Interior design never moves alone but always stands as a reflection of an individual's personality. It is for this reason that Interior designers spend much time and effort putting together a form that not only looks fabulous but also is high on utility.

There are three key interior design principles that every designer keeps in mind. These are functionality, theme, and accessorizing. A blend of these principles leads to balance and harmony in interior design.

Functionality

All successful interior designers place function before form. The utility of an apartment and clever design hold much more importance than mere style. Moreover, most of us rarely live in the same home forever. While putting a house on sale, a function based interior design is likely to fetch you a much higher price.

Functionality starts with furniture and its placement. A smaller apartment would call for foldable or built-in furniture. A child's room needs to be friendly with no electrical switches or sharp edges within reach. Every room also needs a focal point that grabs attention. It could be a beautiful fireplace, elaborately painted wall art, an antique showcase, or a beautiful French window.

A functional design also involves striking a balance. A single room should not be burdened with lots of heavy furniture nor should the home have harsh lighting. Moreover, functionality is closely tied to interior design costs. Striking a balance in the budget will always make your client happy.

Theme

Successful interior design involves choosing a theme, at the planning stage, and planning the design around it. A theme is one of the key interior design principles as it reflects the mood and lifestyle of the homeowner.

A theme will influence the style of furnishing, upholstery, and lighting in interior design. Often the theme is chosen around a decorative accessory such as a cushion or painting. It sets the ground for the choice of color in furniture and paint. A successful theme blends patterns and textures to keep up a balance and prevent monotony in design. For example, if your coffee table is of shiny glass then your armchairs would sport a softer texture to add dimension to your decor.

Accessorizing

Accessorizing is one such interior design principle, where your inputs will be needed in full. This is your chance to personalize your living space and get as creative as you can with it. Without personalizing the decor of a home, the rooms will simply look dull and lifeless as if they are straight out of a fashion catalog. Accessorizing has no limits and is entirely up to your creativity so long as it doesn't interfere with the functionality of your living space.

A subtle living room can be made vibrant with a bright painting hung on the wall or flowers, of your choice, planted in pots on your window panes.

If you like crafts or music, your instruments, and decorative artwork can be tastefully displayed to be the center of attraction in your home.

Now that you have learnt the 'ABC' of designing, it's time to get started.