5 unmissable interior design secrets I learnt from working with professional designers

Decorating a room is a bit like cooking a roast dinner. There are lots of different elements to get right, and they all need to come together. You might find the perfect piece of furniture, but will it go with the tone of the floorboards? And what about the rug, curtains and wider accessories?

Then, there are the more practical things to consider, such as creating a functional layout and giving yourself enough storage. Whether transforming your living room on a budget or refreshing a bedroom, the designers at interior design company The Living House say it's best to think about the room as a whole. This invaluable interior design advice is the key to avoiding common interior design mistakes.

Zoom out with your mental wide-angle lens and choose a palette and general vibe, rather than honing in on a specific lamp, corner sofa or bouclé armchair.

We previously shared the best decorating timeline recommended by The Living House designers to help make the process run more smoothly. Below, I've rounded up some other lessons I learnt when working alongside the team.

5 interior design secrets for a stylish, functional space on a budget

Here are their pro tips, go-to furniture items and finishing touches for when it feels like something is missing. Noting these interior designer-approved tips will make a big difference to your space, making your home cosy and even making your home look expensive while on a budget.

1. Never underestimate the power of storage

The Living House designers say that storage is a key factor to consider when redecorating a room – arguing that it should be high up on your decorating to-do list along with colour schemes and layout. "Always, always think about your storage as you can never have enough," says Sophie.

"Put it in the forefront of your mind because it's a really important element for making the room look good, and keeping on top of clutter, especially in family homes." We recommend trying the best professional decluttering methods to stay on top of things with ease.

Whether you have kids or live alone, hidden storage is guaranteed to make life easier. You can either go for Marie Kondo minimalism or get yourself plenty of closed storage to hide things away. It will mean keeping your home organised becomes so much more straightforward.

2. Utilise downloadable art

The Living House's designer Catherine said that when describing the kind of style and feel they want, clients often caveat it with, "But we don't want it to look like a show home". We all want our homes to feel characterful, lived in, and able to withstand the bumps and scratches of everyday life.

One great way to bring that timeless, beautiful yet practical feeling is to combine heirlooms with a more contemporary style. In other words, having a mixture of old and new.

The Living House's interior designers recommend sourcing digital, downloadable art from Etsy, particularly if you want to add something vintage and make the room look more transitional. Downloadable art is inexpensive and can add a lot of history to a space, without the price tag of an original Monet.

Catherine Seagrave

Catherine is an interior designer at The Living House and her superpowers lie in helping families with all aspects of the design, creating a home that is practical and beautiful. As a busy mum and to three loud and sporty teenage children (and two cats and a dog), Catherine knows the storage tricks and durable finishes to make family life easier and more stylish.

3. Take samples with you when shopping

"Always take your samples around with you when shopping," says Sophie. "It can really help to see how different colours, tones and textures look together." Getting plenty of samples for the wallpaper, fabric and paint that you are considering, and keeping them to hand, will take the guesswork out of purchases.

It might mean carrying around pieces of carpet in your bag, but it will make life easier, whether you're choosing rugs or deciding on paints and living room colour combinations. Carrying samples with you when browsing decor, cushions and so on ultimately means you're less likely to buy something for your room and realise that it doesn't look right when you come home.

You might have chosen a scheme of neutrals, blue and coral, but there are so many different tones that look similar. If you have the samples with you, you can keep the scheme tight and intentional, resulting in a space that looks well-designed.

Sophie Clemson

Sophie Clemson is an interior designer at The Living House, an affordable online interior design company that helps busy families transform their homes easily, online and within their budget. Sophie has worked in interior design for eight years and aside from designing, she loves to find a good bargain or Facebook marketplace find.

4. Swivel chairs free up your layout

If you can, go for a chair that swivels. "We often recommend swivel chairs because they free up your layout and can make a room more functional and sociable," says Sophie. "It's such a simple consideration, but one that's often overlooked and it can make your room work much harder."

For example, in a living room, you might have a sofa and two armchairs facing each other. When hosting guests, you want the furniture facing each other, creating a conversation area, but day to day, you might want a chair to face the other way to enjoy a view out of the window or get a better view of the TV.

Swivel chairs are also a good way to decorate empty corners and there are lots of great options available – below, I've rounded up some of my current favourites.

5. You can never have too many plants

The Living House designers always recommend using plants as a finishing touch. from the best houseplants for a bedroom to plants that help with condensation, there's a plant for all spaces.

A pothos hanging from the ceiling in a macramé planter can accentuate the room's height and add a rustic, boho vibe. A fiddle leaf fig planted in a wide terracotta pot will bring texture, shape and vitality, and a monstera plant will give a subtle nod to 70s-inspired interior design.

If you're a serial houseplant killer, we suggest trying one of our easy-maintenance houseplants or going for high-quality faux autumn and winter botanicals by Abigail Ahern. Remember, if in doubt, add a plant. Because it'll never make things worse.

FAQs

What are the biggest mistakes people make when decorating?

Aside from choosing paint before considering the layout and functionality of the room, another key interior design mistake to make is misjudging furniture. "Sofa mistakes are most common," says Catherine, interior designer and co-founder of The Living House. "Sometimes, clients don't measure properly or they choose a colour that doesn't work with the rest of the space.

"They often complain that their sofa isn't comfortable or the right size, and as it's a really important, hardworking item of furniture, it's something you want to get right."

Sofa-in-a-box companies are incredibly convenient, but it's worth going and sitting on a sofa before purchasing to ensure you're totally happy with the height, fabric, depth and overall comfort levels.