Walk through your home and pick one room that you think could feel better. Notice what you like about it and what you would change: the colors, the amount of light, where the furniture sits, and what is on the walls. Sketch a simple floor plan of the room on graph paper, placing each piece of furniture where it currently sits, and then sketch a second version showing how you would rearrange or change it. Learning to see a space on paper is one of the most important skills an interior designer develops.

Create a mood board for your dream bedroom using magazine cutouts, fabric swatches, paint chip samples, and printed images. Arrange everything on a large piece of cardboard or poster board and see whether the overall combination feels harmonious and exciting to you. Mood boards are one of the primary tools interior designers use to communicate and test their ideas before committing to materials or purchases.

Visit a furniture store, a model home, or a beautifully designed public space like a library or museum and pay close attention to the design choices you notice. Bring a small notebook and write down three things the designer did that you liked and one thing you would change. Many libraries carry design magazines like Architectural Digest or Dwell that let you explore professional design work for free.