If you start an interior design project with a super-specific vision in mind for the space you’ll be working with, you might find yourself disappointed.

When scrolling through inspiration images on Pinterest or Instagram, or watching home renovation videos on TikTok, you’ll certainly see lots of gorgeous rooms that are immaculately put together with incredible lighting and artfully arranged furniture and lighting.

But when it comes time to get to work on your space, you’ll notice that it’s not so easy to create a picture-perfect room, especially not right off the bat.

Don’t worry– it’s still entirely possible to see your design visions come to life. You just have to approach the project with a plan of attack and realistic expectations!

The big picture

A beautifully-decorated space makes good use of its context, which includes the architectural elements of the room itself in addition to its location within the home and– perhaps most importantly– its access to natural and artificial lighting.

When you’re creating a plan for how you’d like your room to look when everything’s said and done, be sure to consider the room itself. How large is the space? How much light does it get during the day? Does it have any unique or interesting architectural elements, like alcoves or vaulted ceilings? 

Assessing the natural characteristics of the space itself– disregarding furniture and artificial lighting for now– will help you create your plan.

Pay attention to lighting

The dreamy plant-filled rooms that are all over interior design inspiration accounts tend to be absolutely flooded with natural light that makes the space look bright and cheerful while keeping all those plants happy and healthy.

If your home doesn’t have quite as much natural light, you’ll have to get a little bit creative.

While finding the perfect lighting solutions for your room, searching for light fixtures that effectively illuminate and elevate the space is obviously a must. But lighting fixtures are only one of the elements that you need to consider for your room.

Make the right furniture choices

Choosing furniture that will maximize your room’s lighting potential is very important. For instance, if you want a lot of plants in your space, you’ll need to take advantage of every last bit of natural light the room gets. 

Maximizing that light means choosing furniture that doesn’t block the windows at any time of day. If you place a tall bookcase in front of the window, it’ll block the light from entering the rest of the room and will keep your space in the shadows even during the brightest parts of the day!

Allow your lighting and furniture to work in harmony

Arranging your furniture to create a well-lit space will greatly improve the overall look and feel of your room. You should also consider task lighting, which will allow you to use the room to its full potential– if it’s an office or studio, good lighting in your work area is an absolute must!

And finally, when decorating your space, effective use of mirrors is an excellent way to create the illusion of a larger space while amplifying both natural and artificial light sources.

Consult the experts

Not everyone is an interior designer, and if you’re fairly new to the experience, you might be overwhelmed by options and unsure where to start. Not to worry– the design experts here at Kaufman by Design are here to help.

Give us a call or stop by today to discuss your vision, and we’ll help you get started on creating a room that you and your family will enjoy for years to come.