The world of interior design was once the domain of professional designers with years of training, and only those with money to burn could afford to partake of their services. These days, interior design is open to anyone. From crafty DIY aficionados to newcomers, anyone can decorate a space they can be proud of.

Look at the furniture you have on your home and find a combination of colors and furniture that fits well together. You want to have furniture colors that compliment each other, as well as the colors around your home. Avoid picking colors that aren’t related, because this can look like you don’t know style.

Whenever you are choosing wall colors for a room that doesn’t have a lot of natural light in it, it is wise to choose lighter, natural colors. A lighter colored wall will distribute light around a room more evenly given the room a brighter look than if you used dark or bright colors.

When designing for contemporary and modern spaces, integrate textures into the materials in the room. If the furniture and fixtures are heavy on smooth materials, such as glass, smooth plastics, metal and polished wood, add some textured materials to bring out details that will catch the eyes and create a more interesting space.

If you feel that interior design ideas don’t just come to you, gather ideas for yourself. Many cities have decorated showhouses designed by interior designers to help the public gain insight into designing. If you don’t feel like visiting a showhouse, look at different books, home decorating and designing magazines or use the Internet as inspiration.

A great interior design tip is to start going hunting for antiques. You don’t have to pay a fortune to get some interesting antiques. You can always go to local stores and try to barter with them. Who knows, you might end up with something that will spark many conversations.

If you’re working on designing for a small space, adding light can greatly increase the feeling of size in the room. Adding light fixtures and using appropriate drapery can increase the amount of light in the room. Mirrors are also a great way to increase light and increase the apparent size of a small space.

Get creative. Even if you don’t consider yourself a great artist, you can make a wonderful collection of art. Draw a symbol or an abstract piece on a piece of drawing paper. It doesn’t have to be that big. Put it in a high quality frame. If you want really do something nice, create 3 or 4 drawings and frame them all together.

When hiring a professional interior designer, make sure you see a portfolio first. This will let you know whether you, and the designer have the same tastes. A talented designer can do a lot of things, but if you do not like his or her style, you may have to seek out one better suited to you.

Opening oneself up to the world of interior design opens up a world of possibilities within the home. Visions can take shape, flourish and develop into something amazing. With the advice and tips offered above, anyone can get started on tackling those design projects in their own home and begin creating spaces that wow.