1. Must-knows about interior design

Got tired of how your flat looks? You have an attic just dying to be converted into a loft, or your living space has simply stopped meeting your needs and preferences? Remodelling will make your house functional and attractive again. However, before you get down to work, it would be a good idea to learn some construction and design basics, which is where an architect or interior designer step in. Heres our insight into these topics.

2. A professional that gets you

You can already picture your dream home, you just need someone wholl know how to put your ideas into practice. So, where could you find them? Every house remodelling is a unique process. It wont hurt to check out other works and get opinion from the people who have already been through this process, although you wont know all the details until you get the first drawings and cost estimate. In order to be able to compare several offers, you should contact several contractors. On Daibau.ng, you can find a list of professionals you can contact.

Every interior designer has their own style and is able to adapt to your needs to a higher or lesser degree. Before you sign a contract with anyone, you should meet in person and see how many things you agree on, what kind of expectations each party has, and check their professional experience. This way, the designer will also get a chance to get to know you and hear your thoughts. Bring as many sketches, photos, images, and catalogues as you can.

2.1. Interior design prices

How much does all this cost? Prices can greatly vary among designers, and services are charged either per hour or square metre. Youll know youre dealing with a real professional when you get detailed calculations with exact items listed, such as works, material type and quantity, costs, and deadlines. To make sure you get what you want, you need to have good communication with the contractor. According to our experience, the price of interior design can only be determined after an interior designer visits your space and get estimates for materials and labour.

3. Interior design

3.1. Home remodelling

An average lifespan of a house is estimated at about 100 years. This is the shelf life for most materials, but also the time it takes for trends to go out of style. Wed add that this is also the right time for remodelling. Theres more than one way you can jump to this. If you decide to give your space a fresh new look on your own, you can do this by painting and adding a few new pieces of furniture. However, full renovation is a whole different thing. Such projects are challenging and expensive since they involve removal of walls, masonry, updating installations, new bathroom and/or kitchen, assembly and installation of new furniture, etc.

It all starts with a plan. The price depends on the designer.

Remodelling to your liking

3.2. Loft conversion

Top floor flats used to be considered inferior, low budget solutions. Today, things have changed as such flats can be quite expensive. Top floor flats are in high demand due to high house prices, lack of flats for sale in cities, but also cleaner air and more daylight. In addition, a space under a roof has its own peculiarities, which make it rather interesting and appealing. However, the roof has to be insulated and sealed with Knauf boards. To ensure the right amount of daylight, there has to be an optimal number of windows. Also, roof windows and slanted walls require custom-made furniture. This way youll ensure optimal use of every inch of your space. The good thing is that all unusually shaped spots can be perfect for storage, so besides being functional, theyre also good for aesthetic reasons.

3.3. Custom-made furniture

Custom-made furniture is a must if you want to make your loft look like a cover of a magazine. You can order some pieces from a woodworker, but its better you leave the whole work to a designer. Made-to-measure furniture is particularly suitable for irregularly shaped and sized rooms, such as lofts, stair spandrels, etc. Fine and stylish desks, chairs, beds, and doors can be particularly eye-catching and effective.

4. Remodelling process

How to make your dream home a reality? Remodelling includes several stages, which ensure top quality of an idea and its implementation. These stages include:

4.1. Measuring the space

An interior designer must measure the whole room and check its current condition. A conceptual design is made based on this. They should also make a list of all unusual aspects and irregularities to figure out how to work around them.

4.2. Your preferences

When you find a suitable designer, you should talk to them about what it is that you want, expect, and can afford, so that you know where you stand. Your habits, lifestyle, expectations are also something to consider. Do you live alone or with kids? Do you have any pets? Do you like having people over? Have you got any special needs? The purpose of your future meetings with the designer will be to decide on alternatives and samples theyve prepared, room and furniture layout, colours, look, materials, etc.

4.3. Furnishing and custom-made pieces

Although design is very important, functionality comes first. How are the kitchen and dining room connected? Is sufficient privacy provided? Where are you going to keep your shoes? These are some of the many issues you should consider. The first decision you have to make will concern practical and functional elements of the entire flat. You may consider removing or relocating partition walls, buying a new door, adding wall coverings, etc. If youre, however, planning to remove or make an opening in a bearing wall, be sure to consult a structural analysis engineer and get a planning permission. The next thing you should consider is the shape and purpose of each room, focusing in particular on furniture. If the budget allows it, have everything custom made.

4.4. Colours

Wall paint colours greatly affect the feeling of a room. Lighter colours make a room look bigger, while dark ones make it look smaller. In a way, this means you can change your rooms length, width, and height visually. Colours also affect our perception of temperature. Cold colours make a room colder, and warm ones make it warmer. You can use different shades of the same colour throughout your flat, or choose only one to accentuate a particular wall. White and pastels are never a bad choice. To get a chic and harmonized space, walls should match the floors, windows, and doors in a way where all shades and elements are in tune.  

4.5. Drawings

Once they get all necessary information from you, the designer will be able to make sketches and drawings of your new flat. Two- and three-dimensional images and animations will give you a preview of your future home, with bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom details. We strongly recommend not to skip this step as this is the best way to ensure all your requests and preferences are met before the works begin. When the designer makes sure youre happy with what you see, theyll start making drawings for the contractors.

4.6. Plan

Lets talk about maths and descriptive geometry. A preliminary plan includes all drawings, floor plans, details, materials, installations, and everything else needed for renovation works. There are also construction and technical plans and calculations, and woodwork orders for each individual piece of furniture.

4.7. Assistance in renovation

If this is the first time you do renovation or you simply dont have enough time, we suggest you appoint your designer as a project coordinator. Many experts have their own contractors and craftspeople who theyve been working with for a long time, so they can vouch for quality and on time completion. They will also help you if you decide to browse through furniture stores.

5. Modern living trends

5.1. Wall paint colours

Modern wall paint colours greatly affect the look of your house. Light, warm colours liven a room up, while dark colours make it look calm. Its not at all easy to find the right combination, so we recommend you hire a professional who knows what to do. Pay attention to all colours and patterns when you go through 2D and 3D photos as they may turn out to be different to how they appear on a screen or sample.

5.1.1. Bathroom colours

A bathroom is a very intimate place, so its important you feel relaxed and calm when youre there. This is why you should avoid bright and saturated colours. A completely white bathroom isnt the way to go either, as it may make you feel exposed. The best choice are soft, pastel tones of warm colours, which will make you feel comfortable, while with cold colour tones youll be completely relaxed.

5.1.2. Bedroom colours

A bedroom is the place intended for rest, so be sure to paint the walls in gentle tones. If you want to make your bedroom look smaller, darker, and therefore warmer and cosier, use dark tones and materials. Itll be a lot easier to fall asleep in a place like this.

5.1.3. Living room colours

A living room is the place where people spend most of their time during the day. Therefore, the colours should be warm and vibrant, so that you feel energetic. You can make the whole living room pastel, but if you decide to go with an intense colour or texture, apply it to just one wall.

5.1.4. Kitchen colours

If youre a fan of cooking and love spending time in the kitchen surrounded by aromas, youll sure want to spice it up with the right colour. A combination of moderate and vivid colours is a great choice for a kitchen, but dont go too wild. If the cabinetry is painted in bright colours, the walls should be neutral, and vice versa. You can also hang photo wallpapers.

5.2. Fine custom-made furniture

Fine furniture is finding its way back to many homes, as a contrast to modern design. Diversity is in vogue, so theres no reason why you cant combine minimalism with rococo, baroque with industrial chic, lightweight with heavy furniture, intricate with simple shapes, etc. So dont throw away your grandparents furniture, but instead, make it blend in with the existing decor. If you havent had such items handed down to you, have a woodworker make some.

5.3. Houseplants

Houseplants bring nothing but benefits⁠—they purify the air, keep your house cool, have a calming effect, and make every room look beautiful. Theyre a great alternative for those who dont have a garden or green balcony. However, not all plants are suitable for every room. Houseplants can thrive even when theres little light. If youre not a fan of flowers or you dont have enough time to take care of them, we recommend easy-to-care, resistant plants. Such plants are ficus, monstera, croton, philodendron, pothos, snake plant, and any other drought-tolerant and desert plant, or even exotic species.

5.4. Open floor plan

Large, interconnected living spaces are synonymous with modern living. If you want to make your home open-plan, youll have to remove partition walls and make openings in bearing walls. Be sure to consult a structural analysis engineer. An open-plan home is full of light, looks bigger, and is definitely more pleasant to be in, so as soon as you make one, just relax and enjoy.