Interior Design and Interior Decorating - Some Definitions

Interior Decoration and Interior Design, although related disciplines, are different in terms of their application. Interior Decoration is the process of decorating a house with regards to finishes (for example wallpaper and paint, choice of furniture and fittings as well as adding finishing touches and decorations such as paintings and objets d'art. All of this provide a certain "feel" to a house but essentially the underlying structure of the house is not changed.

Interior decoration is normally professionally done by Interior Decorators although recently the trend has been for people to learn about Interior Decorating through various courses or books and then apply the techniques themselves-usually on a shoestring budget. The whole objective of Interior Decorating is to make a house aesthetically pleasing and at the same time, unique, since it should reflect the owner's specific personality and tastes.

Interior design on the other hand is more integrated with the architecture of a building and a professional Interior Designer will work closely with architects and builders to make choices regarding the integral design of the whole house or building. This includes looking at choices with regards to room layout, choice of cabinets and tiles and lots of other design factors. While the Interior Design budget for new developments used to be minimal, it is recognized these days that incorporating Interior Design into the project means the difference between a run-of-the-mill development and one that contributes to the branding and life-style image of the project. The money spent on Interior Design is therefore seen as a worthwhile investment in the whole property development process.

Homeowners are spending more and more to improve their homes. Since it is relatively easy to change the appearance of a house by changing the finishings and fittings a large portion of this money goes into Interior Decorating. The growing popularity in do-it-yourself Interior Decorating has meant that a whole industry around Interior Decorating courses, books and TV Shows have also sprung up, and it has become a popular hobby for married couples. Innovative Interior Decoration ideas, which cost less but at the same time giving the impression of style and class, are in vogue.

Young entrepreneurs have also seen the gap and there is a growing demand for information and courses on how to break into the Interior Design and Interior Decoration Industry. This has also given the home {interior decoration industry a boost.

Although the trend recently is for people to tackle the exciting task of transforming a house themselves, it has to be recognized that this falls more in the area of Interior Decorating. Interior Design still requires study of the context of Interior Design, the theory of good design, knowledge of the technical advances in the engineering industry for both residential as well as commercial buildings and knowledge of the latest trends and advances in the Interior Design industry.

In short, an Interior Design project in which all the elements of design are pulled together is still the ambit of the professional designer who should be able to deliver on projects that extend beyond the boundaries of a hobby pastime.

Interior Design Vs Interior Decorating Vs Home Staging Vs Interior Redesign - What's the Difference?

The other day a real estate agent whose listings I stage for sale introduced me to someone as a "designer". I didn't want to take the time to correct him, but I thought to myself, "This isn't the first time I've heard people use 'designer' erroneously. It's often used to label someone who's an interior decorator. So, why does everyone lump us all in one category, when we all clearly do something different?"

To put the differences succinctly:

• Interior Design involves, among many other things, the preparation of documents often by a licensed professional for the construction of an interior space such as plans and elevations, and details and specifications, including lighting, power and communication locations, materials and finishes, and furniture layouts.
• Interior Decorating involves the adornment of surfaces in the interior space, such as fabrics, wall coverings, furniture, decorative accessories, flooring, light fixtures etc., and takes into account the lifestyle, taste, needs and preferences of the user of the space. While interior designers may decorate, interior decorators don't design.
• Home Staging is preparing the home for sale through updates and "decorating" so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers for the market that the home is in.
• Interior Redesign is often done by home stagers for homeowners not currently selling because it employs many of the same principles that home stagers use, such as primarily using what furniture and decorative accessories the homeowner already has, with an eye towards the future sale of the home.

Now, let's explore each one more in-depth.

Interior Design

According to the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ):

• Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment.
• These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive.
• Designs are created in response to and coordinated with thebuilding shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project.
• Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability.
• The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.

The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) is the leading organization for interior design professionals. Certain levels of its members must meet certain education, work experience and examination requirements administered by the NCIDQ. Further, some states have licensing requirements for interior designers which include the passage of this exam. ASID also has continuing education requirements for its members.

Interior Decorating

No wonder people often confuse interior decorating with Interior Design. Even I had trouble finding a definition for Interior Decorating. Often it said "see interior design".

Perhaps its best to understand interior decorating as it exists in contrast to interior design:

• An interior decorator would select floor coverings based upon the tastes and lifestyle of the client, whereas the interior designer would take it a step further and look at usage, sound transference, flammability, etc.
• An interior decorator would select lighting fixtures, whereas the interior designer would plan for the location of lighting and ensure that it is in compliance with building and safety codes.
• An interior decorator does not need to have any formal education and/or work experience, testing or licensing, whereas an interior designer does.

Home Staging

Home staging is the art and science of preparing a home for sale so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers in order to sell quickly and for top dollar. The objective is to make the potential buyer fall in love with the home, envision themselves living there and aspire to the lifestyle the home portrays.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association's Consumer's Guide to Home Staging, it is a "systematic and coordinated methodology in which knowledge of real estate, home renovations and creative design principles are applied to attract a buyer."

Home staging involves any or all of the following:

• Evaluating what furniture and decorative accessories (throw pillows, artwork, decorative objects, lamps, knickknacks, etc.) the owner has, and:

- eliminating some of the furniture and/or decorative accessories, otherwise known as decluttering as well as depersonalizing (removal of family photos, trophies, collections etc. so the buyer can envision living there)

- arranging the furniture and accessories for optimal placement to enhance flow (the ability to walk freely through the room), focal point enhancement (e.g., emphasizing a fireplace or a beautiful view), balance (are there too many or too large pieces in the bookcase or on only one side of the room?) and the positive aspects of the home while downplaying the negatives

• Carefully selecting for purchase or rent, if necessary, the appropriate furniture and accessories for the style of the home and it's market.
• Recommending, implementing and/or arranging for enhancements, updates and repairs such as painting, flooring, sink fixtures, lighting fixtures, window treatments, landscaping, etc.

Interior Redesign

As stated above, interior redesign is like home staging, however it enhances the home for the homeowners rather than for potential buyers. And it does so with an eye towards its future sale. It is like home staging in that it primarily uses the client's existing furniture and decorative accessories to transform the space, and may also involve the purchase of additional furniture and accessories as well as updates to the wall colors, window treatments, lighting fixtures etc.

Summary

To summarize the differences:

• Interior Design involves the planning of all aspects of interior space often by a licensed professional.
• Interior Decorating involves the adornment of surfaces in the interior space. Interior designers may decorate, but interior decorators don't design.
• Home Staging is preparing the home for sale through updates and showcasing so that it appeals to the broadest range of buyers for the market that the home is in.
• Interior Redesign employs many of the same principles that home stagers use, such as primarily using what furniture and decorative accessories the homeowner already has, with an eye towards the future sale of the home.

Searching For An Interior Design Job

Use your interior design education to get that interior design job that you covet. If you have ever looked at a room or living space and felt that, you could make it more livable and attractive then maybe interior design is for you.

If you have a flair for creativity and are not afraid to express your ideas then an interior design job is just what you need. However, you cannot just go get a design job. You need the proper educational background to get your foot in the door of the industry. Once you have the interior design degree or diploma then you will be taken more seriously.

There are many top design schools in North America. Not only that but there are many online interior design schools as well. Design schools will help you unleash your creativity and show you how to use color, style, fabrics, accessories, lighting, paint and furnishings that reflect your personality and the personality of your clients.

If you are not specifically looking for an interior design job but would rather start your own Interior Design company, you are still going to need a proper education in Interior Design. An education will provide you with skills and confidence that you will need in pursuing your career in the exciting and challenging world of Interior Design.

Enrolling in an Interior Design program really has no prerequisites except basic artistic and creative ability. If you feel that attending school is just out of the question due to family or work commitments consider taking an online interior design program that lets you interact with instructors and other students on your own time. It is a great way to further your education to get that dream interior design job.

There is more to interior design than just decorating a room, which is essentially interior decorating. Interior Design is more of a process of drawing on the environment, architecture and product design. Interior decorating is more along the lines of simply decorating a living space. Interior Designers are professionally trained in the art of Interior Design.

To get that dream interior design job it also helps immensely if you have contacts in the field. If you are just starting out, consider volunteering at a large design firm to get valuable experience and a chance to make some contacts in the interior design industry.

When you are searching for your interior design job, do you have an idea or preference as to what area of design you would like to get into? Would you prefer residential or commercial? It is thought that commercial is a more lucrative area of interior design. Alternatively, would a more specialized area of design like healthcare or restaurant design be more interesting for you?

With the increase in the aging of the population, there is a need for more care and living spaces for the elderly. This could be an area of rapid growth for the interior designer, thus keep this in mind when searching for your interior design job.

To get started on your interior design career, enroll in an accredited Interior Design school today. Once you've graduated you are well on your way to your dream interior design job.

Interior Design For The Home

Any home can be pleasing with the proper application of basic interior design methods. Some people study interior design to be very good at it but there are people who are gifted with an eye for beauty and for interior designing.

A person who is creative can do some interior designing on his own even without formal training. Those who have an eye for what is aesthetic can just as easily decorate and design his own house depending on his tastes. Of course, it helps to read books and articles about designing to be updated on the basic and latest design methods.

Any interior designer can create a specific atmosphere just by putting together several pieces and unifying them in a single theme. There are interior designers who have a bias for certain motifs like eclectic, modern or even country style. Some go for simple designs without the clutter.

Interior design is not only aesthetic but also functional depending on the requirements of the client. An interior designer can make a small room spacious and an otherwise cluttered room into an orderly one. Interior design is used just about anywhere from homes, offices to commercial buildings.
The interiors of a room should always match the personality of the person who will occupy that room. This is the reason why designers always work closely with their clients so they can make sure that they get a feel of what their clients want in terms of design style.

People have this notion that interior design is expensive. However, designers are not only creative people but they are also very good in budgeting. Most designers will work on a design that will match or fit the budget of their clients. A person can allot a minimal amount for the interior design of his home or office and still come up with an aesthetic and functional room.

Professional interior designers who are formally trained usually have basic knowledge on architecture, engineering and even accounting. They need these courses to make their design aesthetic, structurally correct and cost effective.

The terms Interior design and interior decorating have often been used interchangeably. However, the two terms actually deal with different phases of making a room or a space aesthetic. Interior design is basically the process of studying the personality of the occupant of the room being designed in order to maximize and tailor-made the room's design for that person's behavior and personality.

Interior decorating on the other hand is the process of actually mixing and matching the different design techniques like window treatments, the right wallpaper, wall finish and even the furnishing of a room.

There are a lot of opportunities for those in the interior design and decorating industry. An interior designer can go into designing household, corporate or commercial establishments. Others specialize in the design of health facilities or even tourism establishments.

The latest trend now for those in the interior design industry is to be able to incorporate the right engineering and aesthetic design with sustainable development. Even designers are now more conscious about the state of the environment so they tend to use environmentally friendly materials for their designs.

There are designers who specialize and use Feng Shui in their designs. This requires further study because Feng Shui deals with the Chinese's ancient methods of designing a space to make the design work for the owner's health, business and other life factors.

The Chinese believes that a structure should be properly designed so as to allow positive energy to enter the structure. When the structure has already been built without the aid of a Feng Shui expert, the mistakes can be corrected through proper interior design using the Feng Shui methods.

By incorporating Feng Shui in interior design, it is believed that a person can bring out all the positive energies in a room to make him rich, happy and healthy. An interior design using Feng Shui can also get rid of bad spirits that bring in negative atmosphere in an abode.

Getting the services of an interior designer can make a room both aesthetic and functional. Any person who wants to make his home livable and functional should try getting the services of an interior designer to maximize his space.

Becoming an Interior Designer

Interior Designer or Interior Decorator?
People often romanticize the work of an interior designer with the misleading notion that the work consists solely of picking out colors and fabrics for a room. These duties are a bit closer to interior decorating. But an interior designer  has an array of responsibilities that include both those of an interior decorator as well as more complex jobs. They include light management, space planning, color coordination, providing estimates that fit a budget, and subcontracting the fabrication and installation of flooring, light fixtures, draperies, paint and wall coverings, furniture, and so on.

An increasing number of designers even take part in the architectural aspect of building of a home, so designers need to be able to read blueprints and possess a knowledge of building codes. It is desirable for an interior designer to have experience with CAD software and home design software in order to prepare blueprints or presentations for clients.

Training and Entry Requirements
Up until recent years there existed no accredited education programs for budding interior designers in the United States. Now there are a number of institutions with interior design programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. These programs typically run from two to five years and most often lead to an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree. Coursework for these programs may include CAD, furniture design, color and fabrics, space planning, ergonomics, architectural courses, and even psychology.

Most interior designers opt to enter an apprenticeship after a formal education. During this time recent graduates work under the supervision of an experienced designer. This gives designers a chance to build a portfolio and learn the nooks and crannies of the business before going solo.

Interior designers can also choose to become certified by passing an exam administered by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ). One must have both a formal education and work experience to even sit for the NCIDQ exam. The NCIDQ has defined six various routes that can be found on their site. Note that this certificate is a requirement for professional registration in 26 of the U.S. states and Canadian provinces that require licensing. You must also possess an NCIDQ certificate if you wish to become a member of the American Society of Interior Designers, International Interior Design Association, and other similar organizations.

Work Environment and Conditions
Interior designers most often work as a part of a larger design team or on a freelance basis, although some find work in architectural firms or home-furnishing stores. Clients range from individuals wanting to renovate their homes to corporations planning to open a new business location.

Building relationships with clients is an absolute must for any designer regardless of where he or she works since the main goal of an interior designer is to identify the wants and needs of a client and integrate them into both the aesthetics and function of the interior. This can lead to working on weekends or long hours in order to fit a client's schedule.

Interior designers tend to travel from place to place quite a bit since much of their time is spent on-site discussing plans with clients and overseeing contracted work. But interior designers actually spend the majority of their time in the office.

Note that designers often work under stress since they constantly juggle deadlines and budgets.

Earnings
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual wages for interior designers were $44,950 as of May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between The lowest 10 percent earned $27,230, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $82,750.

Give Interior Design a Try
Designing interiors is a fulfilling job that allows one to express his or her creativity, but it is by far not for everyone. Those wishing to become interior designers are encouraged to try themselves at interior design before making the decision to enroll at a design institute. You can do this by designing the interior of your own home or getting acquainted with home design software. If you find that interior design is for you, then embrace yourself for a worthwhile career and jump in head first!

What Is Interior Design and How Is It Different From Interior Decorating?

To begin this journey, first an attempt must be made to answer the question, 'What is interior design'; The National Council for interior design Qualification offers up the following definition: 'is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive'. Comparing this to the definitions provided by The Free Dictionary for an interior decorator: 'also called interior designer a person whose profession is the planning of the decoration and furnishings of the interior of houses, shops, etc.' and 'a person whose profession is the painting and wallpapering of houses'

Well it is understandable, based on the two definitions above, why there are two camps. One camp holds that the interior designer is held to a higher standard and has significantly more training and design responsibilities than the interior decorator, and then there are those that bunch them all together as one and the same. There are those that look at the designer as a version of an architect and those that look at them as being a house painter. No wonder there is confusion amongst the ranks.

In an attempt to answer the question, 'Is there a difference or not?', a Google search was performed for ' interior decorator Degree' and the response overwhelmingly returned results for 'interior designer'; and not the keyword as searched. One can reasonably conclude that since one can get a degree in interior design, but not as an interior decorator, that there is a difference.

So where would one draw the line between a designer and a decorator? Reverting back to the two definitions above one can discern the key difference. The definition for the designer refers to 'built interior environment' whereas the decorator suggests ' decorating and furnishing' as the key activities. The higher standard is the designer's ability and responsibilities to call for tearing out walls, flooring, windows, lighting, electrical, as well as recommending furniture and miscellaneous design pieces. In short, the scope their role includes the responsibilities of a decorator, but goes much further.

Often it is critical for the designer to understand the wants and needs of the individual or company leadership that is hiring them to make a space comfortable and esthetically pleasing to 'the eye of the beholder'; meaning whoever is paying the freight. This will require the designer to ask the question, 'What is interior design through the eyes of my employer?'

Determining just how to customize a small dwelling area up to major corporate businesses like a national restaurant chain that must be attractive to the eye in many different regions of the country with a common design can be very challenging. Requiring a grasp of many different fields including developing and reading floor plans, a knowledge of building codes, and access to a long list of contractors that are capable of doing the work to specification are just a few of the extra requirement that separate interior design from decoration.

Often specializing in unique areas like hotels, casinos, restaurants, or other businesses that may regularly freshen up their designs to keep their businesses looking comfortable yet enticing, designers generally develop skill sets that may not play all that well outside of their special areas of expertise. What they probably are looking for in the interior design of a hospital is most likely a far cry from what they are looking for at a casino. Perhaps a better example would be determining just how to continue on with a southwestern theme for a Mexican restaurant chain in places like Seattle, St. Louis, Charlotte, Pittsburg, and Boston. What is interior design widely accepted in one region may not be well accepted in another.

In asking, 'What is interior design?' in today's environment, one must also begin to start thinking green and to look for ways to minimize the consumption of non-renewable energy sources. How does one create areas with a lot of natural lighting but not subject the individual to the blazing rays of the sun? How does one incorporate solar panels into the design or solar powered floor heaters in colder climates without losing the esthetic charm and ambiance of marble floors? These are the challenges of today's designers. It's a good thing that they love their jobs.

There Is A Lot More To Interior Design Than First Meets The Eye

Interior design is a complicated profession. It is sometimes referred to as interior architecture and often confused with interior decorating. It involves the design, organization and planning of an interior structure rather than just refinishing and furnishing existing interior spaces. It involves managing a business, hopefully meeting the desires of the client and delivering to them an interior environment that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. There is a lot more to interior design than first meets the eye.

The further you go back in history, it can be seen how interior design has blended with artistic societies such as during the Italian Renaissance. It has been shaped by numerous styles, movements, social developments and technological revolutions. It has crossed emotional boundaries, traveled across continents and has publicly revealed much of the lifestyles of societies and their artistic cultures in any marked period in time.

There are different types of interior design. Residential interior design involves dealing with home owners normally on an available budget. Some interior designers specialize in working on bathrooms, kitchens, living areas or even bedrooms. Others work in the larger and lucrative commercial market. In this marketplace, interior designers are spoiled for choice and may select the retail industry, the hospitality business, the commercial building sector or specialize in related business as diverse as creating exhibits for art galleries and trade shows.

Interior design is an exciting and rapidly growing field and it seems that interest in this particular career is increasing in popularity. interior designers are licensed design professionals qualified by education, work experience and time. In the 1960s and 70s independent organizations were established to assess qualifications for these design professionals and their programs. There are now many dedicated individuals in organizations such as CIDA and NCIDQ who presently work diligently to increase public awareness of spacial design while developing the profession to where it is today.

There are ID courses in universities, colleges and even online and an accreditation process that certifies a program will teach the principles necessary to ensure that the students acquire the knowledge, skills and experience to be successful in their future careers. All of this is seen as beneficial to the consumer who can be virtually assured of being led through the design process by someone who is not only creative and educated but also competently trained.

Examine the basic family home. Basically it is a cluster of interconnected rooms each with a primary function such as eating, entertaining, sleeping, washing and possibly even working. The conscious aim of this form of spacial design is to balance the owner's needs with the spaces available. It is rarely straightforward. There are so many external forces that influence the decision making process. The key to this art form is knowing how to make sense out of the relationship between the owner, the home, the family and their lifestyle.

Interior design is a process. This practice often involves the manipulation of texture, proportion and the efficient usage of light in order to achieve symmetry, harmony and a proper equilibrium in overall human life. The fundamental principles of good design are natural and to a large extent innate. When examining the universal properties of light, space, color and materials, the professional looks at the interaction of the natural laws that govern them.

The particular design of a room works not only on the often ignored senses of smell and hearing but also on the emotions. Color schemes are selected to reflect the mood of a room. Understanding how each aspect of a design contributes to an overall look and feel of a room or space constantly takes precise skills and both architects and designers manipulate these to great effect.

Interior design is an expressive form of art. However there is a lot more to this profession than making a household look nice. It is about providing a simple answer to a simple problem in three dimensions by maximizing the good points and concealing the imperfections. It is all about purposely creating a harmonious environment that has the amazing ability to make positive changes in people's lives. There is a lot more to interior design than first meets the eye.

Carpet Brings Warmth And Flair Into Modern Interior Design

When most people think of modern interior design, they believe it must always mean stark or cold. Modern interior decorating is minimalistic, but the furniture, artwork and even carpet still claim reliable options beyond black, white and chrome.

Acoustics and Style

Carpet in any decorating scheme reduces sound impact and cushions your spine as you step across it. Carpeting can also add a warming element to the temperature of a room. Interweaving those elements into a minimalistic, modern interior uses color and texture that complement and enhance while not overpowering the concept of the design theme.

Modern interior design often stresses open spaces and accent colors while maintaining unobtrusive basics: light flooring, walls and ceilings, but white carpeting can be treacherous in showing dirt and stains. Black can hide more dirt than white, but it still shows contrast and certainly can't hide everything. Instead, try a cream, beige or light grey color.

Carpet Tiles

When full, wall-to-wall, one-design carpeting doesn't quite match your decorating ideas, consider tiled carpeting.

Cut pieces of carpeting can, like laminate or ceramic tiles, lie counter-piled to the pieces around it. Use different pile heights, slightly different shades or pile directions to give a subtle contrast and texture to unobtrusive flooring.

Carpet rounds are similar to tiles but do not occupy an entire room. Not quite area rug and much smaller than full carpets, rounds can be circular or oval and can either be laid on existing flooring like stepping stones or inlaid in normal carpeting. Often of a contrasting color or texture, rounds can easily spotlight seating arrangements or standing lamps or entry ways. They can also be used exactly like area rugs on hardwood, laminate or tiled floors.

Open Lofts

If you have a large, open loft, differentiating the different living areas with carpeting—over 40 square feet—can delineate intention quite easily. Longer lasting than most area rugs, the not-to-wall carpets give distinction and sophistication while honoring a modern interior design.

Use a shade that is a degree or two separated from the flooring elsewhere to use as the room boundaries. Incorporating a different texture or design can accomplish the same end.

Use a combination of both for a distinctive look. Use one shade for hallways or main walkways between areas and a different shade, texture or design for the room separations.

Summary

Modern interior design and decorating need not ignore the comforts and benefits of carpet. Stylish and admirable uses of piled flooring are limited only by your imagination and tastes.

Interior Designers - The Top 2 Misconceptions That Keep Home Owners From Hiring an Interior Designer

As an interior designer in Atlanta, GA for the last eight years, I've noticed a few common threads running through the most popular misconceptions about using interior designers. If you've never used an interior designer, ask yourself why right now.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

...

Wow, that was quick! I bet you have a pretty good answer, too. I also bet your answer falls into one of the following two major categories:

1) COST: "I can't afford one. Using an interior designer is an excessive luxury reserved for the wealthiest of people that live in mansions and drive Bentley's." Or, "I'll save money if I do all the design work myself, which means I can buy more furniture."

2) CREATIVE EXPRESSION: "If I use an interior designer, I'm afraid I'll feel like my home won't be an expression of my unique style and tastes. I have good taste - I can do this on my own."

If your answer for not hiring an interior designer fits into one of these categories, then read on for some answers that might surprise you.

First of all, I want you to know these reactions are completely normal and understandable based on the amount of information that exists in the marketplace about how the client/ designer process works.

So let me respond to each of these arguments in order.

1. COST: Professional interior designers typically are able to purchase furniture at discounted rates from furniture and accessory manufacturers or distributors because of their purchase volume. When you use an interior designer you take advantage of their discounts to purchase furniture through your designer at a cost that is lower than what you would pay on your own. Every designer operates a little differently, but a typical pricing/ fee structure used by a lot of interior designers in Atlanta (where I am based) is "cost plus". This pricing formula is very common among industries that make purchases on behalf of their clients.

The "cost" in this pricing structure is the designers' reduced cost for the items you purchase (furniture, accessories, window treatments, etc). The "plus" is a percentage of that cost added to compensate the designer for their services and their sources. Many designers will even waive any hourly fees for clients purchasing a certain amount of furniture through them. In the end, you pay LESS for your home furnishings using a good designer than you do without one. AND, your budget actually goes further with a designer than without one.

An interior designer can save you money in other ways, too, like:

A designer's "industry-insider" knowledge helps clients achieve the best results through sourcing options not available to the general public.

Soft-costs include time saved and higher likelihood of your satisfaction in the end result (no replacement costs for that sofa that's just too big!)

So, as you can see, using an interior designer actually makes strong financial sense. A professional designer will save you money, save you time, and stretch your budget further than you could on your own.

2. CREATIVE EXPRESSION: A good interior designer listens to what their clients' tastes and styles are and involves them heavily in the selection process. Your style will show through in each selection you make. designers will take you with them to furniture stores. Bring fabric samples to your home to have you review, and involve you in lots of other ways to make sure the final outcome is a reflection of your style - and one that you will bring you great satisfaction in the place where you spend most of your time - your home!

If you don't feel your designer is listening to you carefully enough, let them know. Keeping an honest and open channel of communication is critical to make sure you're happy with the final design of your home.

Using a professional designer who makes his or her living by decorating does have its advantages. Think about the number of times you've painted a room. Have they always turned out just the way you had imagined? And were they coordinated with the furniture and flowed from one room to the next? Or did you find yourself either repainting a room you just painted or, worse yet, think "ugghh" every time you walked into your bathroom?

Think of your designer as just a helping hand whose advice may save you from some expensive and time-consuming design set-backs.

Plus, the little finishing touches that truly make a house a home are the things that only the client can add to a room. I know as an interior designer, I take the responsibility of helping my clients achieve a great living space that they'll love and feel accurately reflects their personality and likes very seriously!

I hope I've helped clear up some of the main reasons I've seen why more people don't take advantage of professional design help when decorating a home or even just a room in a home.

Stay tuned for my next installment in my series where I'll be discussing how to evaluate and hire an interior designer.

Low Cost Interior Design and Decorating Tips

Thinking of a home or office renovation, but worried about the cost of the interior designing and decorating? Do you think you can't afford to spend much on the interior designing but wish for an elegant make over for your room? You don't have to get vexed about not having too much money to spend on your decoration, because you can do a fabulous job of decorating your house without spending much of your pennies, if you do it wise.

Plan your budget
Low or high, you should always have a specific budget plan for your work, rather than saying 'I want the room's interior design to be done at a low cost it is better to have an idea of how much you are ready to spend. Coming to the correct value may not be possible but giving an almost accurate estimate will always help. Divide your budget under different task like, $ 100 for new furniture, $ 50 for paint etc rather than quoting the whole amount. But remember your budget plan should be realistic and should be strictly followed for a successful low cost interior designing.

Be the interior designer yourself
Hiring a firm or a specialist to do the makeover might give you a completely remarkable room or office, but remember the more established they are, the more you will end up paying them for the service alone. So it is best to take your imagination into play and come up with how much you are going to spent and what would have to be changed or introduced. You can refer articles in magazines or the internet to get ample ideas on how to do the job at minimum cost.

Shop low and wide
You are planning to decorate the interiors of the room, so it calls for full day fun shopping. Are you aware that most of the goods you buy at the branded Shoppe may be available at an unbelievably slashed price in local shops and auction houses? So take your time to hunt in the second hand shops, bargain market and any shop with a year ending sale or shop renovation sale sign board. You are going to hit on something great at an unbelievable price. But just getting the thing at a low price should not tempt you to buy it; you should buy only those things you came to shop for. Otherwise, the low priced shopping experience will turn to a conflicting one.

Get your things auctioned
If you are renovating the place, you may have to remove a piece of furniture, curtains and a lot of junk you may no longer require. Rather than shifting them to the storeroom, you can get these things sold at a low price to get a tip on your budget; you can either auction it or sell it to a second hand shop. Remember your stuff might not fetch much, but removing these will help you to de clutter the room and at the same time get a small raise on your budget. But if you are doing the interior designing and decorating from start, don't worry for not having anything to sell; you can have an option of choosing very wisely and designing the room afresh with no time loss.

Reuse your stuff
You can use a lot of things at hand in a novel and creative way to make the interior designing a fun and creative experience. You can make a cushion cover out of your old curtain by stitching together the pieces but while choosing the fabric, see to it that it either gives an arresting effect to the otherwise blunt room or else combine with the mood of it. You can also use an old piece of furniture and polish it to make a centrepiece of the room. Your grandmother's chest drawer can boast the main attraction in your drawing room if you space it well and take care to project it.

Decorative pieces
Decorative items and wall painting can come in any range and sometimes it may cost you a fortune. But it's not just costly decorative pieces and antique collections that can make your interior boast a good appearance. You can use a family portrait or a painting your little one did to give a new look to the walls. These paintings and photos don't just come free, they are worthless and just a good frame will do the job. Similarly you can also use decorative candles and gift pieces in a creative way to change the face of your room.

An extra coat of paint
An extra coat of paint can always give a facelift to a room. interior designing is never complete without a well painted wall. Choose the same shade of paint as your previous one as getting a new shade will require more coats of the paint and hence it will increase the cost of painting. But you can do a contrasting shade on just one wall if you are bored with the 'same old paint' this not just give a new face to the room, it also saves a bit on the paint.

Keep it simple
Be it kitchen, bedroom, office or study; keep the room as simple as possible. Reduce the number of furniture and extra piece of couch to give your room a neat, organised, spacious and new look. Your rooms and office should also have a touch of your personality so work on it.

Interior Design By Mail Order - Does It Really Work

Anyone who is used to the traditional approach to interior design may immediately question such a proposition but the idea has real attractions and merits. Just how can a traditional interior designer become a product sold at a distance by mail order or over the internet?

Traditional Interior Design
Interior design is one of the visual and tactile arts. Its practitioners work with fabric, wood, glass, metal and colour and the finished product always needs to be seen and experienced to be fully appreciated. Photographs rarely do justice to real room settings, which is why many photographs of rooms are in fact staged settings in a photo studio.
Despite this, interior designers usually work in a logical and progressive way, starting with two key points:

The room as it currently is. In particular those aspects which cannot change, such as the direction of sunlight or position of a chimney.

The aspirations and goals of the client, including personal taste, budget and the desire to retain certain items or themes from the existing environment.

Traditionally, it may seem that an interior designer somehow effortlessly absorbs the key points. However in reality they are merely building up a clear mental picture, supported by notes, photos, sketches and measurements.

Interior Design at a Distance
Just how can a designer build up a picture of a room without actually visiting it? Well, it is entirely practical for much of the first stage of the interior design process to be treated as a structured process. This applies to capturing all the factual information about the existing room which can be recorded on a survey form or questionnaire.

In fact a survey form or questionnaire is a great tool for capturing the client's personal tastes, preferences and lifestyle aspirations. Often partners living together have differing requirements, goals and tastes, but one may be more assertive. If both use identical survey questionnaires and then compare their thoughts it will help enormously in reaching a suitable compromise less a lot of argument or suppressed anger.

Even if two partners use this approach to interior design and do agree a compromise, both sets of information would be analysed by the interior designer so that the resultant design proposal will be attractive to both parties, rather than a neutral watered-down design.

How does it work
The more information the client provides about their room and tastes the better the final design will be. It helps considerably if the client can provide swatches or samples of fabric (e.g. from a three piece suite or carpet) that are already in use or planned.

Similarly the interior designer will appreciate it if the client collects magazine clippings that illustrate styles that they particularly like and dislike. These can be submitted with the survey or questionnaire.
Once the questionnaire is complete the client usually packs this up with material samples, magazine clippings, room photographs and sketch floor plans. The whole pack is sent to the interior designer.
Based on the information received the designer starts work putting together a personal plan for the client. Often the designer will phone the client to make sure they understand the requirements or clarify some detail. Also once the designer starts to formulate a design they will run it past the client to test whether the solution is a good match to the requirement.

Finally the designer will formulate a detailed plan which will be sent to the client by post. This may include some or all of the following:

Mood board with samples of proposed fabric, carpet, paint, wood-work etc.

Computer aided design of the room

Inventory of materials required; description, quantity, source and price.

Once the client receives their room design by post hopefully it will meet all their requirements, but there is always room for refinement with the designer. The client then has several options:

They can implement the design themselves. Perhaps they are confident at decorating and "Do-It-Yourself" (DIY) but lack confidence in the design process? The client would then source the materials and any help from contractors locally.

Alternatively they may be able to order some or all of the recommended materials from the interior designer. Everything from a tin of paint, through finished curtains, right up to items of furniture could be delivered to the client's door!

A third possibility would be to revert back to a more traditional interior design model. If the client really liked the design that arrived by post they could still call in the designer to manage the implementation on site, assuming the travelling distance was still practical!

Why do interior design at a distance?

Mail-order design is ideal for clients who are leading busy lives. Perhaps the client wants to re-style their home but they spend most of their time away on international business. In the normal course of business it can be very difficult for the client and the designer to synchronise appointments on site. Working by post, e-mail and phone can actually speed up the process considerably.

Other clients are somewhat shy or embarrassed at having an interior designer in their home. Perhaps they feel the designer will criticise their existing home or their taste. Interior design at a distance can be a good solution and it certainly can break down barriers.

It may come as a surprise, but mail order interior design can be a very cost effective way of getting a unique personal interior design for your home.

2012 Interior Design Trends: The Return of Global Decor

It's not unusual to see trends return in interior design. A few years ago, global decor was all of the rage but the following year, it was a tabu, dated style. For the coming 2012, global decor is making a come-back in the interior design world. Global influences on various home decor items is going to be extremely trendy this coming spring and summer, so be sure to put them on your wish list!

Bathroom Design Ideas

An unexpected room in your home to decorate using the global decor trend is your bathroom. A bathroom is a small room and with basic, versatile styled fixtures, you can regularly update the theme or decor style without having to remodel the entire bathroom.

Bathroom decorating ideas that incorporate global flavors could include items such as African tribal masks or African pottery. Wooden sculptures or handmade wall art are all great accessory options for this style of interior design.

Bedroom Decorating Ideas

When it comes to the bedroom, your options may be a bit more versatile. Consider items such as a large carved headboard, which can make a dramatic decorating statement in your bedroom. Look for styles that are Moroccan or Asian, which can be extremely unique and different from what you might see at your best friend's house, your neighbor's house or your in-laws' house. Other global styles include Parisian, Aboriginal, Southwestern, Hispanic or Latin, Caribbean and many, many more.

Carved side tables and trendy lamps with woven shades are perfect for the global decor look. When it comes to global decor, don't be afraid of metallic shades either: golds, brass, bronze and silvers are all completely acceptable when it comes to decorating with a global influence.

Don't be afraid to mix and match cultures in your international decor. Just because you enjoy a set of tribal chairs from Africa doesn't mean you can't mix those chairs with a nice Moroccan style coffee table. When it comes to global decor, let the decorating ideas flow. Designers from major cities everywhere; including New York interior designers and Los Angeles interior designers, aren't afraid to mix and match patterns, colors, styles and even cultures, so you shouldn't be afraid of mixing and matching either!

Last but not least, another trend: reclaimed wood, has a place in the global design style. Reclaimed wood looks perfectly at-home when paired with other global elements, such as woven baskets, carved wooden statues or imported wall art.

Chinese Interior Design Essentials

Globalization in the 21st century has made it possible for us to become open to fresh and unique concepts in decorating and designing our homes. One of the design themes we have learned to admire is Chinese interior design.

When we look at Oriental homes, we admire them for their opulent and exotic beauty. At first glance, the setup seems easy to reconstruct, but in reality, very few people have a deep understanding of the basics of Chinese interior design.

Dating back thousands of years, Chinese interior design is founded on the principles of energy, simplicity, and nature. They strive to achieve surroundings characterized by tranquility and peace, and since Chinese culture is steeped in tradition, the elements in Chinese interior design should also reflect the values of the people living in the home.

Chinese interior design Fundamentals

One of the most basic principles to be observed in Chinese interior design is simplicity. For them, a room should not be filled with all sorts of common decor. What is important is the proper placement of a few valuable and beautiful objects in a room to achieve optimal effects.

By using just a few focal points, the rooms remain light, roomy, and simple, yet still reflective of the owner's impeccable taste.

Another element commonly used in Chinese interior design is the use of screens. These items are both decorative and functional - they not only enliven a room but also serve to keep one's privacy.

Many years ago, these frames were constructed with light materials, making use of latticework serving as a grid for the sheer fabric or paper. Today, the screens can be made of various materials such as bamboo or expensive wood decorated with delicate ivory inlay.

A dressing screen may also have foldable panels to make it fit in various areas of the home. It's a very inexpensive way to add a touch of Asia to your simple but stylish Chinese interior design. The great thing about screens is that depending on the design, they can also be used for other interior design themes.

What Is Feng Shui?

Most Chinese interior design principles are based on Feng Shui, or the ancient tradition of arrangement of space to create a harmonious environment. It is a spiritual discipline based on guidelines that, upon examination, are actually compatible with the traditional architectural techniques used today.

When Feng Shui is implemented in Chinese interior design, it is believed that the residents will fully benefit from the meticulously arranged furniture and living spaces in terms of wealth, love, health, and happiness.

Due to its increasing popularity, homeowners will now find it easy to locate a Feng Shui expert with whom they can consult prior to tackling a Chinese interior design

project. They can also look for hundreds of resources on the Internet to help them organize their space and determine which arrangements would be best to attract positive "chi" or energy.

Making Use of Chinese interior design Details

You may opt for a total Chinese interior design look or choose a differently themed design using only a sprinkling of Chinese influences. One way to achieve this is by using a handful of valuable, perhaps ornate pieces, to serve as accents in a sparsely furnished room.

You can also make use of the screens which can easily be moved depending on its intended function in a particular area. It is also a wonderful idea to make use of a few pieces of Chinese Decor which could serve as conversation pieces or for adding a splash of color to an otherwise staid room. Chinese pottery or colorful paintings can add an exotic look, and so could richly colored carpets or pillows.

Why Should You Use an Interior Designer?

Every interior designer will tell you that one of the most common questions they are asked is 'why pay a designer when I can design just as well myself?'... Why use an interior designer?

There are many people capable of decorating their homes to their desired effect, but if you want the complete finished home with the real wow factor, call in the experts. The following article explains some of the reasons why and interior designer can be your best friend.

1. An experienced interior designer will have had years of training in his or her desired field, most of them covering all aspects of the design industry. They will have also had many years of practical experience of designing, organising, co-ordinating and project managing it entirely.

2. Experience also brings years of dealing with committed contractors who would advise on lighting schemes, plumbing requirements and if required, necessary building works.

3. Sadly so many builders, plumbers and electricians are not capable of dealing with the jobs they are quoting for. An interior designer has eliminated the bad guys!

4. Probably one of the better reasons for employing a designer, is the fact that they can save you money in the long run. A good interior designer will have access to all the best furniture, carpet, fabric houses, lighting engineers and suppliers in the world.

5. So many people have absolutely no idea of where to buy the furniture they desire and spend days, if not weeks and months searching for it. These boring shopping trips have even been known to cause a few divorces!

6. Designers have a constantly updated library of catalogues. This enables you to choose from the luxury of your own home or the designers office. Also they have the ability to obtain a compromise between partners! Many of these companies give discounts to interior designers, which some are happy to share with their clients.

7. Using an interior designer also gives you the opportunity to have products made exactly to your requirements, an interior designer can assist in having it made completely bespoke in any desired finish and style.

8. Another reason for using a designer is that, unfortunately the average person has a complete lack of special awareness... For instance how many times do you see in homes a sofa the size of one that would fit in the lobby of a London Hotel? Alternatively in a large suite, one that would suit a bedsit. interior designers have the skill to know which size pieces look good and which do not. Knowing the correct size and layout of furniture of any room is vital.

9. A designer will know how to achieve the maximum realisation of value of your property. Far too many homes are de-valued by poor interior design. The tragedy being that this has probably cost the home-owner a lot of money. New home builders always use a designer for the showhome as they know that this will generate sales very quickly. The showhome on a new development usually has a waiting list of potential buyers. Even if a show home is not to your taste, most people will aspire to that complete finished, professional look.

10. A good interior designer will provide you with a complete overview of every room with a Mood Board of the colour palette, furniture style and layout, window treatments and flooring, lighting and wall finishes. They can also supply 3D visuals if you require. This is a virtual picture of every room, so if there is anything you have doubts about it can be addressed immediately. The client will also be informed of the overall costings for room or whole project.

Kitchen Interior Design Ideas

When it comes to finding kitchen interior design ideas, you may have come across many various photo galleries and interior design pictures to get inspired about your own kitchen theme and design.

You may have noticed that when you search on the Internet, it is sometimes so easy to find photo galleries for design ideas, while the quality of the ideas offered are not that new or interesting.

That is why this article is going to help you discover more fresh and creative ideas for your kitchen interior designs.

How to Find Your Favorite Kitchen Interior Design Pictures?

Before you search for ideas and galleries online, it is important to know the different styles and themes your kitchen style can have.

You may choose from various styles like modern, traditional, cozy, contemporary, black and white, colorful, Asian, African, Japanese, or other creative interior design ideas that can be used for your kitchen.

Knowing exactly what kind of designs you like the most, will help make your search more targeted and easier to find. Because general design photo galleries may contain hundreds of pictures, but sometimes they are too broad and not much helpful to find the perfect kitchen design you are looking for.

On the other hand, when you search for a specific style like modern kitchen interior design galleries, you are much more likely to find your favorite design that interests you the most.

So whether you enjoy modern or traditional, cozy or elegant, Japanese or European styles in decorating your home and kitchen, you can simply find many free galleries online.

No longer you need to pay thousands of dollars to a professional designer to make the choice for you. Now you can easily find the theme you like the most and decorate your home that way, saving a lot of money.

Tips for Finding Free Kitchen Design Ideas
One way is browsing through the interior design section of your local bookstore. You will easily find a section dedicated to this specific category. You can find many books and photo galleries there with many pictures you can get inspired by.

Another very useful option is searching online for free kitchen design galleries. You can easily find many free websites that offer a wide collection of remodeling and decorating tips, ideas and pictures you can use.

Simply visit Google and search for the specific style and theme you are looking for, and you are guaranteed to find many free photo galleries full of fresh ideas.

Interior Design Tips For Modern Contemporary Lighting Installations

Modern lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some aesthetic or practical effect. The application of modern lighting within your home can give your home a stylish 'designer' look.

Lighting is very important in interior decorating. Unfortunately, far too many people don't understand or neglect to see its importance.

Here are a few tips that will help you if you are considering installing some modern lighting in your home.

Size and strength of lighting fixture:

Before choosing your new fixtures, make sure you measure the area you intend to illuminate. You must also, of course, consider the space available to hold the new fixture. You need to ensure that your new fitting(s) does not emit overpowering illumination and also that the size of the fixture itself fits in the space allocated, both functionally and aesthetically. A balance between the size of the light fixture and the power of illumination is important.

Style matters:

The style of the lighting fixtures you install should be in keeping with the overall style of the room. Consistency is everything when it comes to interior design. Or maybe more to the point, inconsistency of design, particularly when it comes to out of place lighting, can really hurt the overall effect. lighting really is a make or break element of interior design.

Colour considerations:

Colour of both the actual fixture, and the light it emits should be carefully considered. Filters can soften the light emitted from a light fixture, which may suit the interior design and colour scheme of the room.

Conclusion:

Modern contemporary lighting can add real designer style to your home. Consider the size and strength, style and colour of fittings and the light they emit to achieve the very best effect. It is possible to purchase stylish contemporary lighting fixtures at affordable prices and to either fit them yourself or to have them fitted for you. Remember, for any electrical work you should always hire a professional, as electricity can be very harmful.

Interior Design - The Meaning of Colors

We live surrounded by colors, shades and light. Each tone and sometimes we don't even notice it, influences our mood, each color has a meaning and intertwines with our frame of mind. There is nothing arbitrary in this world: it's all harmony. Have you noticed? There are days you feel like wearing black and days you feel like adding color to your life, spicing it up a little by wearing an orange top or a lime green scarf, or a mysterious dark red evening dress. You can choose the colors for your wardrobe according to your mood and change them as often as you like, but you cannot change the colors of a room so easily. When you start decorating a room it is very important that you choose the colors right.

Interior designers use a color wheel to choose colors and tones that match. You should know that there are active colors (such as red, yellow and orange), passive colors (blue, green and purple) and neutral colors (white, black, gray, beige and brown). It is very important that you know how each of these color groups might influence a room. For example, warm colors tend to stand out; neutrals, as their name suggests are..... neutral; and passive colors calm the atmosphere.

You should find a way to balance the tones, to create the mood you long for. You want a room full of energy, use orange. You want passion - red is the answer. You want to chill - take blue. So let's see what each color means, for colors are not given the same meaning all over the world.

Red is for many the color of passionate love: a red rose, a red box of chocolates on Valentines Day, a red heart, but in South Africa red means mourning. Red is also the most common color found in national flags. That is because in ancient times flags were usually used on the battlefield and red gave the signal for battle. Red is also the color of blood - red eggs at Easter symbolize the blood of Christ and good luck. Red is good luck also in China, where it is also used as wedding color. If you like red, creating an interior decoration with a Chinese theme is a perfect choice.

Green is the color of nature. You find it everywhere: in trees, grass and even some fruits. It relaxes and inspires. In ancient times green was the color of honor and victory. In Ireland, this is still the color of good luck. Choose an Irish theme if you like dark green. Blue is the most common color used in interior decoration - it relaxes and refreshes, it provides for a feeling of safety. This shouldn't be a surprise: as you know blue is also the color for police uniforms. If you choose blue for your home, you cannot go wrong. But blue is a cold color, so balance it with orange or yellow.

Purple is a royal color. In ancient times purple was difficult to obtain - the color was extracted from Purpura snails. This is also the color of inspiration, so if you are an artist, a room with purple accents might stimulate your mind. As purple is believed to help kids develop imagination, it is often used to decorate children rooms.

Yellow and orange are extremely warm colors. They are usually associated with the sun and with tropical fruits (oranges, bananas, lemons). Both have a positive impact, however yellow could be taken as a symbol of jealousy and deceit and let's not forget that some time ago, in Spain, executioners wore yellow. Take care how you use orange and yellow in iinterior decorations: both stand out and tend to dominate the room. Black and white are neutral. Both symbolize mourning, each for different civilizations. But hey, almost each color symbolizes mourning for some: red for South Africans, blue for Iranians, purple for women in Thailand, yellow for Egyptians, white for Chinese and Japanese, black for Europeans and Americans. But black and white are both very elegant and, while you should not paint your walls black, you could choose black furniture to give your interiors a feel of opulence and strength. White is purity, kindness, peace and loyalty.

Home Interior Design Ideas For Children

Designing and decorating living space for children can be a very fun and exciting part of home interior design. It's easy to let your imagination go because children are very creative and imaginative on their own. That's also why it's a good idea to include children in the planning stages of your design as they can often come up with great ideas on their own that you would never think of.

Probably one of the best places to start on designing a theme for a child's room is to start with their own favorite activity or interest. Of course, as children grow up their interests often change dramatically, so try to decorate in such a way that the accessories can be changed as a child gets older and gets more interested in other activities. But usually, children will get very excited if they know that their room will be decorated to reflect their favorite interests. Just be sure to go over it carefully with them in advance to get their input on what they really like. That way your interior design will be sure to be a hit.

When designing and decorating for children, one of the advantages is that you can often choose color schemes and combinations that you do not often use in adult surroundings. In fact, you can often go much brighter and bolder with colors that you select for children. You can also arrange the room in a different way then you would normally with most adult rooms. For instance, a chalkboard or toy box may be the centerpiece of a child's room, and this would be far more appropriate than making a seating arrangement the focal point instead.

The accessories that you choose for a child's room will also be completely different than those that you choose for an adult. Toys and collectibles make great accessories for the room of a child. However, the child may want to play with these toys instead of just leave them on display. In this case, it may be advisable to buy duplicates of the toy accessories. One set can be used for display, and the other set can be used as an actual toy. It's also not best to use collectibles that are of high value in a child's room. Remember, children just want to have fun. And they aren't thinking about the price or cost of a collectible item. So whatever collectibles you choose to use as decorations in your child's room should not be so expensive that it would cause a problem if it became broken.

Another great way to spice up the appearance of a child's room is to use one of the millions of available bed treatments as a central theme that fits in with the overall design of the room. Usually these kind of bed treatments packages come as a full set that includes matching sheets, a comforter, dust ruffle, and window coverings. Altogether, these can quickly change the overall appearance of the child's room very fast. Once again, just make sure that you involve your child in the buying decision process to make sure that it is something that they will be happy with.

When changing the overall theme of a child's room, just keep in mind that most changes you make should not be considered to be permanent at this stage in their life. It's not uncommon to have to change the theme of a child's room every couple of years or so to stay up with their changing interests. And kids are very hard on their furniture as a general rule. So there is no need to be buying expensive furniture and accessories that may only last a short while or get ruined.