12 Tips From Celebrity Interior Designers

When we're designing our homes, we want them to look great. Not only are our homes a reflection of who we are and our own personal style, but they're also a place that we want to be able to enjoy and take pride in. Interior and home design can be pricy, especially if you want your home to compete with those of our favorite celebrities. However, there's a way for everyone to have an upscale home, even on a budget. We all know the basics: Never put furniture on the perimeter of the room, buy statement pieces unique to you, and when in doubt, go classic. Still, it's hard to "make everything work" and often times, even when we do follow the "do's and don'ts" of interior design, the finished product doesn't come out the way we envisioned it. But don't worry, if you're feeling like your home is undone or tacky, these celebrity interiors are here to help. Read below to find out how to make your home marvel while still maintaining it's personality and functionality.

12 Be An Art Curator

If you don't absolutely love something, don't buy it simply because you need to fill a space-especially if it's art. Abbe Fenimore, celebrity interior designer and owner of Studio Ten 25, says try to stay away from art that is mass produced. Art should be unique to you. It should be something you enjoy looking at, not something you found at a local department store and bought just because you were sick of looking at a blank wall. Take your time when finding statement art pieces - you'll have them forever. Also, unlike other household items, art normally gets more valuable as time passes.

11 Stop Being Trendy

Just because bright blue is in this season, doesn't mean that you should paint your kitchen cabinets bright blue. Don't waste money trying to make your home trendy. Like all trends, they fade out and something new comes around in a couple of months. When dealing with the interiors of your home, stay classic. Celeb interior designer Tiffany LeBlanc believes that staying with more classic and traditional choices are the way to go stating, "There's a reason why white kitchen cabinets have been around for so long." If you do want to add a trendy touch to your home, do it in ways that aren't permanent such as a colorful throw blanket or accent pillows.

10 Think Ahead

If you want to re-do your outdoor space, go for it. However, think ahead. Don't spend a lot of money on fancy patio tile or designer furniture. Remember, it's outdoor space, meaning you're going up against: Plants, insects, weather, storms, etc. You can still make an outdoor space look great without breaking your bank account. When talking about exterior spaces, Charmaine Werth, celebrity interior designer, reminds us it's going to get messed up, especially the tiling. She also says, you're less likely to enjoy dinner outside as much as you think you might, especially when you realize how many bugs, birds, and insects there are.

9 Design With Your Lifestyle In Mind

Abbe Fenimore reminds us that when we're designing our homes that we shouldn't buy things that don't make sense. While white sheets sound great in theory, if you don't have a washer/dryer or if you're someone that gets a spray tan, they're probably not the best investment. The same goes for furniture: If you have dogs, get dark colored furniture so that you're better able to hide any pet stains. If you have cats, get furniture that doesn't collect hair and that your cats won't be tempted to scratch.

8 Accent Wisely

We all love a good accent piece. They brighten up the room and add some spark to your style. However, there is such a thing as too much "accent." Eric Cohler, celebrity interior designer, says that we should choose accent pieces wisely. For example, if you want an accent chair, get only one accent chair, not three of the same type. If your home is on the smaller side, having too many accent pieces could end up making your home look unfinished or mismatched. The less, the better.

7 Plan Accordingly

If you're building a house, plan accordingly. Los Angeles based designer, Madeline Stuart, encourages us to build according to the type of person you are. For example, if you know that you rarely use your kitchen, don't waste money on an expensive wood fire pizza oven. If you know that you love to make pancakes, get a stove with an integral griddle. She states, "People often amass a surfeit of equipment they never use." Take this advice outside of the kitchen. If you have a dog, buy a back door that can handle a doggy door, instead of buying an all glass door.

6 Go Green

Every home should have some green. And by green, I mean a plant. Dan Marty, celebrity interior designer believes that a great way to soften up a corner in a big room is by adding a beautiful plant. Not only will it make the room brighter, but it's also an interesting touch. Bring exteriors to your interior. Choose a plant that doesn't need a lot of sunlight, is low maintenance, and won't dirty up your wood floors or carpet such as a Spider Tree, or a Dracaena. Added Bonuse: They'll help purify the air in your home.

5 Don't Forget About Wallpaper

I know, I know- everyone thinks wallpaper is now some sort of faux pas. And while in some ways it may be, that doesn't mean it's completely out of the question. A huge trend in the late 80's and 90's, the use of wallpaper has sort of been slowly fading out. However, it's time to bring it back. Why? Because it's inexpensive, there are a lot of patterns to choose from, and it's relatively easy to do yourself. Melissa Warner suggests adding wallpaper to cabinets or on a single wall to add pop to a room. Choose a wallpaper that helps tie the room together, not one that becomes the focal point of the room.

4 Use Your Rugs

This is perhaps one of my favorite tips, thanks to celebrity designer Mary Watkins Wood: If you have a large bathroom, use a rug that's meant to go in a living room or a bedroom instead of a bath rug. Rugs are made to withstand more than an occasional wet foot. This design choice works particularly well if you have a freestanding tub that you rarely use or large space in front of your sinks. Get creative, find a rug that you truly like, not some flimsy bath rug that's going to get destroyed in a year.

3 Leave Room For Playing

Celebrity designer Vincente Wolf reminds us that we'll never get sick of a white living room. If you're unsure which paint direction to go, choose white. This way, you'll have plenty of room to play with when you're choosing your couches, chairs, a rug etc. Also, if you do decide later to paint the room a different color, your base coat (white) will be easy to cover and save you time. Your wall color shouldn't be what forces you to chose your furniture or accessories and it's a big faux pas when your furniture clashes with your walls. Added Bonus: If you're someone with a lot of clutter, having white walls instantly makes the room look cleaner and less scattered.

2 Think Outside Of The Box

Celebrity designer, Dan Marty, reminds us that's there's no cardinal law stating every living room must have a sofa. If you have a small living room, having a couple of chairs will do the trick. Additionally, if you're thinking of having an accent chair in your bedroom but have enough space for a couch, do that instead. Or, if you want to add some throw pillows on your kitchen chairs to make them more comfortable and/or add some color to your kitchen, do it. Mixing up "norms" helps keep your home unique. Don't think about what you "should have" in a room, think about what you like and what works.

1 Use Your Appliances

Madeline Stuart reminds us to use our appliances. Even if they're not designer, don't waste money on trying to disguise them. If you're in a kitchen, people expect to see a refrigerator. You don't have to mask it by placing a wooden cabinet over it. If you're re-doing your bathroom, buy a glass door instead of a messy shower curtain. Not only are they extremely easy to clean, but they also last longer. For an added spark, buy a statement shower head and tile the shower walls to make your bathroom look even more chic.

sources: housebeautiful.com, elledecor.com