There is no crash course/one book. Design is logic, function, form, art, science, taste skill, education, and a whole lot more.

The logic of design is common sense things like measuring how high the mattress is from the floor, and selecting near or same height tables for bedside and making certain you have the space to accept their size.....must they have storage etc....... The art is deciding should they match or contrast with the bed and rest of furniture in the room.

The best method is to get some pro help, even if it is as little as a consultation for several hours, IN YOUR HOME. Preferably not with someone associated with any store, where you will be sold whatever you just pointed to and said you like.

Thanks Jan. I’m surprised there isn’t a basic book. I guess I imagined when designers went to school there was a course on the fundmentals of interior design and that there may be a book like that. I have found some at my library; one is geared a bit too much to the business end; one is geared towards homeowners but the author’s writing style is a bit too chatty for me. Hmmm...

Yes, my understanding was that the cost of the free design service was that I’d get a 90 minute sales pitch of their products. This company says they will come to your house but wants to start in-store so they have access to their materials etc. I thought that line was hogwash but I had to go to the store anyway (to return something I bought online) and, in fairness, it was helpful. (I was able to sit in different styles to see what felt comfortable vs. not; I was able to come home with fabric samples). I feel no obligiation whatsoever to buy from them ever and, for me, it was helpful to get some basic info. (I like to know all my options, and so this designer was willing to go through their entire collection of sofas and chairs and tell me why she wouldn’t recommend certain styles for my home). I am still considering hiring an indepdent designer, in my home, but was hoping to find a book so I could read up and understand the basics to make our time more productive. I.e. so the designer’s job is less about educating me and more about designing this project. Anyway, long response. Thanks again.

It is a designers job to " educate" and explain. A designer is the interpreter of the FEEL you want in your home, in combination with that which is practical, functional .

The money you save in mistakes and regrets is your best investment in hiring the pro and can literally pay for the pro. The point of any pro help is not a list of instructions as a hip bone connects to a thigh bone. Change the hip? Change the thigh. There are just too many variables.

There are lots of decorating books out there. There is no recipe for interior design. For there to be a meaningful how-to book, everyone would need to have the same ingredients, which obviously is not possible. So, you either have a clue or you don’t. If you don’t have a clue, but you know enough to know you want a better outcome than what you got in the past, hire a real, ASID interior designer. Have him or her help you develop a plan and then you can execute the plan on your own to save money.

Many top designers have never taken design course in their lives! They have learned by observing - having an "eye" for design. If you have not developed this eye from reading shelter magazines, then you probably never will - it's like having a musical ear - one either has it or one doesn't. And that's why there are professional designers out there to help those who don't!

There are SO many great resources out there for interior design.

There are some excellent tips in "101 Things I Learned in Architecture School" by Matthew Frederick. This book is great for a quick reference guide as it is explanatory without an overwhelming amount of text wit comprehensive food for thought in the approach to design.

Another great book is "Human Dimension & Interior Space" by Julius Panero & Martin Zelnik. This text is full of data related to ergonomics and really gets the gears going in the relation to the function of a given space. It's really helpful resource with applying comfort needs to space-planning and encourages strategic dimensioning.

Happy reading to you and best of luck in all future design endeavors!

Nothing against ASID. She needs a honed eye, and pleasant surroundings that suit her. I've FIXED an awful lot of ASID results and "misery". It's more than a degree many times. Not every dentist or neurologist was top of their class lol and Bill Gates ( Microsoft) was a darn drop out

Some of my favourite designers are not ASID. I was just trying to steer the OP away from furniture salespeople who may or may not have talent.

That's great to want to learn something new. Every one has to start somewhere.

There is a wealth of information on the Internet. YouTube has many videos on interior design.

Here's a link to get started

https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE89405FF79231F98

Also go to libraries & book stores to see if the books are worth buying. I have saved a lot of $ realizing which books are worth keeping by skimming through them 1st.

Learn to read scale. Learn a computer scale program or draw in scale. Keep a design sketch book.

I would try being your 1st client. Choose 1 room & practice. Do a interior design presentation board for yourself.

Youtube has tutorials on that too. https://youtu.be/XYERHhhh0n8

Enjoy your hobby. Who knows your friends might like it & ask for your help.

Interior Design is a vast subject that branches out to many sub-categories. So, pick something that you naturally enjoy & become really good at that niche.

You can do anything you put your mind to.

Information=power.

Get yours;)

Time =$.

Do what you are natural good at. Hire people who are naturally good at their skills. That's how to really get stuff done ;)

Having innate talent, like a sense for space/color/proportion, athletic ability or a musical ear, is in many cases just the beginning. It still must be cultivated and developed before it can really blossom into something more. Even someone without a lot of innate talent can, with a high degree of motivation, be trained to be competent in his or her chosen field. Ear training, sports drills, and practice are all devices to develop skills.

Thanks everyone for all the resources and comments.

I was able to request "Decorating Master Class," by Elissa Cullman from my library and just started watching that BBC Series Design Rules. Awesome! Any guesses on what I'll be binge watching this weekend? Thanks everyone for the other specific suggestions too. I'll look them up.

artistsharonva I loved this comment:

Do what you are natural good at. Hire people who are naturally good at their skills. That's how to really get stuff done ;)

Yes! I like the idea of hiring a pro. I also like doing some homework too.

Getting a good grasp of what you like and what you can expect from a designer is a great idea. Knowing how things work will make you a better client, more capable of a meaningful collaboration- at least that’s what my ID says.

I had read magazines for years and bought many books, but my Interior Designer always blows me away with her ideas. She has ideas that I would have never been able to come up with on every project we have done together: my living room, dining room, bedroom and foyer. They are WORTH the investment. I love my home, and although she didn’t interpret every room exactly as I wanted (I don’t like how much color she did in our living room) it looks beautiful and cohesive and really she got the feel I wanted which was peaceful and calm.

ETA- my husband “surprised” my Interior Designer with a rug for our living room. I would most likely like the room a lot better if we had the rug she wanted. The room would feel more neutral as she wanted a neutral rug, but he wanted something different. They really aren’t that expensive, get one that charges by the hour. They have something special that isn’t learned by books and schooling. Wisdom is knowing what you don’t know. I thought I could just read and pull something together....it would have been a far cry from what she did.

I also would like to know about this. Actually from my boyhood, I have a great interest in learning home decoration and honestly trying for that still. If someone could recommend me a good books I will surely appreciate it. lol

I'm no pro but there are have been a few books that I enjoyed:

The Book of Decorating by Domino

In With the Old by Jennifer Boles (if you like classic decor)

https://fredgonsowskigardenhome.com/ (not a book but a lot of great principles - things like lamp height, furniture arrangement - lots of great drawings)

girl wonder, some books I've found useful and enjoyed:

Interior Design Master Class: 100 Lessons from America's Finest Designers on the Art of Decoration by Carl Dellatore: "Creating a library-worthy resource on design, the volume’s editor, Carl Dellatore, recruited one hundred top American interior designers to contribute essays on a particular aspect of design, interspersed with examples of their work. Useful for both aficionados and professionals, the volume reveals the meticulous and often heady process that goes into creating great interiors." There's a very good good write-up and interview with the author at the design blog Quintessence.

Habitat: The Field Guide to Decorating by decorator Lauren Liess (who is basically self-taught, which is why she calls herself a decorator rather than an interior designer), who has a great blog (not updated much anymore) where she has explained her choices and decisions.

Mary Gilliatt's Interior Design Course by Mary Gilliatt

Domino: The Book of Decorating: A Room-by-Room Guide to Creating a Home That Makes You Happy by Deborah Needleman

The Perfectly Imperfect Home: How to Decorate and Live Well by Deborah Needleman

A few of the interior design books I've picked up in the past few years, which gave me a greater sense of appreciation for what interior designers and decorators do:

The Interior Design Reference & Specification Book: Everything Interior Designers Need to Know Every Dayby Linda O'Shea, Chris Grimley, Mimi Love

Interior Design Course: Principles, Practices, and Techniques for the Aspiring Designer by Tomris Tangaz

Some earlier helpful threads in the GardenWeb Home Decorating forum:

Where to go for "Home Decorating 101"?

What's your favorite Interior Design Book?

Nice to see this older thread pop up with familiar names. Bookmarking these resources. I have a couple of the books mentioned and heartily recommend Needleman's The Perfectly Imperfect Home.

Hope you're both well, @girl_wonder and @beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally.

All is well here, tartan, just busy with life and work for the past few months : ) .

Seeing Anglo's name gives me a pang...

To be excellent, to be sought after? These are words to remember, courtesy of Patrick Ahearn:

( note: I have changed the word architecture to design) and abbreviated his wise words......*

"*The goal of non - ego driven design is for the designer to slip entirely from view. In fact, If I have done my job correctly, I will be like a ghost who visits in the night -leaving no trace and most successful when no one sees my hand......"* )

It's not about you. Those are the words to embed in your mind. You lead, you educate, you entice someone to follow...but . It is never about you - remember that with every room you ever touch. Be that ghost. It's the thing that can't be taught.

Good luck!!! : )

( I've lived by that credo, never having seen his words, or heard a concept said so magically until I recently picked up his coffee table book. It will serve you well, I assure you)

I know this is an old thread, but in case anyone is still reading it, I still have a good number of my design textbooks. Two that I found to be most helpful when starting out are:

Interiors: An Introduction by Karla J. Nielson and David A. Taylor

and

Residential Interior Design: A Guide to Planning Spaces by Maureen Mitton and Courtney Nystuen

The former is a "survey" book that covers everything from color to lighting and basic principles, and the latter is more about space planning and "rules of thumb" for remodeling and new construction. There's also a great resource called the The Fairchild Dictionary of Interior Design, which is a great reference for design terminology.

Beyond that, the best thing to do is to pour over coffee table books of designers and architects you admire and really pay attention to the details: how do they mix colors, textures, and styles? How do they use composition and color to set a mood? Do they have a signature look or does each project look different, depending on the architectural style of the home and/or where the home is located? Where do they customize and where do they include ready-made furniture/finishes?

After that, design is very personal. Don't be afraid to take some risks.