Many people have had the experience of looking around a room and wishing they had some interior design help, either to solve some particular design issue or just to get ideas to give the room a makeover. Fortunately, in the twenty-first century, interior design help is available from a wide variety of sources. Some of them bring years of expertise and verified good taste, and some of them are completely or nearly free. Part of the cost to you will be determined by what “help” means to you in this context.
For some people, interior design help simply means that they wish to be inspired. Today, you can find inspiration in many places, some without leaving home. Interior design magazines, such as House Beautiful, Better Homes and Gardens,or Interior Design, and their corresponding websites offer a variety of ideas for items of special interest as well as room and home decoration and include information about where/how you can purchase items that they feature. DIY Network has television shows that feature home improvements including interior design, and they, too, have a website you can visit.
If leaving home is an option, furniture showrooms can be a very efficient place to get ideas: since there are many different takes on each room in the house, you are likely to find something of interest. Trade shows are another great way to see a wide range of products in different styles and at different price points gathered in one locale. In a completely different realm, tours of famous homes, and homes that have become museums may inspire you. The Thorne Miniature Rooms at the Art Institute of Chicago are an example of rooms that have been examples of interior design that have been much admired over several generations.
If you’re looking for specific, do-it-yourself (DIY) instructions for interior design projects, then the websites already mentioned, as well as those you can find by searching on “diy interior design” will be useful. Such sites provide decorating hints and tips, instructions for building furniture, room dividers, and other items, and how-to’s for applying wallpaper, particular painting techniques, etc. There are also books for this purpose, many of which can be found at home supply stores.
People who can offer you interior design help range from an accredited interior designer with a degree in the field to the person at the home supply store who helps you as you choose a color of paint or the salesperson who helps you choose a sofa in the furniture showroom. Interior designers may focus on decorating or may also have expertise in architectural detailing. About half the states register or license interior designers, and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design both accredit post-secondary programs. You may wish to check these qualifications, as well as look for an interior designer who belongs to a professional association or has specialized certification.
