Rooms in today's homes are not necessarily "your mother's rooms." Remember how living rooms used to be only for formal occasions and you weren't allowed to eat, drink, watch TV, or "live" there? Bottom line: before decorating, nail down your living room's functional purpose for you, your family, and your friends. Irwin and Nicola offer advice and tips in this episode on how to get the room right architecturally, deciding on the room's function as a guide to decorating, how to mix expensive with inexpensive pieces to get a great look, getting the living room to relate to the rest of your home, and the specific design elements that combine to make one great living room.
Most of our viewers are in a quandary when it comes to "doing it yourself" or having someone better trained and with more experience helping them out with home remodeling, building, and design projects. Bottom line: if you want to do it yourself, knock yourself out! But you may want professional help to keep your sanity and get a better final result. This episode covers Irwin and Nicola's advice and tips on how to go about hiring a professional designer or contractor, the importance of doing advance research, how to get referrals, getting your project specs in writing, managing your expectations of the job, and the importance of BEING NICE to the hired help!
Everyone wants a great-looking interior. Design2Share gets questioned a lot about how to confidently select a great look when there are so many styles to choose from. Bottom line: a great look should really thrill and excite you. This episode covers our design pros' advice and tips on how to be aware of your surroundings, where to find inspiration for your next project, how to see what makes certain design elements good or bad, how to make a large project less daunting, how to use travel to inspire your quest for a great look, and how to find interiors that speak to you. Join Irwin and Nicola as they help you "learn to look."