5 Free Tutorials to Decorate Your Home Like a Designer

Follow these easy, DIY interior design ideas for beginners, and transform your house into a place you’re proud to call home

They say that home is where the heart is, but when it comes to decorating yours, knowing where to start can be overwhelming—especially if you’re new to the world of interior design. Trends are ever-changing, but there are some fundamental principles that can be applied to enhance any space, regardless of your experience level.

Below are five interior design tutorials for beginners taught by leading designers, decorators, gardeners, and more to help you learn more about them.

Whether you’re planning a complete refurbishment or are simply looking for some direction on your next accessory purchase, read on to discover their advice on everything from colors and lighting to plants and soft furnishings.

1. Add color to your home using the 60-30-10 rule

One of the simplest ways to add personality to a home is through color. From bold, playful shades that brighten dull rooms, to soft, neutral tones designed to help you unwind—a carefully-chosen color palette gives you the opportunity to really put your own stamp on a space.

Decorator Sofía Saraví O'Keefe (@decolookbook) shares advice, trends, and more, with over 300K followers on Instagram. In her interior design tutorial, Tips to Use Color in Your Home, she teaches you the process behind incorporating color into your interiors professionally, including how to find inspiration and using your senses to make decisions.

Discover the entire process behind choosing the perfect color combination for your home using the 60-30-10 rule for interior design.

2. Learn the basics of lighting your spaces

Lighting might be one of the more practical parts of interior design, but choosing the right style is essential to enhancing the other details in your home. Architect and interior designer Ana Garcia Lopez (@anagarcialopez) is experienced in finding effective ways to illuminate different spaces.

In this free tutorial on how to light spaces, with Ana as your guide, explore the difference between cold and warm light, suspended lights, and LEDs, and discover the importance of light switches for creating mood and atmosphere.

3. Discover pro tips for choosing your light source

Broaden your knowledge of interior lighting with Mónica Vega’s lighting tutorial. As an architectural lighting designer, Mónica (@monica_vega) has come up with lighting solutions for restaurants, offices, stores, and more through her independent firm in Mexico City. In her course on lighting design for interior spaces, she goes into detail about how to conceptualize and design atmospheres that generate user experiences through imaginative lighting.

This tutorial on how to choose your light source is a great place to start. Discover innovative lighting options on the market, including direct and indirect, bi-directional, and asymmetric. Then dive into the advantages of each and use Mónica’s lighting expertise as a creative tool to spark emotions and communicate ideas.

4. Explore the transformative power of decorating with plants

Plants are an affordable yet transformative way to bring a home to life—quite literally! Whether you’re a green-fingered gardener or you struggle with keeping succulents alive, there’s something to learn from this interior design tutorial, led by landscape gardener and content creator Daniel Virgnio (@danielvirgnio).

As the creative mind behind Verde Terapia (Green Therapy), Daniel has established himself as a leading voice in his industry. In his tutorial on decorating a room with plants, he shares his expertise on using “the magic of plants” to elevate any space.

Learn how to set up a hanging plant pot and recognize which plants work best in your home. Daniel goes into detail about a range of different species including Prayer Plants, Fiddle-Leaf Figs, and Ivy, along with the characteristics your space needs for them to thrive.

5. Try out quick interior design tips to make your bedroom cozy

The finer details are what makes a house a home, something Eva Sonaike (@evasonaike_01) knows very well. As the creative director and founder of her self-named London-based interiors company, she specializes in luxury home textiles and soft furnishings.

With Eva as your guide, discover four key elements to creating a cozy bedroom.

Start by evaluating your furniture, looking at how a headboard and dressing table can make all the difference to the overall feel of the room. Then dive into soft furnishings and how they can be used to dress your space seasonally. Explore the importance of the color you choose for the walls, before looking at how to create a room that’s a reflection of you using cultural influences in your decorations, or art pieces to really personalize your space.

Get inspired by more interior design ideas

Interested in taking your knowledge of interior design further? Check out Domestika's courses on interior design, and read on more for great resources from the blog...

- Learn how to redecorate your favorite spaces by adding color and texture with ten interior design courses for DIY home decor ideas.

- Get inspired by eight classic interior decor styles to start carving your own path.

- From sustainability to color blocks, discover five interior design trends for 2022.