THE MOST COMMON INTERIOR DESIGNS MISTAKES TO AVOID

A few small tweaks to your space can make all the difference. Knowing right from wrong can transpire a cramped and chaotic space into one that is organized and tranquil, can create a sense of order and balance. Read on as we help clarify what’s right and what’s wrong.

1. Don’t over-furnish your room

It doesn’t take much for a room to turn from well planned and thought out to one that closely resembles a dumping ground of collected furniture and accessories. Your furniture should fill your space and create a space that is both appealing as well as functional. There should be enough space in the room to create movement and flow. A room should never look and feel cramped. If it does, try moving or removing one piece to see if this helps.
Sometimes it’s not a matter of too much furniture, but the placement of the furniture itself. If after moving a piece or two around, your space still feels tight, then remove a piece altogether. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes. Overly furnished rooms not only make your room seem smaller than it is, but can also make it hard to maneuver around. This tip is extremely important when trying to sell your home as it will turn off potential buyers.

2. Don’t try to squeeze into something that doesn’t fit.

Like a pair of jeans that are too small, furniture must also fit. Furniture that is too small will make your room seem unbalanced and awkward and might even make it seem more like a dollhouse – this is certainly not a look we’re after! Conversely a room whose furniture is too large will also feel unbalanced and cramped.
Before you move your furniture, and certainly before you purchase new furniture – whether couches, tables, dressers or beds – be sure to measure both the furniture as well as the room, for height, width and depth. Not doing so could end up being a very costly mistake.

3. Don’t be a clutter-bug!

There’s no need to over-clutter. In terms of accessories less is more, as with furniture. A sense of order balance, calm, flow and movement are essential to any well decorated space. When there is too much clutter there is too much distraction and order becomes discord. Clutter can be easily remedied by removing a few things. Take a look at what you have and divide them into three categories:

1. The things that matter
2. The things that are important
3. Those things that you can do without.
4. Remove all that you can do without. If necessary repeat until you have removed enough items and order and balance has been restored.

4. Don’t be a victim of poor lighting.

Lighting is key. It is one of the most important elements of design. Your space should have as much natural lighting as possible.  Do not block natural light sources with poorly placed curtains and accessories. Even a cloudy day allows for a lot of natural light to pour in. Enhance natural light with the placement of mirrors directly across your source to allow the light to bounce around the room. You will want to add to your overhead lighting.
You should have more than one source illuminating your room. Add proportionally sized and well placed lamps and sconces  to enhance your lighting when needed. Your lighting should be bright enough to to function under but not so bright that it is jarring. Dimmers should be added to all ceiling and overhead lighting.

5. Don’t pick your furniture before you pick your paint colors.

Choosing your paint color before your furnishings (couches, rugs, etc.) It will be much harder to match to match furniture to an already painted wall than the other way around. We suggest working first with your couch or couches. Do bring fabric swatches to your paint store to help select your color palette. This mistake is common and can create more work for yourself while designing your interiors.
Bring several paint swatches home and test again at home. We also strongly encourage you to test out several shades of your preferred color on your walls before you start painting them. While paint swatches are very accurate a room’s natural lighting at various stages of the day does change and this will affect the color of your walls. Leave your paint swatches on for at least 24 hours before selecting your final color.

6. Don’t underestimate the importance of budgeting.

Don’t be too eager. Don’t buy too much. Don’t buy everything all at once. And don’t overspend. Buy the best that you can afford today – not what you think you will be able to afford tomorrow. Make a budget and stick to it. You don’t have to have everything all at once. A well decorated space is one that is curated over time so it’s best to go slowly and build slowly.

7. Not enough variety.

Don’t buy all your stuff from the same source or store. You do want everything to coordinate, but you don’t want everything to match. A well decorated space has personality and dimension and this simply cannot happen if everything looks the same. You may want to recreate a look from your favorite mail order catalog, but chances are your space will still not look the same.

8. Don’t hide your windows.

Hanging curtain rods too low is a very common mistake. Curtain rods should be hung as close to the ceiling as possible to create a sense of height and largess. Rods that are hung too low make a ceiling feel lower, and can make a room feel a lot smaller than it is. A sense of scale and proportion has been tossed and most likely windows will appear dwarfed and valuable, natural sunlight will be blocked.

9. Don’t back your furniture up against the walls.

This may be, perhaps, the most common mistake novices make. What you want to do is to push your furniture together and create an intimate setting  that is conducive to good conversation. By creating this grouping you will create a flow that will allow people to move in between and around the furniture.
By pushing the pieces together you’re creating a small scene. Of course, we are not telling you not to place any furniture along the walls, we just don’t want you to put it all there… unless you’re planning on having a large party and want to create a dance floor in the middle!

10. Don’t have a focal point.

A focal point gives you direction and order. Find that one thing that you want people to take notice of when they enter a room. It should be something large and bold – something that makes a statement. Opt for something like a large bay window, fireplace or a large piece of artwork. Work from there and build out and around it. Your room will look well thought out, organized and balanced. It is possible, and acceptable, to have more than one focal point.

MSASANI PENINSULA DAR TANZANIA INTERIOR DESIGNING

COUNTRY PROJECT:        TANZANIA
SPECIFIC LOCALITY:       MSASANI PENINSULA DAREESALAM
CLIENT:                                    MR. NICK
PROJECT SPECIFIC:         FULL MAKE OVER INTERIOR DESIGNING
SERVICE PROVIDER:       GOLDENSCAPE 
COMMENCED DATE:         09 FEBRUARY 2012
COMPLETION DATE:        28 MARCH 2012

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project involved the full make over interior designing of all rooms, suggesting new furniture for each and every room  to recreate them again

HOW TO LAY OUT INTERIOR LIGHTINING

Lighting solutions vary by room and by design, and understanding the principles of light helps you get the most out of your lighting choices. The type of lights you choose change the mood and feel of a room, because different lights illuminate surfaces differently. Layout is an important element in making sure you have the right light for the right situation, so your rooms and design features are well lit year-round.

Chandeliers and Pendant Lights

As a rule, chandeliers and pendant lights benefit the most from being centered in a space. One ideal spot for a chandelier is directly above the center of an entryway. Or, if there is a larger foyer beyond that, you should center it in that area, where people can appreciate the beauty of the lighting feature as they enter. Pendant lights are similar to chandeliers in that they hang from the ceiling, but they are generally far less grandiose in terms of size and design. Pendant lights are more common above kitchen tables or in the middle of a kitchen. Hang a pendant light in a central location to light the whole room, or center it above a table to combine design with functionality.

Wall Lights

The best layout for wall lights is to space them evenly on the wall across its length. For example, on a 9-foot long wall, the best placement would be lights hung every 3 feet across the wall. The number of lights is based entirely upon personal preference, the caveat being that even spacing creates the most visually appealing layout. As far as height, eye level is the best option, but you can place them higher or lower based on personal preference.

Track Lighting

If you want to illuminate specific design features, adjustable track lighting, which can be pointed in any direction, is your best choice. An example of a good spot for track lighting is on the ceiling of a hallway with three wall paintings, the lamps pointed to illuminate the paintings. Track lights are common above bars and kitchen islands and are distinct from pendant lighting, which illuminates the whole room. Stationary track lighting systems also are available. You can mount track systems anywhere you desire, on ceilings or walls.

Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting isn't a solution to illuminate a room but to shine on specific elements directly below. Because the lights are recessed in cans within the ceiling, the majority of the light from the bulbs is trapped within the recess, as opposed to spreading out and hitting the walls, where the eye perceives how well-lit a room is. Recessed lighting is ideal for creating a focal point, such as a pool or dining table, a bar area, a kitchen island or a desk. They can be used in conjunction with traditional lights, but as a rule they don't work as a lighting solution for an entire room. If you're using them to add a subtle glow to a room, place them across the ceiling, spaced out depending on how many lights you want.