5 Best Decorating Ideas and Interior Design Tips: Secrets Revealed

[PeppaPig1983 2]

5 Best Decorating Ideas and Interior Design Tips: Secrets Revealed

We all know a few simple but super effective decorating ideas and interior design tips that can transform our drab homes into the stuff of dreams. But do we really know the best stuff?

It is hereby my sacred duty to share some of the subtler yet most potent secrets that the best interior designers have used in their most dazzling creations!

1.   The Magic of 3D Wallpapers (or 5D, 8D, depending on how much you’re willing to spend…)

Relatively inexpensive and easy to apply to put up, 3D wallpapers are amazing for home decoration.

Whether it's 3D wallpaper for bedroom walls or 3D wallpaper designs for the living room, never underestimate how much they can transform any living space! Plus it's a lot cheaper than a plaster ceiling or wall stucco (which have their own advantages, of course; you can read a little about it here: “Why a Plaster Ceiling? – Types of Plaster Products, Advantages and Applications”). 

A little dramatic lighting and just look at that! How much does that costs? RM4.08 per square meter =.=; Shower 3D wallpaper image via Made-in-China.com

But you have more money to splurge, you say? No problem, there are 5D even 8D wallpapers that are even MOAR GORGEOUS! Some even stick out from walls, like 3D brick wallpapers.

You could go on a quick trip to Kaison at Aeon Tebrau or Kaison at Paradigm Mall and check out what they have, or you could get them through an online store. Made-in-China.com is a great place to find a great price for the stuff - just don’t forget to factor in shipping…  

*note: Paper 3D wallpaper = typically cheaper, vinyl/PVC = waterproof.

2.   Interior design lighting matters – It ain’t “just in your head”

Lighted stair railing and bright colours amplify the sense of space in this gorgeous living room. Design and image courtesy of Trinity Design Studio, an interior designer in Johor Bahru.

Good interior design lighting is important for a good number of reasons.

For one, it helps prevent accidents from happening (e.g. like a family member missing a step falling, or stepping on an unseen sharp object on the floor, or causing an electrical fire).

Utilitarian needs aside, it is also the fundamental, quintessential, “WHY-YOU-NOT-DO-THIS?” element required to turn an otherwise boring living space into a palace chamber fit for a Galactic Empress/Emperor.

Plus, the psychological effects of lighting are very real, and its type and colours can affect how we feel. It’s the same effect that makes us wake up when the morning sun comes up @_@ (*quick fun fact: Yes, all of it is happening in your head, but that doesn’t make it any less real than any other event outside of it, like, the rest of the physical universe).

(a)   To create a more comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, use accent lighting; its soft glow dazzle your family and friends into a “rabbit-in-headlamp” stupor - perfect for unwinding after a long day at work. Make sure they’re glowing soft and not dark, or you’ll be dozing off instead of relaxing! 

(b)   Focal lighting (i.e. spotlight effect, directional lighting) is the answer if there’s something in the home that warrants greater emphasis. Have a specific household item you'd like to show off? Like an expensive mahogany dining table or a bust of your great-great-grandfather? Focused, directional lighting is excellent for this.

(c)    Bright, adequate lighting is important for places where lots of activity is expected. For example:

(i)               The kitchen where we chop stuff with sharp metal objects, swish pots of boiling hot water about and evade spitting hot oil when frying on a daily basis;

(ii)              The stairs where bad lighting could result in people tripping and falling;

(iii)             Corridors/rooms with high foot traffic, i.e. places where people need to go through to get from room to room. Here’s an interesting idea for dramatic stairs: place small lights along the sides of each step! No more missed steps and broken bones ever again - ideal when the elderly are present.

(continued on page 2 below!)

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[PeppaPig1983 2]

3.   Use clever optical illusions to make small spaces look BIGGER

You can’t make a low ceiling higher, but you can trick people into thinking it is! Here’s a small bag of optical illusions that’s particularly useful at making a small living room look bigger:

(a)   Paint or wallpaper the room a bright colour. This is optical illusion 101 to make rooms look bigger and ceilings higher.

(b)   Place tall, slim pieces of furniture in it. This will give the illusion of the ceiling being higher than it really is.   

(c)    Don’t stack furniture right up to side walls. The further they are from it, the more spacious rooms will look. Going for a "desolate" look? Try placing a single piece of furniture in the middle of the room...

(d)   Go with a single large decorative item to define a room, not clutter it with many small ones. 

(e)   Use mirrors to create the illusion spaces. For example, mirrors placed directly opposite a window will give the illusion of an additional space including another window in it. Multiple mirrors in a room can enhance the effect, as well as elongated mirrors running along the entire lengths of a room.

Mirrors also help bounce natural light coming into the room around, and bright spaces not only make spaces look bigger, but can also improve your mood.

Take a look at the before and after images of this renovation. Note the use of bright, dramatic lighting, the use and arrangement of tall kitchen cabinets and decluttering of the work area. Design and image courtesy of De Space Interior Design, an interior designer in Johor Bahru.

4.   Stick with the “60 / 30 / 10” Colour Rule

This may seem counter-intuitive to rule number 5, but trust us this one is important: when choosing the colours for your room, pay attention to the colour ratio. Ideally, they it should comprise of:

> Primary colour (60%): This colour should cover a large portion of the room and preferably be a neutral colour (e.g. white, beige, black, ivory and gray). This usually includes painting entire walls, ceilings and floors. 

> Secondary colour (30%): Typically comprising a slightly bolder shade to the primary colour, secondary colours are used to break up the monotony of the primary colour. Furniture is a good choice to make up the secondary colour set.

> Accent colour (10%): The boldest and most striking, accent colours are best used to help a unique accessory item in a room stand out from everything else; e.g. a painting, a piano, TV, etc.

A perfect example illustrating the 60 / 30 / 10 colour rule in ivory-beige walls and ceiling / teal sofas / black and white cushions. Design and image courtesy of De Space Interior Design, Johor Bahru.

5.   Always pick a design that suits your personality.

Last but not least, though there will be people who’ll try to recommend a style for you, you should always go with the style that resonates with you most. After all, it’s your home, so pick a design that like and stick with it. There are no hard rules when it comes to personal preferences.

[fin!]

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