To decorate and design your own house doesn’t always come natural. Some people invest crazy amount of money to hire professionals in order to help them create their own little heaven on Earth. Although is not easy, you can do all the hard work by yourself. Take it as an adventure! If you are one of those dreamy and enthusiastic people, you have come to the right place. And if you are not, don’t worry-this simple guide on how to design your own house can help you add bits and bobs of glamour in your house. Now, let’s move on to the main part, shall we?

#1 Start With The Hallway

Chic Hallway

Many underestimate the influence hallway has on a home appearance. The truth is hallway is what you first see from a home and it can either ruin the first impression or make it unforgettable. We choose the second one!

The first thing you need to do is to choose the colour of the walls. Often, hallways are the darkest place in a home due to the lack of windows and natural light that comes in. Stay away from dark colours because they will make the space look even darker. Play with the light and add mirrors. They are known as the best way to make an area look bigger because they reflect the light. Who says you need only one of them? Add as many windows as you want and you will be amazed of their ability to make your hallway look more spacious and bright.

Move on to the furniture. A nice hanger, a closet or a table is a necessity for an entrance. Make sure the furniture you choose goes well with the colour of the walls. Overall, a good quality hardwood pieces look nice on each colour. If you are on the more creative and contemporary side, you can choose glass pieces. Try to choose one particular style for the whole house and stick to it.

Finish the look with rugs and art. A place does not look completed without a carpet. It makes the space feel cosy and more welcoming. There are plenty of styles and textures on the market, so you can choose the one that suits the hallway best. And remember there is always place for a beautiful vase with flowers!

#2 Move On To The `Kitchen

Rustic Kitchen With Modern Touch

The kitchen is where all the magic happens. Some say the kitchen is the heart of your home! It is the place where late-night conversations, casual parties and homework sessions happen. A new kitchen is the best gift you can give to your beloved ones. The main thing you should concentrate on is to choose a kitchen set that suits you and your habits. Always think for the long run-a kitchen should be comfortable for you and your family. Otherwise, each cooking experience will end up with a failure. Think of what you need and what space you can work with. A great way to add an extra sink or a dishwasher is by adding a kitchen island. An extra work station can always come in handy! And here is a tip from the famous interior designer Christopher Peacock-”I typically suggest an island 5' wide by 8' long. You don’t want it to look like an aircraft carrier. And when cleaning up, you want to be able to reach across it effortlessly.”

When you choose the kitchen tools you need to try to make them match with the rest of the interior. Give your best to pick tools like dishwashers, ovens, blenders, refrigerators and microwave ovens in the same colour theme. You can skip matching them with the rest of the kitchen furniture in case they are hidden. Otherwise, you may end up with brown wooden furniture, a black fridge, a white dishwasher, a silver microwave and a grey blender. Doesn’t sound good, right? It does not look good either.

The wall colour and the floor are all up to you. Have in mind though, that it is best to have tiles on the floor. Kitchen is where most of the spills tend to happen. It is preferably for the walls to be bright and fresh. Also, try to avoid putting the hot plates near the kitchen windows. You don’t want to clean the window surfaces all the time from oil splatters all over them.

#3 Bring The Magic To The Living Area

A Living Room With Character

Now, here you can experiment with the colours! A huge trend is to combine different colours in one room. For example, you can paint one of the walls in a bright colour and the others in more tone down ones. By doing this you can focus on a certain place or item of the room. Another leading trend for 2014 is using saturated colours! Add a turquoise sofa in front of a grey wall and you are ready with your statement piece!

Another 2014 home interior trend is to forget about mix and matching fabrics. This year is all about the rich fabrics with different prints. You can totally go wild and create a personal touch with velvet and suede materials. Make the overall look a bit more modernised by playing with bold colours and funky combinations.

Add depth and warmth to the room with the help of curtains and carpets. Face it-carpets are much more comfortable underfoot and they add an unique touch of the room. All kinds of rugs, carpets and wall-to-wall rugs are back this year! And of course, do not forget the window treatments. No window area is completely finished without a classy set of window curtains.

#4 Go Through The Stairs

A Beautiful Picture Design For The Stairs

Enhance the beauty of your home with the stairs in it! The hottest trend for 2014 are the spiral stairs. But even if your stairs are on the more simple side, you can still “dress them up”. One of the main criteria is to make sure the stairs are not slippery. A home should be save for you and your family. Beauty and elegance are the main characteristics of stair cases. For maximum charm you can add photos of your family’s best memories! And if you are an art-enthusiast, you can add you favourite art pieces around the stairs.

#5 Take Care Of The Bedroom

Cosy Rustic Bedroom

The bedroom is one of the most sacred rooms of your home and you should treat it like one. Comfort, love and peace are what bedroom offers as the most private place in the house. The best characteristic of it is that it does not matter if your children or parents like it. Your bedroom is where you can go wild with interior decisions. Of course, you need to compromise with your partner and it is more likely for you both to have similar preferences.

A solid trend for 2014 is the Rustic style. Incorporating country materials in your bedroom adds an unique touch.Rustic is all about old items combined with modern pieces. An old chair, lamp or floor which is painted in white will do the job. And if you are not a “trends person”, you can still make your bedroom a little budoir! Bedroom necessities are a comfortable bed, at least one chair or couch, a vanity section and a wardrobe. A walk-in closet is the best option but unfortunately not many people are blessed to have that extra space. Do not forget about the thick fabrics! The famous designer David Easton said “If you love a fabric but it seems too strong, check the reverse side-it may just do the trick”. A desk may always come in handy, so consider adding one.

The decorating part is up to you, but have in mind bedroom is supposed to be a place for you to relax at the end of the day. Avoid aggressive colours like red for the bedroom walls! Such colours are proven to have influence on your mood. Stick to neutrals and add a bright picture on the wall instead.

#6 Nursery Design

Chevron Nursery Room

Well, there is no way to skip the nursery room. According to professionals, navy blue is the new neutral. And there is a new colour trend for the girly rooms as well! The colour of the year is Radiant Orchid. Tones of purple are a great alternative for all the moms out there struggling with the whole pink theme of a baby girl’s room. Another huge trend is still the chevron print. It can easily be incorporated in the window draperies and walls. If you don’t want to overdo the Chevron look, you can just put a printed wallpaper on one of the walls and paint the rest in neutrals. By doing this, you will put an accent on the chevron and it will not look overdone.

Industrial style (or the so called Rustic) can also be included in the kid’s bedroom. Soft white wooden floors, pallet walls, faux fur rugs and plaided curtains are a perfect way to add a bit of character to the room and still make it look kids-appropriate. You can also experiment with the crib! Simple and stylish cribs have always been part of the modern home. But now you can choose from all kinds of cribs, including ones with the so modern thick fabrics and even rhinestones! And if you are on the more DIY side, you can create a beautiful crib with products from the local art&craft store!

#7 The Bathroom

A Modern Bathroom With A Curbless Shower

The bathroom is another part of the home where people share beautiful private moments! Funny jokes, first kid’s baths, playing with pets and getting ready with your partner for bed-time are only a few of the things people experience in that room. So, let’s make the final step in order for you to design your own house!

The first thing you need to choose is the type and the colour of the tiles. Have in mind that although dark tiles are on trend, you should avoid them if the space is small. You can instead put light ones with a few darker ones or flower-printed ones in the middle of the wall. Another hot trend professionals recommend are the soft matte tiles. A white classic bathroom is timeless but 21st century is all about the innovative!

As for the shower, designers suggest the curbless type of showers. It looks more sophisticated and clean! Another benefit is that it actually makes the place look more spacious. Storage places in bathrooms are so in right now that many designers get creative in using each little space in the bathroom in order to make it practical. The most common way is by integrating ledges for the home-owners to have all the useful items at hand.

Moving on to the vanity, floating vanities are a great way to make the bathroom look bigger and reveal the beautiful flooring. Keeping the things clean and tidy, a floating vanity’s cleaning is as easy as pie. The best part is that you can still use the traditional old vanity! Just remove the legs and you have your up-to-date modern look!