When planning the renovation and transformation of an apartment or house, you need to think carefully about the future interior in terms of ergonomics and visual appeal. In this review, using the example of photos of fashionable interiors, we will tell you how to create a room design from scratch and share interesting ideas for decorating a space.
How to think about the design of a room?
- Determine the mode of operation of the room, the number and features of functional segments – in most cases, the room performs not one, but two or three functions, for example, there may be a boudoir area in the bedroom, a workplace and a sports corner in the nursery, and a dining room in the living room.
- Create a planning solution taking into account the location of functional areas, the necessary furniture, and the number of users – when planning the future interior, you should also take into account the area and configuration of the room, the ability to increase the usable area by attaching a loggia, building a mezzanine or building a podium.
- Choose a design style – ideally, the style is chosen for the project as a whole (the design of an apartment or house), and in some rooms, you can strengthen the stylistic dominants or add elements of a different style. It should be borne in mind that the styles of classic, baroque, and modern are suitable for objects of a large area with ceilings of at least 3 meters.
- To decide in what color scheme the interior will be solved – the color is dictated by the style of the interior, age, and lifestyle of users, but they affect the choice of palette and the technical parameters of the room (ceiling height, footage, illumination).
- Make a list of necessary furniture, equipment, and accessories – with a shortage of usable space, it is better to limit yourself to a basic set of multifunctional items.
Planning
When choosing a layout, designers advise to consider:
- area, configuration, and architectural features of the room;
- number of functional areas;
- mode of operation of the room;
- Number of users.
Small room design
To decorate a small room, you should choose light colors, which will visually enlarge the room, and use other techniques to expand the space. And 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 items, as well as modular and transforming furniture, will help you implement the necessary functionality:
- blocks with a storage system, a desk, and a bed (installed in children’s rooms);
- folding beds (solution for studio apartments);
- folding sofas (can be used on a daily basis);
- sliding tables.
This approach will help not to overload a small room with furniture, and at the same time equip an ergonomic space for a comfortable life.
Middle Room Design
For medium-sized rooms, neutral colors and any layout options are suitable: central, around the perimeter, or from the corner. In the presence of 2-3 functional segments, the central place is given to the main area (in the bedroom there is a bed, in the living room there is a sofa, a coffee table, and a floor lamp, in the office there is a workplace).
Large room design
A large room provides maximum opportunities for placing things necessary for life but requires competent zoning and organization of space. In spacious rooms, sliding partitions with a large glazing area are often used, allowing you to effectively isolate functional areas and streamline the interior. In addition, they can be used to instantly transform the living space by combining or dividing the room.
Rectangular rooms
Rectangular rooms, resembling a trailer, are found in most apartments. And you can adjust the geometry of such a room if you divide it into two or three parts. This is done with the help of furniture (bed, sofa), decoration (the central part of one long wall stands out with a fresco or panel), and accessories (carpet).
Square rooms
A square room is ideal for a classic layout, which assumes the presence of an axis of symmetry and paired interior items.
Non-standard options
In modern new buildings, you can find non-standard rooms: with a sloping wall, sharp corners, niches, and a ceiling drop. In such rooms, designers advise making the most of the initial data: make the beveled wall accentuated, and build a cabinet into the niche.
Choosing a color for the interior of the room
The list of trendy color solutions includes light colors, gray and brown shades, and bright accents in a monochrome interior. And you need to choose a palette for a specific room, taking into account:
- squares – small rooms are best decorated in light colors;
- location of windows – in rooms with windows to the north, it is more expedient to use a warm color scheme, and with windows to the south – cold;
- Purposes – pastel and dark colors are in demand in bedrooms, neutral and warm in children’s rooms, and in the living room, dining room, kitchen, and hallway, you can enhance the color due to bright elements and rich colors in the decoration.
Finishes and materials
The range of finishing materials today is unusually wide, which allows you to realize any design idea.
Wall
For wall decoration are used:
- decorative plaster – mineral, textured, Venetian;
- acrylic paint – eco-friendly, safe, can be of any color, suitable for bedrooms and children;
- wallpaper – paper, vinyl, non-woven, embossed, patterned, painted, liquid;
- wooden panels – narrow, wide, slatted, deaf, with brushing, tinted, milled;
- panels made of innovative materials (PVC, MDF) – with 3D effect, embossed, perforated;
- brick – vintage red, white, gray, two-tone, textured;
- tiles – ceramic, marble, tile, cement, ornamented;
- natural stone – sandstone, rubble, limestone, granite, onyx.
Floor
In the list of popular floor coverings:
- typesetting parquet is a premium segment material used in the implementation of exclusive author’s projects;
- parquet and engineering boards – beautiful, durable, environmentally friendly coatings, have good maintainability;
- laminate flooring is a budget alternative to parquet boards;
- vinyl quartz – wear-resistant coating, can imitate board and stone, suitable for wet rooms;
- Linoleum is an easy-to-care and inexpensive material.
Ceiling
The ceiling in the room can:
- plastering and painting is a budgetary, but labor-intensive option;
- decorate with a stretch fabric or PVC fabric – allows you not to waste time, effort, or money on plastering work and hide
- communications located under the ceiling;
- Present in the form of a multi-level structure – stepped, caisson, with stained glass, mirror, and glass inserts.
Interior design options for different rooms
Living Room
In the living room, you can make a TV zone or an accent wall behind the sofa the center of the interior composition, decorating it with a mural, a marble or onyx slab, and 3D panels with LED lighting.
Bedroom
In the bedroom, the main character is the bed, which is usually placed with the headboard against the wall. It is complemented by a pair of bedside tables or tables. You can effectively highlight this area with the help of a large-scale decorative panel at the head of the bed. It can be:
- soft – assembled from modules upholstered in textiles;
- with a pronounced relief – 3D panels will be required;
- from wallpaper or frescoes – framed by plaster or polyurethane moldings;
- in the form of graffiti – relevant to the youth interior.
You can add shine and luxury to the atmosphere with the help of a pair of vertical narrow mirror canvases (or a panel of faceted mirror tiles), which are placed on both sides of the bed.
Kids Bedroom
The nursery is the most saturated space in terms of functionality. Therefore, when arranging it, close attention should be paid to the layout. The workplace is well placed by the window (you can replace the window sill with a countertop!). The play area and sports corner are boldly transferred to the attached loggia. And it is better to make a module with a built-in wardrobe, a bed, and a guest bed as an interior dominant.
Kitchen
For a small kitchen, you will need a compact corner set and a round dining table with stackable stools or folding chairs. In the spacious kitchen, you can install an island – it can be used as a dining area, for storing kitchen utensils, embedding a hob, sink, freezer, or wine cabinet.
Bathroom and toilet
In the bathroom and toilet, a combined finish is relevant, which helps to adjust the geometry of the room and favorably highlight wet areas. And for the storage and arrangement of the utility block, you can make a niche by hiding it with louvered doors.
Hallway
In the hallway and corridor, an excellent solution would be to equip built-in wardrobes (this will relieve space). As an interior accent, you can use one wall, decorating it with a relief finish or highlighting it with color, or you can use the floor, laying it out with ornamented tiles.
Office
For those who work remotely, a home office is a vital necessity. If it is in a separate room, the desk is supplemented with bookcases, and a double linear sofa is selected for the recreation area. If the workplace is on the loggia or in the bedroom, you will need a compact console, a couple of shelves, and a cabinet for office equipment.
Styles of photography
In the list of the most popular interior styles:
Loft
The charisma of the loft is in textured materials, brutal industrial elements, and open communications. The traditional finishing material for this style is vintage red brick, which harmonizes well with rust-touched metal and brushed boards, but the loft can also be decorated in light colors. To create a modern loft environment with urban overtones, designers advise using concrete plaster.
Classic
The classic interior is an example of respectability and nobility. Spatial symmetry and clear zoning are a priority here. To create an aristocratic atmosphere, stucco décor, exquisite furniture, and palace chandeliers with hundreds of crystal pendants are used. The walls in the classic project are decorated with boiserie panels or decorated with a wooden plinth occupying the lower third of the vertical surfaces.
Art Deco
Outrageous Art Deco impresses with luxury, the glitter of gold, the shine of mirrors, and the richness of textures. Such an interior is characterized by a combined premium finish (embossed wallpaper, decorative panels with a texture under the skin of reptiles, typesetting parquet, Venetian plaster), rich dark colors, and complex light. And the atmosphere of light theatricality is enhanced by exclusive designer furniture.
Scandinavian
Laconic and cozy Scandinavian style with an abundance of textiles and light wood guarantees comfort for people of any age. It is based on the philosophy of a happy and prosperous life of Hygge, which is popular today in all countries.
Eco-style
Eco-style is a good choice for those who want to live in harmony with the world around them. A natural palette, natural materials, and tactilely pleasant textures create a comfortable environment. The list of fashionable eco-style finishes includes reed wallpaper, mineral plaster, and wooden panels. And you can create intrigue with the help of single pieces of furniture made of architectural concrete.
Vintage
The interior with vintage details has a special charm and historical value. It organically combines classic and colonial details, and antique furniture plays the main role. Of the accessories, a “shabby” oriental carpet and a retro-inspired photo gallery with pictures in sepia shades will be appropriate here.
Neoclassical
Neoclassical interior is a godsend for those who appreciate the traditional approach to interior design but want to live in a modern space with improved ergonomics. From the traditional classics, there is a symmetrical layout and design elements: stucco, imitation of boiserie panels, and parquet flooring. And furniture, lamps, and textiles acquire more concise and relevant silhouettes.
High Tech
The high-tech room looks futuristic and dynamic, which allows you to live in the rhythm of the big city 24 hours a day. To create an ultra-fashionable interior in this style, you will need light marble, concrete plaster, porcelain stoneware, graffiti as décor, and neon lamps.
Minimalism
Practical and concise minimalism is a universal solution for a room of any purpose and area. It is characterized by strict geometry, multi-level light, and a combination of matte and glossy surfaces. A truly trendy option is monochrome soft-minimalism in warm beige tones.
A combination of styles
Another current trend in interior design is eclecticism. A mix of different styles allows you to create an environment with a bright personality, which is very popular with creative natures. A suitable stylistic basis for an eclectic interior can be neoclassicism or minimalism.
Lighting selection
The designer’s opinions about lighting in the rooms of apartments and private houses sound unequivocal: the light should be multi-level, and complex, allowing you to implement at least three lighting scenarios. Functional light involves three levels:
- The upper one has ceiling chandeliers, spotlights, and track systems.
- The middle one is wall sconces and floor lamps.
- The lower one has table lamps, illumination of stairs, and baseboards.
Lighting of local areas is carried out with the help of suspensions and lamps with a directional luminous flux, and it is required for a dining group, a bar counter, a cooking area in the kitchen, a workplace, a corner for relaxation. As for decorative lighting, it is implemented with the help of an LED strip – using it, you can change the perception of space and add charisma to the environment.
What kind of furniture to choose?
The choice of furniture and the basic set depends on the purpose and functionality of the room. However there are five general rules for the selection of interior items that should be followed in the process of furnishing an apartment and house.
- Multifunctional rooms (for example, kitchen-living-dining room) require furniture with low backs (chairs, sofas, armchairs), which will not block the view and create a feeling of clutter.
- In small rooms, transparent furnishings (glass dining and coffee tables, designer plastic chairs) that do not overload the interior look good.
- The design of the nursery will benefit from the presence of a functional modular element that combines a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, and a play corner.
- Modern projects involve laconic furniture of strict geometric shapes and modular sofas with several layout options, which will allow you to change the interior depending on the mood and situation.
- When choosing a furniture set for a room, it is better to avoid ready-made sets with a large number of items (with the exception of the kitchen and children’s room), and complete each functional area separately, forming an ensemble of things suitable in style, color, and mood.
Décor & Accessories
Accessories and décor for the interior of the room are selected depending on its stylistic solution:
- classics – plaster stucco, frescoes, paintings in gilded frames, silver candelabra and girandoles, fireplace clocks;
- Art Deco – silver trays, golden figurines and caskets, crystal candlesticks, mirror moldings with an elegant facet;
- loft — vintage pendants, aged carpet;
- Scandinavian – cozy blankets, wicker baskets, wooden panels;
- High-tech – decorative panels in the technique of graffiti.
If we talk about modern trends in décor, then the emphasis is on functional objects of the original design that resemble art objects: neon lamps in the format of motivating inscriptions, coffee tables with sculpture elements, and floor lamps-statues.
Tips for expanding your space
No matter how spacious the rooms are, there is always not enough usable space, as well as the feeling of air. Design techniques for expanding the space will help solve the problem:
- Light palette. If you use finishes, furniture, and textiles in light colors, the room will seem more spacious.
- Mirrors. Mirror canvases and panels on walls, window slopes, in niches not only visually expand the space due to the play of reflections, but also help improve the illumination of the room.
- Built-in storage. Wardrobes in niches, mezzanines, podiums with drawers, and beds with a functional basement allow you to ergonomically place things and save usable space in the rooms.
- Transparent furnishings. Tables and chairs made of tempered glass and plastic, as well as open shelving that transmits light and are used as space dividers, will help maintain lightness in the interior.
- LED backlight. It is able to emphasize the configuration of the room and “raise” the ceiling (for this, the tape is laid behind the ceiling cornice), focus on specific areas or decorative elements, visually lighten the overall pieces of furniture or create the effect of soaring (in demand in a bedroom with a massive bed).
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