How to Cure Creative Block for Interior Design; Ways you can unleash your inner design goddess to turn your house in to the dream oasis you need! Let's turn your home into the masterpiece you deserve!
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Your home decor serves as an extension of your personality.
Photo: Three Birds Renovations
At least, that’s what countless interior design articles claim, and rightly so. The way you decide to organize your interior says a lot about who you are and who you want to be. However, it also is a combination of style, taste, affordability – even if nobody likes to discuss prices, it would be unfair to say that they don’t influence your purchases – and practicality. For instance, regardless of how much you love the idea of a leather sofa, you probably know that it’s not the best choice when you’ve got pets. In short, saying your home is an extension of your personality might be a little exaggerated. It takes your aspirations into account, but there are, of course, other decisive factors.
That’s precisely why, for a lot of homeowners, your interior might begin to feel less like a personal space and more like an accumulation of diverse items and objects to fulfill a function. You may not recognize yourself anymore into your decor, but at least you can console yourself by knowing that it wasn’t too expensive. But, you can’t lie to yourself. You don’t feel any excitement or satisfaction in your decor. In fact, you even find it a little dull. You might suffer from what professional interior designers call a creative block. But don’t worry: There’s a cure to help you create an interior that matches both your budget and personality.
Photo: 204 Park
It’s normal to get confused, there are a lot of choices
Firstly, it’s fair to say that things have become complicated in terms of interior decor. After all, the days of the glorious 60s when there were only two types of interior styles – either modern and filled with youthful colors and plastic shapes or the old-fashioned preferences of the previous generations – are long gone.
There are, nowadays, a multiple of styles, patterns, and ideas that it can be tricky to create the right decor for your personality. After all, each style has its own philosophy and expectations – and nobody likes to be compartmentalized. The main currents at the moment comprise modern architecture, which celebrates clear shapes, technology, and efficient materials.
The emphasis lies in visual and functional simplicity; aka you live in a machine that serves a purpose. In perfect contradiction, you can find styles such as the shabby chic interior or the country decor, which are both designed to focus on feminine visuals and natural esthetics – preferably with some DIY elements if you're up for the challenge. And there is naturally everything in between, from a pragmatic minimalist interior to a rich and eclectic vintage style.
Ultimately, every decor has its advantages. So, it’s easy to fall into the trap of choice. Which interior should be yours?
Photo: Addison's Wonderland
The creative approach to blocks
If you’re experienced in home decoration, you might find it helpful to deal with your creative blocks in the same way that professionals do. Architects and designers, for instance, know the pressure related to the creation of a home interior. Coming up with new ideas or inventive solutions to practical problems is part of their everyday. So, they follow a set of rules to move their creativity forward when they are stuck for ideas. You might find some of their strategies inspiring. Start with an idea journal which you can fill with everything that attracts your eyes.
It’s fair to say that you can find ideas in the most unexpected places, so it’s always a good thing to have a notebook – a physical book or you can use Evernote on your phone – at hand. You can also bring the views or solutions of different professions. For instance, thinking about how a sailor would approach your living room can engage your imagination.
Another great way to approach a problem is to ignore it. Just set up to play with a set of legos for a little while. Not only is this relaxing, but it also improves the cognitive function of your brain, meaning that you can make connections between different ideas and subjects quicker.
Photo: HGTV
Change your mind and look at how others are doing it
A professional approach to your creative block is only effective if you work in a creative sector. If you’re not used to thinking creatively, you may not have an idea notebook to go back to or your brain may not be used to create new ideas.
So, you should instead take a look at real-life examples of interior decors. For instance, why don’t you book a room in a hotel over the weekend to discover how they’ve tackled their interior? If you’re looking for inspiring and unique styles, you should focus on boutique hotels. For practical and space-efficient decors – say, you live in a small urban apartment; you may not be ready to create an extravagant bedroom – you can check starred chains and industrial-inspired hotels. Within a few weeks’ time, you will have collected some new ideas.
Ultimately, when choosing your hotel, pay close attention to the budget, as you can treat it as an extension of your own home improvement budget.
Photo: MyDomaine
What do your relatives do to their interiors?
If you’re not keen on hotels, you don’t have to break the bank to find inspiring interiors. Visiting your friends and relatives can give you plenty to think about already! You’ll find that families with young children can be especially creative in combining child-safety and home interior. Some parents have taken the family home to the next level by designing a playroom for the whole family – in other words, they’ve been able to combine toys and maybe a nice reading area for adults – or a gaming area if you’re into video games.
Even if you don’t have children, you can learn from their strategies to create a multifunctional room. Families with kids also have some of the best kitchen designs, because they need to keep it practical for all, healthy and naturally child-friendly. You’ll be surprised to discover elegant and durable material that gives a new look to modern kitchens. In short, it’s time to go and visit your friends!
Photo: Studio McGee
Maybe you need to change your surroundings
If you’re not a homeowner, it’s fair to say that you might be limited in terms of decor. Tenants can’t always decorate their home as freely as homeowners. You may be able to get your landlord to agree to let you hang a mirror in the hall, but how about painting walls and changing the carpet? The answer is – in most cases – a fat no. But that’s fine, as a tenant, you are free to look for more inspiring homes that have a personality such as a modern duplex condo for instance. Indeed, modern properties to rent come with all the comfort and elegance of a modernist decor.
Some of them value tech minimalism, such as Millennial-inspired flats in large urban areas that feature smart home facilities. Others prefer the use of simple shapes and materials to create a clean aesthetic. But, in the end, if you can’t create the decor you like in your rental, maybe it’s time to consider looking for a new home?
Do you need to learn more about decors?
How much do you know about interior designs? While it is a simple enough question, it can lead to confusion. Indeed, Pinterest imagery and decor magazines provide inspiration, but they don’t give you enough background knowledge to be able to adjust adequately the ideas you see to your individual case.
Besides, the abundance of trends can make it tricky to differentiate the art photo from the actual feasible decor. If you’re interested in how shapes, colors and materials can influence your home, you could have a look at interior design books or even courses. After all, getting to understand the rules and tips of the profession can completely transform the way you think about your home.
Photo: Rachel Halvorson Designs
What if you just need more personality?
If you’ve heard of makeovers, you probably think it’s about transforming an existing room in a short time. In reality, you can give your interior an invigorating makeover by adding some homemade items. Something as simple as picking cobbles from your hikes in the countryside and painting them can inject a little personality to an otherwise dull decor.
If you like challenges, you can bring painting your furniture using chalk paint. With a distressed look, your modern IKEA desk can become a vintage item. A plain wooden chair can give a pop of color to the room. Or you could even give vibrant accents to your kitchen cabinet doors.
Just see new horizons
Still running dry on ideas? Maybe, you need to discover new horizons to open up your mind. Unfortunately, when you see the same style everywhere, it’s difficult to think outside the box! So, book an energizing holiday in an exotic location to give your mind a rest.
Enjoy the smells, the flavors, the colors, etc. Enjoy everything that isn’t like home. You’ll find that your brain will start to see new possibilities for your interior.
In conclusion, there is no such thing as a creative block when it comes to interior designs. All you need is to find the right guidance to take you further, from renting a new place to learning more about decor trends.
Hope you enjoyed this interior design post!
Comment below your tips and tricks for killing it in the interior design department!
How to Cure Creative Block for Interior Design; Ways you can unleash your inner design goddess to turn your house in to the dream oasis you need! Let's turn your home into the masterpiece you deserve!
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