Benefits of Using Virtual Interior Design

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Interior design changes allow you to give your entire home or certain parts of your home a makeover. However, knowing which kinds of changes to make or which styles to use can seem overwhelming. You might also have a hard time picturing how distinct design elements would look in your home. Virtual interior design tools can make it much easier for you to figure out what changes you want to make to your home. Consider the following advantages to using virtual interior design for your home.

Save Time and Trouble

When you’re browsing through furniture options and other items, it’s not always easy to tell how they’ll actually look in your home. You might order a sofa or love seat that doesn’t match the rest of your decor or just doesn’t look right in your home, for example. With virtual interior design tools, you can see how certain items look in your house before purchasing them. This can help you avoid having to take the time to return items that don’t fit your interior design style.

Try Different Styles

If you don’t have style preferences, you might not know what you should go with. Using virtual design tools allows you play around with a variety of different interior design styles. This can help you discover which style or styles you prefer. If you’re having trouble choosing between a couple of different styles you like, virtual interior design tools can let you experiment with them to determine which one suits your home better. Once you know which style you prefer, you can get started on choosing paint colors, furniture and other items to make your interior design changes.

Work with What You Have

Some virtual interior design tools let you see how unique design elements might look in your home alongside your current furniture or other items. You might be able to upload photos and add design elements to them to see how they would look together. This can make it a lot easier to accurately visualize the interior design changes you’re thinking about doing. Without these virtual tools, you might have to take a chance on bringing new items into your home or painting rooms certain colors without knowing exactly how these design elements will end up looking.

Design Your Home Conveniently

Meeting with interior designers for consultations can take up valuable time. When you use virtual interior design tools, you can figure out the changes you want to make to your home at your own convenience. These tools allow you to work on interior design when it’s convenient for you and from the comfort of your own home. This means you won’t feel pressured to decide on interior design elements due to time constraints or have to arrange consultations that fit your schedule.

Save Money

Using virtual interior design tools could help you save on the cost of redesigning or redecorating your home. Professional designers might charge by the hour, which can add up if you’re unsure about the changes you want or if you’re changing your entire home. Virtual interior design tools let you experiment with different changes on your own, so you can redecorate without these added costs.

What Is Rustic Design?

Rustic design is frequently mixed with other interior design styles, but is an entire style on its own as well. While it might be easy to point out the rustic parts of other designs, narrowing down what “rustic” truly means can be difficult. Here we will go over the key elements of rustic design so you have a better understanding of the term and how to apply it to your own home decorating.

Here are the important features in rustic design:

Real Wood

Rustic design favors actual wood over artificial alternatives. Wide-planked wooden floors, barn doors and exposed beams are all key elements you’ll find in rustic inspired spaces. Wood pieces that are weathered or slightly distressed are a great choice, as the style celebrates the gritty and imperfect aspect of the material. Going for wood with obvious grain, knots and other unique markings and imperfections will get you on the right track to rustic design.

Handmade

Another key aspect of rustic decor is the focus on handmade and reclaimed pieces. A rustic design interior should have major furnishings that are unique and maybe a little rough around the edges. If you love to DIY, you’ll love exploring this aspect of rustic style. Obviously, not everything has to be handmade, but the more focus you can put on the handmade aspect of your style the better. Using reclaimed materials is a great way to further enhance the aesthetic, especially if you go the DIY route.

Heavy

Rustic style pieces are heavy. Tables and seating will have large, thick legs and broad silhouettes. The furnishings themselves may be literally quite heavy as well, especially if made from solid wood. For fabrics and softer aspects of the style, you can still find a lot of weight. Common materials include wool, dark leather and jute. Go for sturdy fabrics and anything else that evokes a strong yet low-profile feel.

Texture

The more texture you have in a rustic design space, the better. Unfinished wood with knots and grains is essential. You might also want to include other textured pieces like jute rugs or distressed leather. Raw stone and brick make great choices for features like fireplaces and kitchen accents. As long as you avoid anything especially smooth or shiny you’ll be within the realm of rustic style.

Exposed Beams

Wooden beams are an iconic aspect of rustic design. This goes both for interior and exterior aesthetics. Think vaulted ceilings with exposed beams that evoke the same feeling as a barn or lodge. Even if your ceilings are low or flat, decorative beams that give the appearance of being structural are a pure rustic charm. Regardless of the architectural style of your home, if you have any exposed beams you’re already on your way to rustic design.

While these are the basic tenets of the rustic design style, there are no rules. Mixing in contrasting materials like glass, polished metallics and softer textiles will still work in a rustic space. Use these tips as broad guidelines and let your creativity determine how to make this style work for you.

Tiny Home Decorating: 3 Expert Tips

Living in a small space requires the right habits and mindset. It’s helpful for those in small homes, rooms or apartments, but for those who live in tiny houses it’s essential. If you’re thinking about a tiny house for yourself or already have one you want to decorate, we’ve put together some design tips to help.

Wall Shelving

Tiny house living requires you to use your wall space as efficiently as possible. Even in a house without expansive empty walls you can squeeze a lot of storage—and decor—into a space with the right design strategies. Minimalist floating shelves are ideal for tiny houses because they take up a small amount of space themselves and allow the objects on the shelf to get the most visibility. For storage, you can pair floating shelves with small bins or baskets. You can also attach hooks to the underside of the shelves to hang things like kitchen utensils, potted plants and more. Wall shelves are the best way to get the most usable space out of your tiny home while still showing off your favorite things.

Light Colors

When choosing colors for your tiny home, stick to light colors. The lighter and brighter a space is, the larger it appears. This is most important for walls and large fixtures. Choose white or a light beige that will be easy to complement with other colors and patterns. You can also choose your favorite pale shade of green or blue to add a bit of color while still keeping the space feeling open and airy.

For fabric choices, for texture rather than colorful patterns. Keeping a mostly monochromatic palette but mixing textures will keep the design visually interesting without adding clutter. This doesn’t mean you can’t add some vibrant color here and there, however. Throw pillows or convertible storage furniture like ottomans are perfect choices for mixing in a bolder color choice.

Hidden & Convertible Furniture

Furniture is often the greatest challenge to making space in a tiny house while still liking the design. Luckily there are plenty of options for furniture that you can either use for multiple purposes or hide completely. Sofa beds are a staple of tiny home living and the modern options have excellent features like memory foam and automated mechanisms for quick and easy changes. You can also hide useful surfaces in walls, cabinets or other furniture pieces. You can install a small fold-out desk or even create extra counter space in the kitchen with a countertop on hinges. Many of these clever space-saving solutions are available to purchase from retailers ready-made, but they also make excellent DIY projects for those who want to build something completely custom.

The perfect way to decorate a tiny house will be different for everyone. The right design choices depend on multiple factors, including the number of occupants and the architectural style of the home. While decor is ultimately up to your own preference, these basic tips will help you get started on creating a tiny space you will love to call home.

What Is Modern Farmhouse Style?

The modern farmhouse trend continues to grow in popularity. For both interior and exterior home design, the name of this style is everywhere, from inspiration blogs to retailers. Real estate professionals have even begun featuring modern farmhouse properties in their respective markets because of the continued demand for the style. However, with architecture and design styles constantly evolving, it might be difficult to pinpoint what makes the style unique.

So what is modern farmhouse style exactly? Below are some key aspects of this design trend.

Modern Farmhouse at a Glance

Modern farmhouse is a contemporary and updated interpretation of the classic American farmhouse style. A modern farmhouse home expertly blends sleek modern efficiency with a comfortable rustic aesthetic. Overall, many consider it an approachable and flexible style that is easy to personalize while still creating a perfect compromise between the new and the old.

Key External Features

The modern farmhouse style is just as much an external architectural design style as an internal one. Once you know the key elements of a modern farmhouse, you’ll be able to spot them right away — incorporate these elements into your own home search or remodel. Most houses in this style feature steeply pitched roofs and large windows. Open floor plans are common and usually include vaulted main rooms. The modern farmhouse style also includes a wrap-around porch or a rear porch depending on the space available. Many opt for traditional rectangular windows on the facade, but it is also common to include sleek triangular windows to accent the steepled roof shapes.

Color Palette and Materials

The modern farmhouse trend uses neutral color palettes for the interior and exterior. White is the most common paint choice for the outside of the home, but with bold contrasting elements in black or other dark colors. The contrast not only adds modern appeal, but emphasizes the shapes used in the home’s construction. The exterior walls often include board and batten cladding reminiscent of traditional farm homes. Fixtures are often rustic or industrial, focusing on rustic finishes. On the inside, a modern farmhouse will feature exposed wooden beams and trim and rough-hewn plank flooring. Natural materials with lots of texture are prevalent in modern farmhouse interior design and the more mixing materials, the better. Paint, trim, fixtures and furniture will keep the same color trend as the exterior: light and neutral with dark accents. A combination of leather, metal, stone, jute, linen and other natural materials come together to make the modern farmhouse style cohesive yet comfortably eclectic.

People are spending more time at home in order to work, learn and be among family. Therefore, the demand for comfort and practicality is likely a driving force behind the popularity of this trend. With modern farmhouse style homes, you can have the cozy, inviting feel of a traditional farmhouse style but with a sleek and modern update. The style honors nostalgia and classic American design elements while still including all the efficiency and demands of the present.