The aim of redecorating a building or a part of a building is both to improve its appearance and to make it more convenient to live or work in. The job of the interior decorator is to study the drawbacks of the existing arrangements and to decide whether they cause fatigue, are irritating or inconvenient. Is the space available used fully or would a rearrangement lead to a more adequate use of space? Although, as it often happens, the cost of alterations may prevent the owner from undertaking all the changes at once, there should be an overall plan. Improvements introduced without an overall plan are always less satisfactory.
Similarly, in planning the interior decoration of a building or a room, the most important principle is that of unity of effect. In choosing colours, textiles and furniture, this unity of effect produces a harmonious result and focuses the gaze of the viewer on a more pleasant aspect. Selecting items in isolation will produce an effect of confusion, and perfect matching will produce monotony. So what is needed is a balance between the two.
Since most modern houses are small, space must be used to fulfil all the needs of a family, and an optical illusion of space must be created. This can be done by removing some of the older fixed walls and partitions. Space can be used with grater flexibility in terms of functional activity without closing in areas like kitchen, living-room and dining-room. Large areas can be divided into smaller ones by using screens or storage units. An illusion of space is also created by arranging the furniture near the edges of the room and by using light or cool colours like light blue, green, off-white and grey. Use of mirrors, large windows and pictures, all help in creating an illusion of space.
