Space is extremely important when it comes to interior design.  Planning ahead is essential.  The first step in planning should be to familiarize yourself with the space.  From the floors to the windows to the ceilings, anything that can be enhanced stylistically and utilized in the most functional way to benefit the room is all considered to be under the umbrella of “space”. 

Mapping out your design ensures that everything in the room fits together properly and that any problem areas can be addressed and worked to their best advantage.  Even the space that is left open needs to be considered.  Walkways between pieces of furniture need to be properly spaced as well as dining chairs or reclining sofa seats to provide for range of movement.

This may all seem overwhelming at first, but remember to take it one step at a time.  First, think about the function of the space. While style is important, if the room cannot function the way you want it to then being stylish won’t matter.  If the room is a high traffic area, think about what you can do to make sure it does not become too cluttered.  Make a list of all the items currently taking up space and decide if any of them can be relocated. 

Assess the room’s lighting next.  If it’s satisfactory then you can play around with the idea of updating the fixtures and bulbs for your artificial light sources.  If you have proper natural light as well, consider what window treatment will flatter the space best.  If either one of these light sources is not to your liking, then play around with different methods that can help brighten up the room.  You want the design you are planning so meticulously to be showcased in the best way possible.

Lastly, we come to style.  Now that you know the feel of the room and have a running inventory of the items that will be taking up residence in it, you can decide the best presentation for them.  This is where you play around with your plan and move items back and forth to see which configurations works best for you.  It is also a good time to decide whether you want to create a focal point in the room.  It’s always a good idea to add a feature that draws the viewer’s eye upon entry.