Decorating a home is an exciting time. Sometimes, however, too much excitement can take over causing us to lose focus. This lack of focus does not always create bad results, but in many cases, it can cause us to make decorating mistakes without even realizing it. Here are some common decorating mistakes and some tips on how to avoid (or correct) them.
- Choosing the wrong furniture. Scale and proportion are necessary when it comes to decorating especially when dealing with furniture. The pieces within a room should have similar proportions. Heights will vary of course, but try not to drown out pieces with too many oversized furnishings. Pieces should look as though they blend harmoniously.
- Making everything match. The idea of matching is often focused on too heavily. Instead of having everything go together perfectly, approach your decorating as you would your clothing. Select textiles, furnishings and finishes that work together without being boring. Reflect your personality in an interesting, yet unified way.
- Placing everything against the wall. When everything is pushed up against the wall, you lose the sense of flow. There will be times the wall will be an ideal place, but it’ll be rare. Take traffic flow into serious consideration and focus on pulling pieces closer to the center of the space. Additionally, creating smaller groupings is something else to keep in mind.
- Picking paint colors first. There are so many paint colors available, which makes it easier to find paint complimentary to your furniture than the other way around. Be sure to pick all of your fabrics and finishes first taking samples to the paint store when able. When the time does come for paint, test several colors, paying attention to how light affects it over a 24-hour period.
- Neglecting the focal point. A focal point will draw the eye upon entering a room. Without one, there just doesn’t seem to be much order within the space. If you don’t have a fireplace, or would prefer to use something other than the fireplace, consider something like a unique piece of furniture, a large piece of artwork, or a window.
- Having poor lighting. Lighting is a critical element of design, yet it often doesn’t get much thought. If your home has lots of natural light, don’t block it out. You can always add sheers for privacy. If you don’t have a lot of natural light, install extra lighting where you can, and install a dimmer for areas where you’d like more control.
