Room Design 101: 5 Simple Steps to Making the Most of Your Home

how to master room design with these simple tips and tricks

When creating any room design there are many things to consider. Function, practicality, aesthetics, and budget are among the top priorities. Whether you are designing one room or an entire houseful of rooms it’s important to follow a plan. To help you in this process we are sharing these five simple steps to room design so you can make the most of your home. This system is simple. The more you use these steps the easier and more natural it will become to incorporate this process into all your room design projects. Be sure to check out the Better Homes & Gardens blog post for more fabulous ideas on this topic.

Jodie and I are honored to be part of The Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart Influencer Network. We love representing a brand that provides quality style at affordable prices. We receive compensation for our time and efforts in creating this post. Our convenient shopping links help support our blog work but add no additional expense for you.  All our opinions are authentically our own, and as always we hope you enjoy.

 

Step 1 – Room Design 101: Create a Floor Plan

Many people skip this step, but it can help you from making purchasing mistakes, so we say it’s worth your time.

The Old-Fashioned Method: Pencil & Paper

You can use regular paper, but using grid paper will make it easier. This is your room outline. I suggest making photo copies of this to enable you to create multiple options for furniture layouts.

To begin, measure:

1. walls
2. doors
3. windows
4. closets

 

The High Tech Method: Apps

There are many apps that can allow you to skip the paper when creating a room design and even some that allow you to skip the measuring. Some give a 3-D visual that help you if you have trouble imagining a space.

1. Magic Plan
2. Room Scan Pro
3. Floor Plan Creator
4. Amikasa

Step 2 – Room Design 101: Create Your Furniture Layout

Next, let’s get to the furniture placement. Now is when you need to get thinking. Ask yourself:

• What do you want to be able to do in this space?
• Who needs to be able to use it?
• Are there multiple functions? Decide if they can coexist. If not, now is the time to prioritize.
• Consider how your furniture will effect traffic flow in, out and through the space.
• What is the focal point?
• What is the largest necessary piece of furniture?

Once you have answered all of the above questions begin to imagine the possibilities of your room design. If you are not good at visualizing I recommend using an app that provides 3-D visual.

Shop this room:

My Room Design

Redoing this extra large bedroom has been an on-going project ever since we moved into our home over 4 years ago. It started off as a catch-all for re-purposed furniture. The room functioned but nothing matched. The style was all over the place.

I created a layout that included a study area, a tv/conversation area, a dressing area, and a sleeping area. I made a plan to replace the old furniture over time, which is exactly what I did. Every new piece has come from the Better Homes & Gardens collection available at Walmart.

Sleek New Desk

Most recently I replaced the old, worn out desk with this beautiful wood and metal desk. The quality is wonderful. The wood top is a solid, heavy gorgeous grain wood, and the legs are a very cool industrial metal. The style is exactly what I wanted for my son’s space. He loves the look and the large surface area. He said, “Mom, this is cool!” High praise indeed!

Are you decorating an apartment or on a budget? Be sure to read, “How to Decorate A Chic Modern Apartment On A Budget” for great budget-friendly decorating ideas.

Our Tips for Best Furniture Layout

1. Decide on your focal point. This can be a piece of art, a fireplace, or in a bedroom it would be the bed.
2. Don’t get too fancy. Layout design needs to be practical and make sense. Keep it simple.
3. Define your areas, even if they are small. Use area rugs to help with this.
4. Identify traffic patterns. Make sure there is a flow to the space and traffic isn’t blocked.
5. Identify sight lines and avoid blocking windows and avenues of sight to doors and hallways.

 

Step 3 – Room Design 101: Create a Budget

• Now that you have your plan, it’s time to set your budget allowance.
• Determine what pieces you already have and what you need to shop for.
• Prioritize your purchases.
• If necessary, plan it out on a calendar what you can afford to replace and create your room design over time.

 

 

Step 4 – Room Design 101: Shop

• Jodie & I love to shop Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart because they have the style, affordability and value we love.
• We love the convenience and huge selection they have online at walmart.com.
• Choose a brand you know and trust for always providing value like Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart. Jodie and I have been shopping and showcasing their home and furniture line for over a year, and we are continually amazed and excited by the value of everything we buy.

New Chairs

These two modern gray upholstered chairs are another new addition to this room. They replaced two worn out off-white chairs that I had owned for 20 years. The off-white color didn’t match the mood of the room. These new chairs from Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart are sleek and modern. They are also solid to handle teenage boys. The chairs pass the all-important comfort test my family really appreciates.

 

Looking for more ideas for room design? Be sure to read our post, “How to Create Budget Farmhouse Room Transformations.” Jodie shares her tips and thought process so you too can create amazing room transformations on a budget.

This table is also from the Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart collection. It is part of the farmhouse furniture collection that I added to the room last year. The top lifts up so there is storage inside.

Step 5 – Room Design 101:  Add Creative Accessories & Color

• Give your room character with fun, affordable accessories.
• Add pops of color with finishing touches.
• Use the rule of threes: Three colors make for an interesting room, with the balance being 60% of your main color, 30% for your secondary color and 10% for your accent color.
• If you prefer to keep your palette neutral use the rule of threes for texture.
• If you want to add trendy character do it with these affordable finishes. That way when the trends change you will not have to break the bank to update your room.

To create a space that my son loved I chose to use neutrals and focus on texture and pattern.

• The rustic wood of the farmhouse-style furniture

• the nubby texture of the pillows

• the softness of the pompom throw

• the cozy fullness of the shag carpet

• the woven detail of the baskets
• the shine of the gold lamps

Shop the Post

Shop the beautiful Better Homes & Gardens items I used in my room all available exclusively at Walmart below:

 

Whether you are designing an over-sized bedroom, like I did here, or your room design involves making the most of a tiny space the principles of room design are the same. Take your time, work with a plan and a budget, and let the purpose of the room guide your decisions. Begin your room design with a focal point and end with fun details. And when you take your time and shop for value like we do with Better Homes & Gardens at Walmart, you’ll be able to stay on budget and have a space you’re proud to call home.