Welcome to a cozy chat about creating homes that truly feel like you. I’ve spent years helping people turn empty spaces into places they can’t wait to come home to, and today I want to share what really matters when designing your interior.
Think of this as your friendly guide through the sometimes overwhelming world of interior design. No fancy jargon, just practical advice that actually helps.
Things To Look For When Designing The Interior Of Your Home
Before diving into specific elements, remember that your home should tell your story. Every choice from wall color to throw pillows adds a sentence to that story. Let’s look at the 13 key things that make a house feel like home.
Layout and Space Planning
The way your rooms flow can make or break how you experience your home. Think about the daily routes you take—from bedroom to bathroom, kitchen to living room. These paths should feel natural, not like an obstacle course.
Open floor plans have been popular for years, but don’t feel pressured to knock down every wall. Sometimes separate spaces create much-needed privacy or help define different activities. The key is balance.
Pay attention to how furniture placement affects movement. Leave at least 30-36 inches for walking paths. Pull furniture away from walls to create conversation areas where people naturally want to gather and chat.
For small spaces, consider furniture that fits the scale. An oversized sectional might look amazing in a showroom but could overwhelm your apartment living room. Measure twice, buy once!
Natural Light and Lighting Design
Light shapes our mood more than almost anything else in a home. Start by making the most of your natural light. Keep windows clean, use light-filtering curtains instead of heavy drapes if privacy isn’t a major concern, and place mirrors strategically to bounce light deeper into rooms.
For artificial lighting, think in layers: ambient (overall illumination), task (focused light for specific activities), and accent (highlighting architectural features or art). A mix creates depth and allows you to adjust the mood.
Table lamps create cozy zones that overhead lighting can’t match. Floor lamps add height variation. Wall sconces save space and add warmth. Skip the harsh cool-white bulbs in favor of soft warm white for most living spaces—your eyes will thank you.
Color Scheme
Colors do more than look pretty—they affect how we feel in a space. Blues and greens tend to calm, while reds and oranges energize. Think about what you need from each room: restful sleep in bedrooms might call for cooler tones, while dining areas might benefit from colors that stimulate conversation.
The 60-30-10 rule keeps things balanced: 60% of the room in a dominant color (often walls), 30% in a secondary color (larger furniture), and 10% in an accent color (accessories). This creates visual interest without chaos.
Don’t rush into painting all four walls a bold color. Try an accent wall first, or bring in colorful accessories that can be switched out if your taste changes.
Furniture Selection
Furniture needs to work for your actual life, not some imaginary perfect version. That gorgeous white sofa? Skip it if you have kids, pets, or enjoy eating while watching TV.
Test before you buy—sit in chairs, lie on beds, open and close drawers. Good furniture feels good to use, not just to look at. For those in California, furniture places near Sacramento area offer diverse options where you can try before you buy.
Consider the “sit test” for sofas: can you comfortably sit how you actually sit at home? Some people perch, others lounge. Some curl up with legs tucked under, others stretch out full-length. Your furniture should accommodate your natural habits.
Mix pieces from different time periods or styles for a collected-over-time look that has more personality than matching sets. Just maintain some connecting element—similar wood tones, complementary fabrics, or repeated shapes—to keep things cohesive.
Materials and Finishes
The materials in your home affect both how it looks and how it works. Hardwood floors offer warmth and longevity but require care. Quartz countertops resist stains better than marble. Matte paint hides wall imperfections that glossy finishes might highlight.
Consider how materials will age. Some get better with time (leather, certain woods), while others show wear quickly (some painted finishes, lower-quality fabrics).
Balance hard surfaces with soft ones. Too many hard surfaces create echo chambers that feel cold. Too many soft surfaces can make spaces look mushy and undefined. The contrast between smooth and textured, hard and soft creates visual and tactile interest.
For kitchens and bathrooms design, prioritize durability and water resistance. These spaces see heavy use and moisture exposure, so investments in quality materials here really pay off.
Storage Solutions
Nothing undermines beautiful design faster than clutter. Plan storage based on what you actually own, not what you wish you owned. Count your shoes, books, kitchen gadgets—whatever tends to pile up—and design storage accordingly.
Look for forgotten spaces: under stairs, high wall areas for shelving, the backs of doors. Multi-purpose furniture (ottomans with storage, beds with drawers) saves space in smaller homes.
The best storage solutions make daily habits easier. If you always drop mail on the kitchen counter, create a dedicated spot with sorting bins. If kids scatter toys everywhere, use low open baskets they can easily access for cleanup.
Remember that not everything needs to be hidden away. Open shelving for items you use daily makes sense, while seasonal or rarely-used things can go behind closed doors.
Flooring Choices
Floors set the tone for a room and need to balance beauty with practicality. High-traffic areas like entryways benefit from durable materials like tile or luxury vinyl flooring. Bedrooms might prioritize the softness of carpet or area rugs over hardwood.
Think about sound transfer, especially in multi-story homes or apartments. Harder surfaces bounce sound around, while softer flooring absorbs it. Area rugs over hard floors offer the best of both worlds.
Consider your cleaning style too. Some people don’t mind regular maintenance of wood floors, while others prefer the simplicity of vacuuming carpet. The best flooring matches not just your aesthetic but your lifestyle.
Transitions between different flooring types need planning. Abrupt material changes can look choppy, so consider thresholds, borders, or gradual transitions that make sense with your home’s flow.
Wall Treatments and Artwork
Walls are your biggest canvas and deserve attention. Paint remains the most flexible option, but don’t overlook wallpaper (including removable art versions for renters), textured finishes, or paneling for added dimension.
When hanging artwork, the middle should sit at eye level—about 57-60 inches from the floor for most pieces. Collections work better grouped together than scattered throughout a room.
Don’t rush to fill every wall. Negative space gives eyes a place to rest and can highlight your carefully chosen pieces more effectively than a cluttered arrangement.
Scale matters tremendously. A tiny picture lost on a large wall feels wrong, as does an oversized canvas crammed into a small space. Aim for artwork that fills about two-thirds of the wall space above furniture furnishing.
Textiles and Soft Furnishings
Textiles bring warmth, texture, and color in easily changeable ways. Layer different textures rather than matching everything—maybe linen curtains, a wool rug, and cotton pillows instead of the same fabric throughout.
Window treatments serve multiple purposes: privacy, light control, insulation, and decoration. Consider what each room needs most. Blackout curtains make sense for bedrooms but might be overkill for living areas.
Rugs define spaces and add comfort underfoot. Size matters more than pattern—a too-small rug makes a room feel awkward and disjointed. Aim for all furniture legs on the rug in living areas, or at least the front legs.
Pillows and throws offer low-commitment ways to follow trends or change with seasons. They’re also practical comfort-boosters that make spaces more livable.
Functional Zones and Multipurpose Areas
Even in open-concept homes, defining zones helps spaces make sense.
Use upholstered furniture arrangement, area rugs, lighting, or even ceiling treatments to visually separate areas with different functions.
In smaller homes, multipurpose spaces are essential. A dining table that doubles as a work surface, a guest room that works as a home office, or a living room with a play area needs thoughtful planning.
Traffic flow between zones matters tremendously. Leave enough space for movement, and arrange furniture to guide people naturally through the space rather than creating awkward detours.
Consider sight lines between areas. Sometimes you want connection (keeping an eye on kids while cooking), while other times visual separation helps (hiding kitchen mess from the dining table).
Technology Integration
Smart homes aren’t just about gadgets—they’re about making life easier. Plan outlets where you’ll need them, including USB ports near beds and desks. Consider cord management from the beginning to avoid unsightly tangles.
Hide what you can—TVs that disappear into cabinets or behind artwork, speakers that blend with decor, routers tucked into decorative boxes. Technology works best when it doesn’t visually compete with your design.
Lighting control systems can transform how you experience your home, allowing preset scenes for different activities without multiple switches. Even simple dimmer switches make spaces more versatile.
Future-proof where possible. Running extra conduit during renovations makes adding new wiring later much easier. Plan furniture with charging capabilities and flexible arrangements as technology needs evolve.
Personal Style and Theme
Your home should feel like you, not a showroom. Collect things that matter rather than following trends blindly. Family photos, travel souvenirs, or hobby collections tell your story better than generic decor ever could.
That said, some cohesion helps spaces feel intentional. Pick a loose theme or color story that connects rooms without making them identical. Maybe coastal colors flow throughout, or vintage pieces appear in each space.
Don’t feel locked into one style label. Most people are drawn to elements from multiple design approaches. The most interesting homes mix traditional with modern, sleek with rustic, or high-end with bargain finds.
Trust your gut over rules. If something makes you smile every time you see it, it belongs in your home—regardless of whether it “matches” everything else.
Budget and Timeline Considerations
Be realistic about costs and timing. Most projects take longer and cost more than initially expected. Build in a 15-20% buffer to your budget for surprises.
Prioritize spending on things that are difficult to change later (quality flooring, good windows) or that you interact with daily (comfortable mattress, well-built sofa). Save on items easily replaced as tastes change.
Consider phasing projects rather than trying to do everything at once. Start with good bones—layout, lighting, and major finishes—then add layers over time as budget allows.
Remember that good design evolves. Leave room—both in your space and your planning—for new finds and changing needs. The best homes grow with their owners.
Conclusion
Creating a home that truly works for you is more marathon than sprint. Take time to understand how you really live before making major decisions. Notice which spaces you naturally gravitate toward and why.
The most successful interiors balance beauty with real life. They create a backdrop for memories rather than stealing the show. They support your activities instead of making them harder.
What’s your biggest interior design challenge right now? I’d love to hear what you’re working on and offer any helpful tips if I can!
