Do you look around your home with despair, knowing it is in dire need of an overhaul but with no idea where to start? Do you dearly want a new look for your home but are scared of making a mess of it and ending up with a home design disaster? If so, you’re not alone; many of us are stumped when it comes to recreating the beautiful homes we see in magazines and on television. Ambience Home Design, the interior designers on the Costa del Sol who provide an international home furnishing service, are here to help with their ‘home truths’: a list of dos and don’ts when it comes to successful interior design.

Creating interiors that are stylish and up-to-date, beautiful to look at and a joy to live in, while also being functional and reflecting the lifestyle of you and your family is no easy task. This is especially the case for those of us who have no design training or experience and who are overwhelmed by the choice of looks, styles and makes of home furnishings on the market. But as with any project, it helps to start with some basic guidelines which, if adhered to, are sure to vastly improve the look of your home. Ambience Home Design recommends keeping in mind the following ‘home truths’:

DO update your home on a regular basis to keep the interior fresh and up-to-date. This doesn’t just mean keeping up with the latest fashions in interior design. You can keep things new by moving furniture around, changing your scatter cushions with the seasons, and by regularly retouching the paintwork.

DO test a potential new paint colour for a room by painting a large block of the wall and not just by using a tiny tester. Paint colours can look very different once on the wall and dry, and you’ll only be able to see how the new shade will look with your furnishings by seeing it on a wall of the room itself.

DO use rugs to anchor furniture in the layout of a room, but have them as an integral part of the styling of the room and not just as an afterthought.

DO get professional help. Most of us wouldn’t attempt to cut our own hair or remodel our kitchen on our own; we would call in the professionals. To get the most out of your home décor you should do the same: use expert interior designers to provide conceptual design and bring out elements of your home that you had never considered. Professionals draw on years of experience, a network of suppliers and natural designing flair to create interiors with a polished finish that most of us mere mortals couldn’t hope to achieve. Using a company such as Ambience Home Design that offers interior design project management is vital if you have a large project that involves more than just changing curtains and cushions.

DON’T underestimate the power of good lighting. When looking at how to light a room, consider its function: would dimmers be best to create atmosphere and to easily change the lighting level, if not what wattage of central and side lights should you use? For the best effect, use different types of lighting – table lamps, floor lamps, recessed and spot lighting.

DON’T get obsessed with themes or your home could end up looking like an amusement park. Having a cohesive style in a room is vital, but over-styling can be as bad as no styling at all.

DON’T forget that the key to beautiful home furnishings is all about the details. The most styled interior will be lacking warmth without details such as candles, personal photographs and favourite ornaments, etc.

DON’T use only one colour or texture throughout a room. Mixing up shades and textures gives depth to a room and creates a homely, lived-in feeling. But be careful not to create chaos - have one colour and texture that runs through all the rooms, and while you should have a minimum of two or three patterns, don’t go overboard with too many. Take a tip from interior designers and start with an inspiration piece (a swatch of fabric or a cushion); it can help keep the mixture focused.

If you would like to make the most of your home décor, visit www.ambiencehomedesign.com for inspiration. The interior design company in Marbella in Spain completes home design projects all over the world and can help to bring out the true beauty of your home.

Email: louise@globaladsolutions.co.uk