An interior decorator is a person whose task is to put into shape the loveliest place in your life – your house. The responsibility of these people is to design not only the most beautiful homes and apartments but also offices, cultural establishments (museums, theatres, cinemas), educational institutions (kindergartens, schools, colleges, institutes, universities), sports establishments (stadiums, sports palaces), nutritional establishments (canteens, cafes, restaurants), medical establishments (hospitals, health centres, preventoriums, polyclinics), public offices etc. Interior decorators make our surroundings look as beautiful as possible. At first they understand what you would like to have, then they imagine it, and only after that they create it.

The profession of an interior designer is not easy as it needs not only a creative hand and wonderful imagination, but also some education in this sphere. The matter is that the profession of a designer unites several separate professions – the profession of an artist, and that of a maker-up, a psychologist, and a manager, and even an expert in marketing. Depending on a stage of work it carries out functions of various professions.

A person willing to become a professional designer should pursue a diploma or cover a degree course in interior decoration. What is the most important in this kind of educations is that it gives correct orientations in imagination and plays an important role in developing person’s creative skills. The profession of an interior designer is mostly associated with females as it requires sensitive perception. Still nowadays, a lot of men are interested in it as well.

It should be mentioned that an interior decorator can have rather high wages. But one also needs to be a real professional in this sphere. If a person wants to become a successful Interior Decorator the following several tips will be of great help.

There are various ways to become a successful. Following are some of the useful steps that need to be followed to become one:

The first step is eye training:

Only a person with a good eye for design can become a nice designer. In other words, once a designer sees an object of his or her future creation, he or she should be able to instantly define what is made right, what’s wrong and what should be improved about the interior of that room. It’s a good advice that an interior decorator should train his eye constantly. But the question is how can he do it? First of all one should listen to other people’s opinions about what they like and what they don’t. Next, one should review famous magazines demonstrating the most popular design tendencies of contemporary life, regularly visit the most beautifully decorated rooms. Besides, one can get more experience in the field while attending art galleries, furniture showrooms, historic objects and houses lovely designed for sale.

The second step is self-education:

No doubt, a good Interior Decorator should have excellent knowledge involving house decorating like styles of decoration, wall coverings, kinds of floorings, window treatment, space planning, usage of colors, light, furniture, accessories etc. One can learn the basics of design via the Internet educating with the help of special websites. Today a lot of books in interior design are published. Besides, speaking to more experienced decorators will be also of great help.

The third step is more practice:

It is correctly said that in any field practice makes a man much more experienced and this statement concerns also interior decoration. One should never stop practicing because the wonderful work done in the past is able to give a lot of visibility and knowledge. Just like any other activity, the activity of an interior decorator requires constant learning and practicing. It will help to develop one’s talent and skills.

The fourth step is volunteering:

While a person is not a successful interior designer one should be encouraged to serve other people with one’s knowledge of the field. Although it won’t bring one much money or even no money at all, one should be sure that he gets something much more important – experience. Volunteering to work for others will help a person to become an excellent designer in future. Besides, one will have clients who already trust him or her and can advise that designer to other people.

The fifth step is to have a portfolio:

It is very important for any interior designer to have a portfolio. A portfolio is an example of a decorator’s work used to display artwork, using photographs etc. A nicely made portfolio will be your guarantee to conquer your client’s attention, so make sure that your portfolio is really great!

The sixth step is getting a job or business:

Job: In order to become a super interior decorator, it is actually very important to take up a job. Experience and practice in this sphere play a great role in the future activity of any interior designer. So, after one has completed the interior decoration course it would be wonderful to receive a job of an Interior Decorator as soon as possible.

Business: Many people work better independently. That’s why it will be better to start an own business for them. It will give an opportunity to expose one’s works independently, thus, all the credit will be directly received.

The seventh step is observing:

To become a really sensitive designer one should observe nature because it’s the nature that is the best example of a wonderful design. Trips to the mountains or to the forest will be of great help. Interweaving of branches, slopes of mountain cliffs and beautiful linings of caves can display an original example of a designer’s new project which can be made a reality later. One should be very attentive as even in the most plain place one can find a creative solution of design. A true designer should not be afraid of experiments and to use new material in his work never used before (wood, stones). It is very important to travel to the countries which are founders of arts, to pay attention to different kinds of cultures – the cultures of China, India, Egypt, Old Rome and to use these achievements in work.

Interior decoration is a concept that makes your spaces more enjoyable. It is actually a collection of ideas that are applied to various elements in a home or office. After the successful implementations of these concepts, there is more harmony between the various elements and this positively influences the life of inhabitants in the space.

Several reasons come to my mind, why implementing Interior Decoration ideas in a home/office can be a fruitful exercise. The foremost reason is that your home is a place where your mind can have different types of states such as relaxation, enjoyment, anxiety, stress, etc. There are many times, you need help from the surroundings to regain your energy during the day. A good interior decorator works with the elements so that positive energy is reinforced and negative energy is minimized. A home full of interesting and energetic elements, bold colors, and refreshing decorative pieces can help you regain your energy.

Second reason why interior decoration ideas provide tremendous benefit is that your home reflects your personality. Most of us already have a picture of our dream space in our mind, yet it is very hard for us to execute that picture in reality. The decorating choices we make can vary substantially from the dream space in our mind. Understanding the choices available for different elements becomes an important aspect and an expert interior designer will help you uncover your hidden ideas and help you design a perfect atmosphere.

Apart from uncovering the ideas, when you work with an interior decoration expert she provides valuable input for space planning, lighting, windows, flooring, ceiling, wall décor, colors, furniture, accessories such as such as draperies, Valances, Curtains and so on. It is very interesting to know about all the décor elements, incorporate those elements and bring out the usable interior for your home/office. There is a huge variety of material available in the market for each of the category I just noted and multiple brands for the same material type increases the complexity of the process. Yet, the whole interior decoration should be seen as a fun thing to do as the end result of this exercise will make you happy every time you walk in your home or invite some one else to visit it.

Knowing your preferred decorating style is the best way to approach a decorating project from a point of knowledge. The information will help you to tackle your own decorating project or to speak confidently to a decorator or designer when communicating your vision for your space. In part three we will look at a few of the decorative styles contributed by the 18th Century and begin the Mid 19th Century. This five part series on interior decorating styles will give you an overview of contributions offered to the decorating industry.

In the 18th century two styles of architecture and decoration dominated the first half of the century. The first style was Palladianism. Palladianism was derived from the writings and engravings of the 16th century Italian architect, Andrea Palladio. This particular style was characterized by bold, austere, and large architectural elements such as Venetian windows. Venetian windows were used a great deal by Palladio. This particular window is arched with two lower rectangular openings on each side.

During the 18th century, floors were often bare with sisal matting or oriental carpets. The ceilings were coffered with plaster moldings. A coffered ceiling is a ceiling that consists of recessed panels in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon and is usually trimmed with ornamental motifs. This type of ceiling actually dates back as far as the 6th century as both a decorative element and as a means of lightening the load of a heavy marble or stone ceiling. Back then you would only see a coffered ceiling in the homes of the very rich, but today, coffered ceilings are available to everyone and can even be purchased in kits. It is a popular look in libraries. The walls were paneled and painted with a flat paint usually in grey or green or hand painted wall papers. The walls were meant to be the backdrop for paintings, prints, or engravings. The Palladianism style featured furniture made of solid or veneered walnut. Veneered furniture is actually very well made. The thin wood overlay is fragile in its natural state or by itself; because it’s generally only 1/64 inch thick, but when it’s properly glued to another surface it becomes part of that surface and has considerable strength. Special care must be taken when sanding because it is so thin you can sand right through it. But, the good news is that it doesn’t take much sanding to smooth it, because it is sliced with an extremely sharp knife. Palladianism style furniture typically consists of tripod tables, bureau bookcases, and upholstered chairs usually in a fabric that coordinates with the window treatment.

The second distinctive style of Early 18th century was Rococo. This style was lighter, exotic, and it seemed almost frivolous in appearance. Rococo was recognized because of the use of Rocaille, Chinoiserie (Oriental art and motifs), Turkish and Indian figures. Roacille is another word for Rococo which is the Italian word for style. It is the most opulent excessive version of the Louis XV form. It is characterized by exaggerated curves and extensive carving, sculpting, and ornamentation, most commonly including scrolls and seashells. Flowers, foliage and light scroll work was often used. A popular color for the walls was light yellow. However, the Rococo style was not very popular in America.

The Late 18th Century saw a predominant style called Neo-Classicism. It first emerged in the 1750′s in Europe. Neo-classicism was a reaction to the flamboyant and frivolous style of Rococo. Neo-Classicism reached the United States in the 1780s. Actually, in many respects it is a natural extension of early century Palladianism. Because the Rococo style never quite caught on in the United States, it was pretty much over looked and the next style, Neo-Classicism, went back to the Palladianism style for its inspiration. Now, Roman architecture was taking center stage again, but, unlike Palladianism, ancient Greek architecture was also included. Neo-Classical interiors were elegant and are well suited for traditional style homes. The Neo-Classical style had lightness to it and featured a great deal of linear decoration. The walls were mostly divided by a dado or a chair rail. Essentially, a dado divides a wall horizontally and is usually about 36 inches from the floor. Its purpose is to keep the backs of chairs from damaging the wall. The walls of a Neo-Classical styled space usually were covered with a flat paint or patterned wall paper. Furniture pieces used were embellished with painted swags of flowers, ornamental bows, and cupids, and other mythological scenes. Solid or veneered mahogany wood was typically used. The windows were treated with swaged and tailed drapes. The fabrics used for drapes were not heavy in weight such as tapestries and woolen velvets. Simpler fabrics were used. Neo-Classicism preferred light weight silks, printed cottons and sheers. These types of window treatments are popular in what we call Contemporary spaces.

During the 19th Century interior decoration was still basically Neo-Classical. The predominant styles that emerged during the early 19th century were the Empire and Regency styles. These styles were in celebration of Napoleon’s conquests which provided military motifs. The Empire style originated in France in the 1790s. The basic architectural style of the French palaces was Classical. Fixtures and furniture included laurel wreaths, medallions, and imperial eagles, swans, and lions. The Regency style drew inspiration from Greek ornament and incorporated elements of Chinoiserie. And, both of the styles saw an increase in the use of cut pile carpets. The ceilings were built lower and usually there was a medallion in the center where the chandelier hung. Flat paint was still used on the walls in addition to faux finish paint treatments becoming popular. Faux marble and woodgrained finishes were used on doors and other wood work. Fabrics in the Regency style were light weight silks and floral patterned chintzes. The chaise lounge became popular. Upholstered chairs, settees and sofas were very generously stuffed, and most times deep-buttoned or tufted. And a new development of permanent groupings of chairs and tables to facilitate conversation became more prevalent.

During the Mid 19th Century the color palette of interiors began to broaden and include more vibrant colors. What may seem over the top and excessive to us today was considered chic and sophisticated in the mid 19th century. As with most things, eventually the color palette and excessive interiors became less ostentatious. Also, an eclectic mix of decorative styles became fashionable.