How to Decorate Your Home Like an Orange County Interior Designer

Do you want to decorate your home like an Orange County interior designer? Here in Orange County, interior designers are world-renowned for their impeccable sense of style and expert use of space. So how do we do it? Check out a few of our tips!

Know What’s Trendy

From big concept design trends like dual-use spaces and sustainable design, to more intricate design details like decorative tiles, freestanding bathtubs, curved and velvety furniture, or hidden storage—a good interior designer stays on top of the current interior design trends while also maintaining a timeless elegance in their designs.

One of the biggest trends we’ve seen in 2022 is bringing the outdoors in with warm earth tones, natural woods and woven materials. In a state where you can go from the mountains to the beach in hours, it’s no surprise that Orange County interior designers do a magnificent job of incorporating this trend. And an added bonus: including natural elements in design is not only beautiful and stylish, but also shown to be great for mental health!

For more detail on this trend and others, check out our blog, 10 hottest trends in interior design in Orange County.

This living room we designed includes a mix of natural wood tones, earthy brown leather, stone accessories and live plants.

Know How to Capitalize on your Space

One of the most important skills of an interior designer is to make the most of the space you have. Here in southern California, homes come in all shapes and sizes. Orange County interior designers are masters of making small spaces feel big and big spaces feel homey. We intentionally work with the layout of your space to achieve the functionality and aesthetic that you desire.

If you want to decorate like an Orange County interior designer, it’s going to take some meticulous planning of your space. Interior design isn’t all fun and shopping. It also entails busting out the measuring tape and taking measurements of every nook and cranny in a room. To make the best use of the space you have to carefully consider the size of every item in the room, the walkways and entrances, as well as views and some space for a room to breathe, especially if you’re in a tight space.

On the other end of the spectrum, in larger rooms it’s best to adequately fill the space so it doesn’t feel empty and incomplete. Interior design is a constant exercise in balancing form and function; like a beautiful puzzle waiting to be put together.

In this living room, we capitalized on a small open floor plan by floating a sectional sofa in the room to create a division between the entry area and the new cozy living space.

Mind Your Design Principles

Every good interior designer in Orange County (and elsewhere) is aware of the Seven Elements of Design (balance, line, shape, light, color, texture and pattern) and how to use them along with the design principles (rhythm, repetition, balance, contrast, proportion and scale). Like other guidelines, these aren’t hard rules, but are guiding principles to help you along the way. The skill of interior design is a mastery of using these design elements and principles. Once mastered, it’s fun to break the rules now and then, but make sure to consider how you are utilizing them first, so you don’t get too far off track! Carefully considered design elements and application of design principles will result in a beautifully harmonious space.

Take this kitchen we designed for example: The shape of the island mirrors the shape of the room; the horizontal line of the range hood beam creates a casual inviting vibe; the repetition of x-base bar stools creates a pattern; and a mix of matte wood textures, glossy marble, and shiny stainless steel add interest and elevated style.

Know Your Don’ts

Just like it is good practice to think of design principles as a list of design “dos,” it’s important to be aware of the don’ts of interior design as well. There are definitely some faux pas of the interior design world, and you don’t want to get caught in their traps. Here are a few pitfalls we see interiors fall into from time to time:

Designing layouts that may be aesthetically pleasing, but are not livable
Using colors that don’t complement each other
Forgetting proportion and using art that is too small

Know Your Design Don'ts — This beautifully designed could have easily lacked functionality. However, we added a storage bench at the kitchen table for a space that’s both cute and functional

How to Really Decorate like an OC Interior Designer

Of course, the best way to decorate your home like an Orange County interior designer is to hire one! We can give you all the tips and tricks of the trade to point you in the right direction, but those tips can’t replace the experience gained after years of designing different homes for clients of all types. At Viève Interiors we have years of design experience under our belt, and we’d love to help!

To schedule a discovery call, contact us or call us at (949) 610-7800.

Hire an Orange County Interior Designer — Genevieve Chambliss, Founder and Head Interior Designer at Viève Interiors. All homes pictured in this blog were designed by Genevieve.