Taking on the first interior designing task is daunting but if it’s your own house, with your own money on the line and a small allotted window of time… the task is not only Herculean… it’s enough to give someone raised blood pressure in the day and sleeplessness at night.
I’m not an interior designer/ decorator/ stylist in any formal sense. I am a qualified and experienced radiologist who loves to come back to a comfortable and beautiful home. I love reading about decor trends, and architectural digests, and following interior-related handles on Insta. I’m the one who buys more stuff for home (albeit small tchotchkes) than shop for myself. Every few days I move things around.. change cushion covers with the seasons and do spring cleaning… even in winter. Maybe I’m in the wrong profession. Or maybe I’m just rightly placed, pursuing my passion as a hobby rather than a job.
This was the beginning of 2022 when we had the opportunity to buy a beautiful house in the society of our choice and an opportunity to bring all my decor dreams to reality. We did own another house, but back then, we were newbs, freshly married young adults without any definite style or direction or, in all honesty, much money to splurge.
It’s a well-known fact that getting interiors done while living in that house is a nightmare and I knew if I didn’t get things done now, in terms of any architectural elements/ changes that I really wanted in my future home, … nothing would ever get done later.
The basic questions that need to be answered, before anything else:
How much is your Budget.
How much time you can allot to renovations/ building works etc
Whom to hire, in terms of designers and contractors or for teams for any specialized work like automation.
Once these very important questions are addressed, one can begin to think of design. Interior design need not be extremely complicated. It sounds overwhelming but if one can break down the entire process into organized steps, going becomes smoother.
First, decide if you want to retain old furniture or replace everything with new stuff. My personal opinion would always lean towards minimalism and I would always suggest retaining the old stuff (if it was good quality to begin with) and upgrading it.
Definitely buy some new stuff to get some excitement, in life. But, always buy high-quality pieces which might seem pricier initially but will last a lifetime or more, if taken care of. I like to not get carried away by the latest trends but stick to timeless pieces that can then be accommodated into any new trends. For example, a hand-made silk rug can sit comfortably not only in any contemporary setting but also in the modern home.
Now it’s time to face the complex question- what’s your interior style? Let me tell you one thing. That one simply need not stick to one thing. You can incorporate and mix more than one complimentary style if you want.. because this is not a hotel… It’s your home. You do you.
My own home, if I’m forced to define it, would be a mix of transitional and wabi-sabi (and yes, that’s an interior design style). 😅
It’s a good idea to jot down a list of things you like.. maybe something you spotted on social platforms or in other people’s homes. It could be the woodwork in a friend’s house, the dazzling lighting in another, or the warmth of a coffee shop. I would suggest you close your eyes and recall the beautiful settings that you might have seen on your travels which then might be incorporated into your travel-inspired home! For example… I have always loved arches. If there’s an image with an arch I would give it a like. So it was a dream to have arches in my home.
I remember the streets of Cordoba in Andalusia, Spain.. vivid with Bougainville and other flowers and balconies with wrought iron frames.
Hence, our balcony has a lush bougainvillea, in crimson hues. with wrought-iron planters to give it an Andalusian vibe.
So, lets get started.