, what are the bad trends, how to place rugs etc. etc. The list goes on and on.
I get so much inspiration from etsy shops! Quite often when searching for a fabric or a pillow I’ll come across the most beautiful fabric combinations. This is actually where some of my favorite fabric combinations have come from. I’ll see how people put together pillows in their shops and it gets my mind going!
It helps me see fabrics in a way I didn’t see them before.
One of my boards from college.
I got a degree in Interior Design but there are many many successful designers that don’t. However, classes are super helpful. I would say if you have the time and the resources to sign up for a few Interior Design classes do it! Color Theory and Space Planing would be good places to start.
Gone are the days when you had to fork over hundreds of dollars each year to shelter magazines. I still believe in the beauty of opening up a glossy magazine and I subscribe to quite a few. But if you don’t have the budget to invest in magazine subscriptions give online magazines a try! There are SO many great ones out there now. It seems like new ones are popping up each month.
image via Lonny
Spend some good time each month pouring over these magazines. How yourself questions like, “what do I like about this image?” “What is working?” “What is not working?” “How can I create this look in my home?” These magazines are amazing and are free for you to read!
Some of my favorites are:
I believe one of the biggest influences on my design style was my experience working at Alice Lane. When I first started working there I was very limited on my design exposure. But after a few months I started to see design in a whole new light. I loved being surrounded by truly well designed pieces. Unique and inspiring furniture opened my eyes to what great design really was. I started seeing that a sofa is more than just a sofa. It can be a work of art if done correctly. This also helped me train my eye to see bad design. I hadn’t really noticed it as much before. But after the seeing the way a piece could look I understood when something hadn’t been designed well.
via Alice Lane Home Collection
Expose yourself to great design!
Browse expensive stores and catalogs. Don’t worry that you can’t afford the items. Your designer eye will strengthen as you learn to see truly beautiful pieces. You might start to realize that there is more out there than just what you can find at Pottery Barn.
via Oly Studio
Knowing what is good design vs. bad design has helped me try and replicate the feeling of well-designed rooms for my clients.
photo by Jessica Kettle Photography
My last bit of advice is to hire a designer. This one may seem contradictory. However, I’ve noticed that by the time I’m done working with my clients they are far better designers than they were when I started. A designer will help open your eyes to so many things. I act as a teacher much of the time with my clients. I explain why things do and don’t work. I show them what to look for when they are out shopping for products. I teach them how to avoid making mistakes in their homes. I love seeing how my clients gain so much confidence in their decorating skills while I am working with them. Even if you just hire a designer to help you pick fabrics you will learn so much! I offer one-hour consultations for people if they are just needing some general advice in their homes. I think this is a great way for me to pass on some of my knowledge to them.
A designer has already made a lot of the mistakes that you are making and they can help you stop making those mistakes. It is well worth your money to hire a designer to teach you the skills you need in decorating your home.
Anyway, those are the things that have helped me. If you any of you have any other advice please share!
Fun post! Besides going back to school, one of the best things to do is get a color wheel book. Many of the mistakes aspiring designers make is with color. Also, browse around on Amazon for design books. They're a great investment especially when you can buy them used!
Great tips, Kristen. It's amazing what you can learn from reading blogs!
Fabulous post! I'm not a designer either, but my friends ask me the SAME question! Your answers were right on point. I just might repost this on my blog this week…
Wow! Great tips Kirsten. One thing that has definitely helped me is investing in Magazines Subscriptions and by browsing on the web. Thanks for the great post.
great post and very on point. design blogs pretty much have changed my life as far as interior design goes. i still have the same fundamental style, but i am much more courageous in incorporating colors, patterns, and in general thinking outside the box.
never would i ever have thought i would paint my bedroom eggplant! but after realizing that in such a small space a dark, luxurious color would work…and it worked beautifully! i absolutely love it! so thanks for the blogging that you do 🙂
Great tips, Kirsten!
Jessie
http://www.mixandchic.com
Great post. Love all the tips you shared! The pillow pictures are fantastic. I love the combos of fabric they chose!
Great post! I think you do such a great job making design accessible for everyone on your blog. Loved your tips. Thanks!
Great tips! (Even for those of us who just look for inspiration for our own home 🙂 It's something that I do subconsciously but you validated the importance of keeping your eyes open.
Thank you for this very informative post. I am not a designer myself (just a homemaker trying to make my home) and I too have gain confidence with design through blogs and online magazines. Of course, the downside to so much inspiration (if you even wanna call it a downside) is that I like so many thing that I change my mind often. Drives the hubby nuts! LOL
Visit me at: http://www.ourtaylormadehome.com. I'd love to have you.
Thanks for sharing such great tips, Kristen!
Wow thanks for emag list! I did not know about houseoffifty and just read it it's great!
Fabulous ideas! Thanks so much for sharing. It's always inspiring to check in with your blog. 🙂
I'm loving this!!! Thank you so very much for sharing 🙂 Shared with my FB fans 🙂 Thanks again!
Steph
http://www.polkadotbungalow.etsy.com
http://www.polkadotbungalow.blogspot.com
What a fantastic post! Your posts are always so cheery and uplifting. – Whitney
Great post Kirsten! I really enjoyed reading it. Sometimes people are nervous about hiring a designer but you're right, even an hour consultation can help send them in the right direction. Andrea
http://www.frommylivingroom.blogspot.com
Kirsten-I love how you emphasized the importance of training your eye. This is so true. Sometimes we can see things over a long period of time but it takes a lot of patience. I'm a designer and I love old design books. One that is really important- so important that I even loan it out to my clients- is Mark Hampton's On Decorating. He was an incredible man- in so many ways- but his legacy lives on. And I love his daughter, Alexa, too! Thx, Hillary
Loved this post, came back to reread after work!
GREAT post. Thanks so much. Now, I'm off to Etsy. I love all of the pillows you featured!
Oh i love this post!
Such great advice. I've been toying with the idea of hiring a designer to help me with one room to help jumpstart the design for the rest of the house… this has solidified my decision, I think it will be $ well spent. Thanks!!!
Hey great post! …One thing that helps me is having a cute cousin that knows so much about design! 🙂
Awesome advice! I'm not an interior designers or blogger, but I love reading about it, and dreaming what I'll do in my own home. This is great advice for everyone!
Great post, Kirsten! Thanks for sharing!
What a post :)Some truly beautiful fabrics here.
I've just started my blog.. thanks for sharing.
these are really great tips! one thing i might add is to start a design file…whether it is pages clipped out of a magazine, or a file on your computer desktop. having a lot of images in one place that you love will allow you to zero in on what you are consistently drawn to. i was just with a client today, and she showed me her inspiration file. one thing i kept noticing was this dark blue..in one picture it was a wall color, in another picture, a lamp…we decided right there to add a pop of that color to her home!
Truly great advice, thanks for passing on your knowledge!
Great post! My friend and I started a small decorating business in Temecula, CA, and we love helping others to make their homes beautiful. We run a little differently by adding to what they already have and refreshing it with new bedding or pillows etc. But we need the same inspirations you suggested to even be able to go to Homegoods and pick out the best items! Thanks for putting it all on your blog!
Great post and advice Kristin. I like that you included hiring a designer as one of the tips. I was fortunate to have a former neighbor who was an interior designer help me when we moved into our newly built home 7 years ago. She taught me some really good tips like splurging on the best fabrics you can afford. She also taught me ideas for where I could save without sacrificing quality.
Such a great advice. I just started my own design blog and opened my own design company and this is definetly helpfull. Thank you for always being so helpful and inspirational.
Megan
Love this post! Those pillow combos are to die for 🙂 Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
What a great post! Thanks so much for sharing!
This is great that I can become a graphic designer , through courses that I can take at Schools for Graphic Design. This is really revolutionizing the mobility of how people can obtain careers.
Wonderful post! This may be one of my favorite posts you've done. I agree with it all!
Abby
Thanks for the tips! I especially liked your last point. I hadn't ever thought of hiring a designer to learn from them. It makes a lot of sense though. I want to learn learn learn.
I was looking for something equivalent this, and finally got it here in your blog. This is really fascinating, and I am sure I will check it back soon. Just be sure you update it with original concepts.
I am a die hard fan of your posts, and can't stay away from your writings for a long time. Keep up the good work.
Great website, looks very clean and organized. Keep up the good work!
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