If you’re designing a new room for your home, you’ll be facing lots of decisions – and some are a lot easier to make than others.

I know how tempting it is to go online immediately and start flipping through photos for inspiration, but before you do that, make sure you keep the following points in mind.

1. Decide on the purpose of the room. 

You might be thinking “But it’s a bathroom!” or “But it’s a bedroom!”, but hear me out. This isn’t quite as obvious as it sounds. 

If you’re designing a new living room, is it a place where toddlers will be spending a lot of time, or are your kids older? Do you invite guests over often, and will they spending time there?

If it’s a bathroom, who is it for and how do they use it? A bathroom which will be used daily by little kids will need a dedicated bathtub and safety features, whereas a teenage girl’s bathroom will need great lighting and more space to store toiletries and makeup.

2. Choose the right colour scheme. 

Just because your favourite colour is purple, that doesn’t mean you’re going to be happy with lilac bedroom walls and aubergine curtains. Think about the room’s purpose, the amount of natural light it gets, and any furniture you already have that you’d like to use when making this important decision.

You should also consider how the colour of the room could influence your mood. Soft blues, greens and lavenders invoke a sense of calmness and are great for a bedroom, while neutral shades work pretty much anywhere and give you a broader range of decor options.

Also, ALWAYS think long term! You might be happy with a bright colour now, but how do you think you’ll feel about this a few years down the line? Sure, you could always redecorate, but make sure you’re wise what item is what colour. To be very clear, you don’t want to get bored of your expensive orange curtains, so it might be best to stick to neutrals for a few (pricey) items.

Which brings me to my next point…

3. Think of the future. 

If you need to make some big purchases when you’re designing a new room, make sure you’re not setting yourself up for problems down the line.

If you’re shelling out for a sofa, fridge, or bed, go for neutral colours, especially if you like to change up your décor from time to time.

A cream sofa will work great with the soft blue accents you’re dreaming of right now, and then you’re just a few throw pillows and a new rug away from an entirely different colour scheme once you grow tired of it.   

4. Make sure your furniture is the right size. 

Nothing is more disappointing than setting up a new piece of furniture only to find that it completely swallows the room or that you’re going to end up bruising your leg on a table corner more often than not.

Whether you’re shopping online or browsing in person, get the measurements of the furniture you’re considering, head to the room in question, and mark off the space with some masking tape to give yourself a better idea of how much space you’ll have to move around once it’s placed.

There are also some apps that use augmented reality and your smartphone’s camera to help you better visualise your room with the furniture placed. I’ve never used these myself, but I’ve read about them and they sound ideal.

5. Don’t forget about storage.

It’s a good idea to be designing your room with storage in mind. Make sure there will be places where you can hide objects that would normally clutter up the room, such as some very high shelves or cabinets in the kitchen or laundry room or a headboard with built-in shelves for your redesigned bedroom.

Designing a new room can be a fun and rewarding experience, but give yourself the best chance of ending up with a space you’ll be happy with for years to come by taking these important points into consideration before you even get started. 

PS: I had done a kitchen tour a few months back if you’d like to have a look. It’s right here!