Author Topic: Interior Decorating  (Read 1635 times)

KYFIRE

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 98
Interior Decorating
« on: October 24, 2020, 10:30:27 AM »
I'm sure this may get a lot of flack but what's the opinion on interior decorators?

I know, the stuff of millionaires but while I would never pay someone to come and renovate my house when I could DIY 90% of it (not faster for sure, but cheaper and to a higher detail) how do you know what to do? 

We used an online service once to help us with two rooms in our house.  Of course they suggested some insane furniture ($700 for a decorative chair!  Nope.) but having the guidance of what style/colors/details helped a ton and I think it looks better than we would have come up with.  Otherwise we've fallen into the trap of getting or doing one thing here and there and then it all just doesn't come together.

What have you guys done to guide you?  Any suggestions?


uniwelder

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1697
  • Age: 44
  • Location: Appalachian Virginia
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #1 on: October 24, 2020, 10:40:00 AM »
What we usually end up decorating around whatever is the most expensive thing we don't have to buy--- either we already own it or just happened to find it very cheap.  The key is not to be picky.  Also great to have a friend or two that has a style you like and ask them to go through some options with you.

SunnyDays

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3489
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #2 on: October 24, 2020, 03:21:52 PM »
Decide on what your style is first, or you’ll just end up with a hodgepodge of furniture.  Sleek and modern/ traditional/ rustic/ country etc.  Look online for examples of choices, then find pictures of that style and imitate using whatever price point you’re comfortable with.  Personally, I’m into a stripped down version of French Country.

Sibley

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7428
  • Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2020, 04:22:30 PM »
I did pay a (net) $50 to Sherwin Williams for them to send their color consultant out and help me pick colors for pretty much the entire house. Very much worth the money, since I'd spent 2 years trying at that point.

I decorate to meet my needs and comforts, with things I like. If others don't like it, too bad. I didn't pick my wall art with you in mind. The end result is a bit odd. But then, so am I.

Metalcat

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17383
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #4 on: October 25, 2020, 04:40:30 AM »
I did pay a (net) $50 to Sherwin Williams for them to send their color consultant out and help me pick colors for pretty much the entire house. Very much worth the money, since I'd spent 2 years trying at that point.

I decorate to meet my needs and comforts, with things I like. If others don't like it, too bad. I didn't pick my wall art with you in mind. The end result is a bit odd. But then, so am I.

Absolutely, getting a paint consult is completely worth the money. However, a lot of places will do them for free where I live if you buy enough paint for a whole house.

These consults are worth it, not so much to help you pick colours, but to help you pick the right tone to achieve the colour that you want in your particular space.

I knew exactly which colours I wanted, but the colour consultant saved me a world of pain by translating my swatch vision to what would actually achieve it on my walls, such as picking a grey that I thought would be too purple, but ended up exactly right.

However, for actual interior design, I think it's overkill to hire a professional unless you really, really want your home to look like a magazine. A lot of my friends hire decorators/designers, and I rarely like the outcome, and it often ends up feeling hotel-y, because that's been the prevailing trend for soooooo long.

Take your time, look at lots of photos, and build towards a style that you like. But focus primarily on function, not form, because this is what you need to live in. As people have said, start with the most expensive or most important furniture items, and then work from there.

That said, if you want a decorator then hire a decorator. What's worth it to you is up to you. If you truly feel hopeless at decorating and are certain that you will end up with a tacky hodgepodge of expensive furniture that you hate, then go ahead and hire some help.

As much as I've seen a lot of what I consider to be tacky, overly designed rooms, I've also seen a ton of, well, downright awful furniture arrangement and styles where it's truly a god damn mess, and could have been avoided with some advice.

Do whatever works for you.

KYFIRE

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 98
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2020, 09:22:36 AM »

As much as I've seen a lot of what I consider to be tacky, overly designed rooms, I've also seen a ton of, well, downright awful furniture arrangement and styles where it's truly a god damn mess, and could have been avoided with some advice.


Haha, this!  I've ended up in this situation where just a little advice went a long way to fix it.  The good thing is that we're trending toward more Scandinavian/minimalist style so hopefully less furniture!
 
Thanks all for the replies.  As Sibley points out I have tried to do my own thing in the past and it worked for me.  But like others have said, the paint consultations are great to get that little cue that can make a huge difference and I wouldn't normally think of even in staying with the overall style I want.

One area that really prompts me to ask the whole question is that I'm looking at replacing the old carpet in a couple of rooms and going hardwood.  50% of the main floor is already hardwood but is a darker, thinner strip that I don't want to use more of but I don't want to create a huge clash between them. 

As these are more permanent changes to a house that I don't think we'll stay in past 10-12 years I want to make sure it will look good to future buyers as well (my preference prevails of course).  But I suppose that's where spending a little time with the flooring people will help.

Thanks again. 

brunetteUK

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 109
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #6 on: October 26, 2020, 04:27:23 AM »
Hi @KYFIRE !

I would suggest you have a read of Maria's website: https://mariakillam.com/blog/ She has a LOT of advice for spending money in a way that keeps your house timeless and also the order in which to decorate/buy things (eg, in a kitchen the first thing you need to know is what colour is your worktop since if it's a bossy colour or pattern then that will dictate how to decorate the rest of the kitchen, if it's a living room, then an existing fireplace will set the tone for the sofa, curtains and wall colour).

I also like www.thebasicprinciple.com/blog he's funny and gives overarching advice ;)

I also watch her videos, she's DIY badass https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCce7vvR81qpuXqFfICoKw1g

I'm not naturally born with the interior design skills but I really care about it and one thing that has worked for me is "copy paste". I takes much longer than getting a pro that knows what they're talking about and will tell you "this floor, not that floor" in minutes. But I do search pinterest and blogs to find rooms and spaces similar to mine and then see how they worked it out; how big was the sofa for the space, did pick shelves or cupboards for storage, how did they use the dark paint etc.

Good luck!

meadow lark

  • CM*MW 2023 Attendees
  • Walrus Stache
  • *
  • Posts: 7835
  • Location: Louisiana
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2020, 09:59:51 PM »
I can imagine having a decorator give suggestions.  It’s not common among my friends, but my friend with the most beautiful house of all of us did have a decorator.

Metalcat

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 17383
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #8 on: November 14, 2020, 09:06:03 AM »

As much as I've seen a lot of what I consider to be tacky, overly designed rooms, I've also seen a ton of, well, downright awful furniture arrangement and styles where it's truly a god damn mess, and could have been avoided with some advice.


Haha, this!  I've ended up in this situation where just a little advice went a long way to fix it.  The good thing is that we're trending toward more Scandinavian/minimalist style so hopefully less furniture!
 
Thanks all for the replies.  As Sibley points out I have tried to do my own thing in the past and it worked for me.  But like others have said, the paint consultations are great to get that little cue that can make a huge difference and I wouldn't normally think of even in staying with the overall style I want.

One area that really prompts me to ask the whole question is that I'm looking at replacing the old carpet in a couple of rooms and going hardwood.  50% of the main floor is already hardwood but is a darker, thinner strip that I don't want to use more of but I don't want to create a huge clash between them. 

As these are more permanent changes to a house that I don't think we'll stay in past 10-12 years I want to make sure it will look good to future buyers as well (my preference prevails of course).  But I suppose that's where spending a little time with the flooring people will help.

Thanks again.

So what you are looking for is more of a designer, not a decorator.

It's in the name, a designer designs the space, a decorator decorates it, so that's more someone who picks out furniture, accessories, and maybe paint colour.

Yes, if you are making expensive, permanent alterations to your home's structure and don't trust your own esthetic, a designer can help. Although, the designers I know tend to be very expensive and they don't just give suggestions, they source the materials and work with the architects, contractors, etc.

However, there can be benefits to having renos properly designed, but you may not need a designer, a good contractor with great taste can often manage it. One of DH's BFF's builds and renos houses, and he never works with a designer, his designs style is fantastic.

AMandM

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1673
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2020, 08:35:08 AM »
I agree you can learn a lot from what Maria Killam says, especially about colour (her specialty).

Another good blog to read for general principles of design/decoration, with lots of beautiful examples, is Laurel Bern: https://laurelberninteriors.com/interior-design-blog/  She actually has a funny post about the terminology: https://laurelberninteriors.com/2014/08/05/whats-difference-designer-decorator/
She is much more high end, though--she has designed rooms that cost as much as our annual income.

I have occasionally fantasized about hiring a designer to give me advice about general principles as applied to my house, but tbh nothing would improve the look of my house more than keeping it tidy.

LaineyAZ

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1052
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #10 on: November 30, 2020, 09:05:16 AM »
In the past, I've seen a local interior decorator association offer a special one-hour consultation fee which then gets donated to a charity during the holiday season.
Maybe keep an eye out for something like that? 

KYFIRE

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 98
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2020, 12:48:25 PM »
Thanks everyone for continued suggestions.  I'll check them out!


former player

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8822
  • Location: Avalon
Re: Interior Decorating
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2020, 03:55:04 AM »
I agree you can learn a lot from what Maria Killam says, especially about colour (her specialty).

Another good blog to read for general principles of design/decoration, with lots of beautiful examples, is Laurel Bern: https://laurelberninteriors.com/interior-design-blog/  She actually has a funny post about the terminology: https://laurelberninteriors.com/2014/08/05/whats-difference-designer-decorator/
She is much more high end, though--she has designed rooms that cost as much as our annual income.

I have occasionally fantasized about hiring a designer to give me advice about general principles as applied to my house, but tbh nothing would improve the look of my house more than keeping it tidy.
Wow, is Laurel Bern rude!

The Maria Killam rec on paint colours is a good one.  I think looking at lots of examples of interiors will help a lot to define what you want and don't want, which is needed even if a professional is going to help - the point of a professional should be to give you what you want but didn't know how to get to, but if you have no idea what you want you will probably just end up with what that decorator does for everyone.  Instagram is a great resource for pretty pictures of interiors, and if you look at something like the One Room Challenge you get a real variety of different styles from professionals and amateurs plus the story of how to get there -

https://www.instagram.com/oneroomchallenge/

For an unusual look I do like Abigail Ahern -

https://www.instagram.com/abigailahern/

Apartment Therapy is also a good source for ideas -

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/



« Last Edit: December 04, 2020, 03:58:25 AM by former player »