Natwerk Designs

need some interior designing advice please?

my husband is a civil engineer. he plans and builds structural designs. in a few a year or two, we're planning to build a house of our own, the problem is we need some expertise about interior designs. we've looked for it in magazines but we can't seem to find what we like. is there a website for this about interior designs for houses? tnx!

Public Comments

1. DIYnetwork.com and HGTV.com have a lot of stuff about interior design as well as gardening. You can start now by putting your heads together and deciding what colors you want in your house, when you have it. You also can decide what amenities you want your house to have, what kind of flooring you want, and what you want to do about your windows and perhaps carpet. Good luck!
2. Hopefully you've had the opportunity to rent different apartments/houses, maybe lived in a dorm room, perhaps your folks moved a few times while you were growing up. I've moved over 23 times and lived in more houses/apartments than I can remember! But, what I do recall is some of the spaces I occupied had GREAT floor plans and some did not. Make a list of things you liked/loved and things you've hated/disliked in the places you have lived and where you currently live. Trust me, the little things count. Hopefully you've been exposed to different styles. Stucco/Spanish style, Craftsman, Tudor... there are many different dwellings styles available, and with technology advancing all the time, something that used to only work in one part of the country is now popular in other areas, so you're only limited by your Imagination. Do you travel? If so, take photos of things that catch your eye, an attractive entry way, a window's woodwork/frame, a brick path leading to the patio, whatever it is you like. Go to the library and check out books and magazines and note the styles you love and those you don't care for. Hopefully you and husband agree on most of them. Once you find something you like, this will help you narrow down your search to a specific type of book/magazine to help you focus your house plans. If you live in an area that is building new houses faster than people can buy and move into them, then you should be able to check out the model homes. Usually the model homes are decorated by professionals and beautifully done. Each model will usually have a slightly different look and feel from the one next door. Go to as many open houses, model homes as you can, and note what you like and what you don't. Knowing what you don't like is just as important as what you do like. And don't settle! Make sure you get exactly what you want and what will address your needs the best. What's important to you? A floor layout that's good for entertaining? One for a buddy family with young children? A one-level home so you don't have to deal with stairs? Will your parent(s) or in-law(s) live with you? Do you want a space just for them? Determine what your needs, must haves, likes, and wants are for your space and let that guide you. Some sources to help you: http://www.interiordesign.net/ http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/living-spaces http://www.houseplans.com/ http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/interior-space.html Enjoy the process, the planning you do now will help ensure you have a wonderful "happily ever after!' Make sure you know what you want before you start because changes made during the building process can be quite expensive.
3. I used to work as a commercial interior designer and it sounds to me as though you are really asking about "floor plans" -- the actual layout of the interior of a home as opposed to the decorating. If you search "floor plans" online you will find many options. Many of the sites are searchable based on criteria that you fill in (like 2-story vs. ranch home) Also all of the home improvement stores have books that are filled with floor plan ideas. You can also go to the library and they will have books that are filled with floor plan ideas. Another good source are the home builders in your area. Many of them have showrooms that have fliers with their standard designs. You cannot "steal" their designs. Designs are copyrighted and you can be sued but you can get ideas. You just tell them that you're thinking of building a home and they will load you up with information -- especially in today's economy. You may end up getting some sales calls from them but you can just tell them that you've ended up having to put off your project for a year or so and you won't hear back from them. As you look at all of the floor plans make copies or tear out the page and jot notes to yourself about what caught your eye, ie: "I like the large hearth room off the kitchen" or "Really like this bathroom layout but we would need 2 closets". Then when it comes time to actually design your home you will have better ideas to be able to give your builder. With the field that your husband is in I am sure he knows some architects. Many of them will moonlight and design homes for people in their off time. This would be a good resource to use when you actually get ready to design the house. That person can very easily take all of the ideas that you've compiled and come up with a plan for you. Magazines will be good for the decorating aspect of interior design.