Good interior design is what makes a room or a home look great. It is a lot like the icing on the cake, the basic structure is good, but it is the icing which adds value to the cake. Homes are built to a definite plan; they become individualized only when the interiors are set up. It is then that the homeowners have to put their own stamp on it and make it their very own. Doing the interior designing of a home is not difficult; it is a very enjoyable experience. However, it needs to be planned carefully, so that the homeowners do not have to live with some badly coordinated colours or with furniture that looks totally out of place in the room.

Before going out to purchase items for a room, it is imperative that the basic style of the room is decided. Is it going to be a casual room, with easy patterns and comfortable chairs; or is it going to be a formal drawing room with antique furniture; is the dining hall going to be the main eating room for the family, or will there also be a smaller eating area; is the bedroom meant for a young girl who wants a feminine look? Many of these questions should be answered much before the actual process begins.

A small room can be made to look very ungainly with large pieces of furniture. The proportions of the room should be the guiding principle when purchasing the accessories. There should always be enough space to walk around comfortably. Even the paintings on the wall should be in proportion with the size of the room.

The colours should always co-ordinate well with each other. Beautiful chairs can look totally out of place, if they are upholstered with patterns or textures that do not match the other accessories, such as curtains and carpets in the room. If there is one focal point in the room such as a good carpet, it is a good idea to pick the colours from it and .match the curtains and upholstery with it. The walls should generally be in a neutral or soft shade, but then the choice of colours is always based upon one’s personal choice and preferences. Always choose a colour combination that reflects the homeowner’s individual choices

As there are multiple options available in the market, sometimes sticking to a budget may not be very feasible. It is important to remember that most of the furniture pieces will last a lifetime; hence, they should be of good quality. Initially a budget should be made taking into account the costs of all the basic items, such as furniture, wallpaper, paints, hardwood flooring etc., even though some of them may be purchased later. A room half-done due to cost overruns can be avoided only if the budget has been made after knowing the prices of all these items.

Most rooms have a focal point around which the rest of the design is based. It may be a large fireplace, a beautiful window, a heirloom carpet, a favourite chaise lounge or even a painting on the wall. It is easy to base the room’s colours and textures around it, or even to find accessories which co-ordinate well with it. Harmonise all the other elements of the room around it, such as the wallpaper or the curtains, or even the choice of upholstery. A proper balance of colours, styles, patterns and proportions is what makes a home and every room in it look fabulous.