Do it your way

If you have a strong sense of your choices, go ahead. But before that, listen to the experts

A home isn’t just four walls, some furniture, and a few licks of paint. It’s retreat and refuge, haven and hideaway, and never was this more clear than amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With hybrid working becoming the norm, homes are where we now spend majority of our time. This has led to an increased demand for workspaces and dedicated spaces for study, exercise, and entertainment. The home improvement services market has seen an upswing, with many choosing the post-pandemic time to redo their homes.

If you are contemplating rejigging your house, but find yourself stumped for good advice, we have lined up inspirational quotes from top designers. Make these your go-to tips for your home design, and you’ll never regret it.

As Don Draper, the fictional ad guy we all loved on Mad Men, said: “Make it simple, but significant.”

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. — Steve Jobs

It’s not enough to just have a home that looks and feels good; it also needs to be the perfect fit for all your needs. There’s no point of a glam entryway if it doesn’t allow you to pick up all that you need as you head out, or of a kitchen that looks like it belongs in a home décor magazine but isn’t kitted out for daily cooking. Form must follow function!

Styles come and go. Good design is a language, not a style. — Massimo Vignelli

If you were to believe home décor magazines or go by some influencers, nothing in your home — at the moment — is on trend. But is keeping up with the Joneses the point of your home? Trends, looks, and styles may come and go, but you are there to stay. Needless to say there’s one thing that your home must showcase: good design.

Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. — William Morris

The famed British textile designer who was also renowned for designing wallpapers has hit the nail on the head. Most of us end up collecting things we don’t need and that clutters the house up. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to just have the things one needs or finds beautiful rather than storing every flower vase that was gifted on a birthday or anniversary?

Measuring and laying out the room in advance can save you a lot of headaches. — David Bromstad

A little planning can go a long way when designing a room. If you measure the space, it can be easier to order that new sofa or arrange the paintings on the wall. Without a layout, you may end up in creating chaos that will make the room uninviting.

It is just as disastrous to have the wrong accessories in your room as it is to wear sport shoes with an evening dress. — Dorothy Draper

While some may not mind wearing sports shoes with an evening dress (if they are making a style statement!), having mismatched accessories in the room can turn it into one big confused space. Always look up design ideas if unsure of what may go well with what.

Design is defined by light and shade, and appropriate lighting is enormously important. — Albert Hadley

Like Mr. Hadley endorses, one must pay extra attention to the lighting in the room as it may make even the best of elements look garish or dull. One can play with lighting in a number of ways — lamps with dim wattage can be clubbed with a bright chandelier. Also, breaking lighting into components — overhead, table lamps, corner lamps, spotlights — can offer many options depending on the mood.

There are no rules! — Michelle Elzay

Since every home is unique depending on the personality of the occupant, there can be no written rule of what works and what doesn’t. If you have a strong sense of your choices, then you can confidently throw the rules to the wind, we say. Like fiery orange walls? Why not!?