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Working with an interior designer is a good thing, especially if you have no clue how to get your home ready for living. But it can be difficult to convey your requirements and needs to the interior designer. You may lack the vocabulary needed to define what style you are after. The difficulty comes from the fact that there are numerous styles. Trying to decipher which is which can be mission impossible. That is why it is a good idea to consider the following guide on interior design styles to figure if they are right for you. 

Contemporary

A lot of people use the terms ‘contemporary’ and ‘modern’ interchangeably. However, the two styles are somewhat different. The contemporary design features a fluid character with a sense of currency. It doesn’t adhere to any design style in particular. For instance, contemporary styles curvy lines, along with a modern overall look. 

Modern

It is a good idea to explain modern style immediately after contemporary so that you know the difference. The modern style is all about crisp, clean lines. Most of the times it comes with a simple colour palette and uses a lot of steel, glass and metal. There is a sense of simplicity in the details of modern styles, something that makes you say ‘sleek’ when you look at the room. There is certainly not a lot of clutter involved in this style. 

Minimalist

Speaking of less clutter, we must mention the minimalist style. It takes a great deal from modern design but takes it to another level of terms of simplicity. The colour palette of this style is usually neutral/airy, the furnishings are streamlined, and there is pretty much nothing that will strike you as expensive in terms of décor. There is one word that defines minimalist style: functionality. 

Scandinavian

This kind of style is common among Nordic countries, where simplicity reigns supreme. The furniture is often beautiful and feels like a work of art, yet it is simple and quite understated. The interesting lines don’t take away from functionality. An all-white colour palette is typical for this style, and the pops of colour usually come from art, throws or single furniture items. Another thing is that this style utilises bright plastics, form-pressed wood and wide plank flooring. This style fits spacious rooms with plenty of natural light. 

Rustic

If you are looking for natural inspiration, then the rustic design is the right one for you. It often uses unfinished and raw wood and stone elements. You can easily incorporate outdoor elements in this style. Many of the other design integrate rustic elements, especially modern and contemporary.

Industrial

The industrial style is one that draws inspiration from an urban loft or a warehouse. It comes with a certain sense of rawness, unfinished elements in the form of exposed brick, wood and ductwork. Some of the elements that contribute to the industrial look are old timber, high ceilings and metal fixtures. 

Traditional

The traditional design is all about sumptuous furnishings, plenty of accessories and classic details. For example, a traditional home would feature wooden elements with a dark finish, plenty of curvy lines and textures. It is the furnishings that usually stand out the most with their fabrics and ornate elements. This kind of design offers depth and a sense of dimensionality. 

These are just a few of the most common interior design styles that you will do well to consider when you are deciding on a look for your new home. 

© Elnaz Namaki Studio 

When you are starting any design project, you need to feel some dose of inspiration. In other words, you have to follow your design style. Now, many people actually have a problem of finding their style: what they are drawn to and what they dislike. 

Don’t worry, if that is the case with you. There are some questions you can ask yourself to determine your own aesthetic style and go from there. Here, take this short quiz, and you will know more about what style you prefer. 

Which one do you value more: past or present?

Now, this question may seem strange to you, but past and present often define unique styles when it comes to interior design. Here are the options if you are more of a fan of the past: 

French country

This design style is defined by romance. With its opulent décor and curvy furniture lines, you will feel like you are in a palace. 

Traditional 

Nothing better defines the ‘old world’ than the traditional design. It features comfortable furniture, orderly and classic lines that you cannot mistake for anything else. 

If you are a modern person, who is all about the styles of the present, then this is what you should be looking at: 

Modern

The modern style is all about clean lines and minimalism. 

Eclectic

To create your very own, personalised aesthetic, you can turn to the eclectic style. 

Scandinavian

With its area rugs and wooden options, the Scandinavian design touches on both rustic and modern styles. 

Do you think less is more or that more is more? 

In case you think less is more, the styles that may appeal to you are: 

Contemporary 

This one brings a clean feel with few accessories that put the focus on function. 

Modern

Including negative space to the minimalistic feel of the place is what modern styles do. 

Scandinavian

If you are not familiar with the hygge concept, it is basically all about comfort without overdoing things. 

For those of you that are fans of the more is more philosophy, then these are the styles to check out: 

Traditional 

The traditional style aims to deliver cosiness. It does it through the use of accessories, some of which may be family heirlooms, rich in history. 

Eclectic

The presence of unique accessories is what makes the eclectic design so original. 

Do you prefer full colour, or neutral? 

Depending on your preference, you may be a fan of colour. In this case, here are the styles to look out for: 

Traditional 

This kind of design has to do with richness. It usually features dark colours like green, blue and red. 

Contemporary

The boldness that comes from the saturated colours of the contemporary style comes from burnt orange, navy blue and mustard. 

If you are more after neutrals, then these styles should appeal to you: 

Coastal

White and sand are at the core of the coastal style. Blue dominates as the main accent colour. 

Scandinavian

Grey and white make the base of the Scandinavian colour palette. Sometimes pink and blue pop up. 

Country or city?

For the country type of person: 

Coastal 

The coastal style is perfect for the person who is in love with the beach. 

Rustic

The essence of this style is to get that ‘cabin in the woods’ style, which so many people love. 

For the city type of person: 

Contemporary

This is a style that easily stands the test of time. It never feels out of date, despite the fact it is from the past. 

Modern

Fresh ideas and modern design outline this style, which is perfect for the city lover. 

Now that you know how to determine your style better, you can advance to the next step of designing your dream home. 

If you wish to find out more about the world of interior design, Elnaz Namaki Studio can help you out. 

© Elnaz Namaki Studio 

Sometimes you can really give it your all to make a room both functional and appealing to the eye in terms of furniture. Yet, at times the furniture arrangement just looks off. It doesn’t always take an expert to notice it, as the problem may be evident. However, dealing with the issue may not be so easy without the help of an interior designer. To be prepared when it comes to furniture, you best learn of the most common mistakes that occur in people’s homes:

• Excess furniture – this is one mistake you cannot hide. Too much furniture in the room makes the place feel too cramped for comfort. Imagine having to sidestep every time you go past your sofa because the coffee table just doesn’t allow that much room. It ruins the flow of the room and greatly limits its usability. Every piece of furniture you pick needs to have a purpose, as that ensures a functional design.
• Wrong size of a rug – the size of rug you pick for every room is very important. Make it too small, and you actually have a setting that feels small too. Believe it or not, the rug is a fantastic element of the room that has the potential to ground the area and even create a focal point. It is essential to scale it well with the premises so that you avoid the ‘bathmat’ feel.
• Furniture is up against the wall – most interior designers have a pet peeve with furniture pieces being put up against the wall. The main problem with this is creating too much of dead space in the central part of the room, which cannot be adequately utilised. Sometimes it is tempting to push everything against the wall, but that is hardly a good idea.
• Furniture arrangement disrupts navigation – navigating your room is very important, so the furniture arrangement needs to accommodate this. The primary way to fix this is to aim for an easy plan right from the start. Often times the problem of disrupted flow is present when the furniture plan was rather careless, to begin with. Regardless of what style you are going for, the arrangement should reflect this.
• Wrong furniture scaling – furniture dimensions are always very important. You need to consider the size of the room and then scale furniture accordingly. For example, if you have a small living room, you can go with a loveseat instead of a large couch. This will contribute to a cohesive feel in the place.
• Height clearance – you should quickly learn how important it is for a table and dining chairs to have the proper arm height and leg clearance. If your room is lacking in that aspect, you will often hear the screeching of furniture parts being scratched together. This will damage your furniture, not within long.

Now that you know more about the common furniture mistakes in the room, you can better avoid them.

If you wish to find out more about interior design, Elnaz Namaki Studio is a fount of knowledge just waiting for you to explore it.

© Elnaz Namaki Studio