The most important element of a successful interior design project is a good plan.  As your Seattle interior designer will explain, there are many aspects of a project to consider, such as the wise use of space, the right creation of atmosphere and the creation of a visually pleasing room. Bringing all of that together is, to say the least, a challenge.  In order to arrive at that point successfully, a good interior designer will ask a lot of questions before drawing up a plan for any project.  As a client, you should be ready with answers to those questions.  That is your part in reaching the ultimate goal of that superbly designed space you’ve been dreaming of.   Ask yourself this:

1.    How will I be using this space most of the time? Will it be a room for activity, for relaxing, for working or perhaps a studio?  Consider how it will be used for the majority of the time.

2.    What other uses might I want to include in this space? If secondary uses are planned for this room, list them as well.  Areas for different uses must be incorporated into the plan from the beginning.

3.    Will this be a high traffic area, and if so, how do I envision people moving through this space? Study the location of this space to determine if it can be used as you would like without interrupting a natural traffic flow of your overall space.  For example, designing a sun room sitting area that can only be accessed through the master bedroom may not be ideal if you plan to use the room for entertaining.

4.    Will the overall plan include other rooms as well? If ultimately you want the project to include changes to other rooms, those changes should be laid out in the beginning even if the actual work is to be done at a later date.

5.    What type of lighting do I want or need in this space? Do I need bright lights for games and activity, warm subtle light for quiet times, or perhaps some of each?

6.    Will I need additional mechanical elements such as electrical, heating or plumbing? These aspects tend to be costly and in some cases structurally impossible to install.  It’s best to know right from the start if that’s the case.

7.    Will I need special noise reduction or sound enhancement elements incorporated into the design? For example, for a home theatre you may want to consider using materials that provide for better sound quality.

8.    Do I want and, and is it possible to add extra windows or doors? You may want a window for enjoying beautiful sunsets but the room must be able to accommodate them.

9.    What kind of feeling do I want the space to have? Here’s where paint color, fabrics and textiles can be used in different ways to create the perfect mood for the room.

10.    What is my total budget for the project? It’s easy to get carried away when creating a dream space.  Know your limit and stay within it.

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Your home is your castle; you love arriving home at night, after work, to relax, and you also cherish entertaining your friends and family in a place you are proud of and makes you happy, and suddenly, one day, you make the decision: your home needs a makeover.

Of course, your first impulse is to DIY.  Who knows your style better than you?  So you decide to hit Home Depot with a long list of materials, certain that you’ll be able to do it in a flash!  Everything is fine until you face reality; hundreds of choices everywhere, and you end up disoriented amid an ocean of furniture and fixtures that suddenly look exactly the same.

Before you decide to venture into interior design, consider the following aspects and judge for yourself if going solo is the best way to go, for your wallet.  Contrary to what you may think, hiring a professional interior designer may save you lots of money when remodeling your home.

• Interior design requires a great deal of time; do you have the time?

• Have you bought beautiful furniture in the past only to arrive home and rack your brains as to where to put it to match the rest or stand out?

• Is it easy for you to decide between hundreds or thousands of colors or fabrics at a shop?  Have you made choices that ended up frustrating you?

• Have you got a picture of the perfect bathroom, or living room, or kitchen, and yet you don’t know how to make it fit your space?

• Does everyone at home like what you like?

• Are you planning on taking down walls, joining rooms or installing light fixtures?  Do you know someone who can do this for you and do it right?

• Do you need custom furniture or cabinets?

• Do you want your home to be different in its own special way but without spending too much?

• If your home is new, would you like to be sure that what you have in mind works for the space?

These are just some of the many considerations of why hiring an interior designer in Seattle may be the best way to go.  A professional has the knowledge and experience to guide you and stop you from making mistakes and bad choices that will cost you money. She will also save you lots of time, as she possesses the best resources readily available to work.  An interior designer will put a wide array of resources at your service, some of which are only available through them.  Think that you will have all the design selections researched and presented to you before the process begins, ensuring you get the home of your dreams, one that fits your lifestyle and taste to perfection.

Here are three reasons why hiring an interior designer is your best choice in terms of investment:

1.  Big makeover projects require compliance with building codes and federal and state laws; you must know these to avoid expensive mistakes or even lawsuits.

2.  An interior designer is knowledgeable on design theory and its technicalities.  They know everything about technical drawings, materials specifications, construction systems, installations, environmental considerations and safety issues.

3.  A professional, who will present a detailed cost projection that you can adjust as needed, will research your design project.

Interior design can be simple and successful.  Be wise and hire someone who knows, someone who can give you peace of mind by knowing you will get what you have dreamed of for so long.

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There comes the time when we feel we want a new look in our home. Sometimes we can’t really put a finger on it. We don’t know if new furniture or accessories will suffice, or if we’ll need a more dramatic change.  We just know we want something different. When you consult professional interior designers, you may obtain lots of great ideas, whether it is to reuse items around the house that you already have and simply give them a little bit of a facelift, or tear down walls for a completely different look. Most of the time, these simple ideas could indeed make big changes in the décor of your home.  Here are a few basic changes you can discuss with your interior designer:

Repaint It
A fresh coat of paint can breathe a whole new life into any piece of furniture.  If a piece has previously been dark, your interior designer could have someone lighten it up with a lighter shade or a washed old-fashioned look.  You can even take a modern piece and give it a distressed look to take it from contemporary to country with hardly any effort or cost.  If you’re doing a child’s room, consider taking that old dark heavy furniture that’s been stored away in the garage and giving it a coat of high gloss paint in a bright primary color. Presto!  You have a completely new kid’s room.

Accessorize It:
So what can you do if you like the finish on a piece and you don’t want to paint it but you’d like to give it a bit of a new look?  Well, one thing you can do is simply change up the hardware.  You will be amazed at the selection of knobs, handles, pulls and hinges that your interior designer can supply you with.  An old chest of drawers takes on a real look of whimsy just by changing the old round knobs to pretty hand painted ceramic ones.

Rearrange It
Another alternative to either paint or hardware when you want a new look, is simply to ask your interior designer how to rearrange the pieces you have as they are.  You can bring an old piece back to life simply by giving it a new purpose.  For example, an unused chest of drawers from the spare bedroom makes a great linen chest in the bathroom for storing extra towels, facecloths, cleaning cloths and even extra bedding.  Put a fancy basket of sweet smelling potpourri on top and your chest has a whole new look!  Another great idea is to bring an unused blanket box out of the bedroom, fold a blanket on top and use it as a handy bench in your hall or entryway.

All of these decorating ideas are the perfect complement to more dramatic interior design efforts. However, you must understand that this level of redecorating has its limits. For a more professional, dramatic makeover, consult your local Seattle interior designer and you’ll achieve a look that will surely breathe some fresh air into your home.

If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.amelydesigns.com as the original source.

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