While the “buzz-words” in interior design are “personal expression,” here are the
top ten styling mistakes to avoid when pulling a room together. Learning a few
design tricks will insure your home is elegant and inviting.
- Create a Budget
Designing or redesigning a room can easily get out of hand, especially when you are doing a whole house. Set a budget and stick to it. One of the greatest things about personalization of design is that you don’t have to go out and buy a new suite of furniture when you remodel. Today it is all about reusing and repurposing. There may be some great items in the attic that you have tucked away and forgotten about. They may just need a facelift to add new life to your room.
- Throw Matchy-Matchy Out the Window
The day of the bedroom with matching headboard, dresser, and side tables is gone. So is the living room with a couch and coordinated chairs. Even if your style is traditional, that doesn’t mean that everything should come out of the furniture showroom and look like it did. Designers are blending different periods of furniture and still creating a united look that works together. If the idea of doing a bit of mixology frightens you, don’t be afraid to ask for help from a professional.
- Make Sure Each Room Has a Focal Point
One of the biggest mistake people make is placing furniture in a room without creating a focal point that draws you into the space. It can be a statement couch, an elegant bedspread, a grouping of art, a cozy fireplace, or the view into lush gardens. A room without a point of interest is not inviting, and can often feel chaotic. A focal point gives a room grounding.
- Don’t Be Afraid of Color
The all white room that has been haunting us for years is fading and designers are bringing in more color. The color of the year – a shade of bright green – was suddenly everywhere this year, and the use of it makes rooms “pop.” Designers are now pulling in black and blush in new ways, along with indigo and browns are seeing resurgence this fall. When using color, especially on walls, make sure that it enhances the features of the room, not detracts from them.
- Get Rid Of Clutter
Minimalism and Marie Kondo’s book
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing have revolutionized how we think about clutter. Two points Kondo makes that have had an effect on design are to only keep those items that your love — because positive items bring positive energy to your home — and to pull long forgotten collections and items you love out of the closet to display in unique ways. As you get rid of the clutter, your home will feel lighter, and larger.
- Put Art on the Walls
Art, be it a favorite vintage movie poster print, an expensive piece of fine art, or a child’s drawing, brings character to a home. Anyone can create a gallery that can be a room’s focal point. Or a whole room can come together with a large piece of art that pulls colors from the various design elements.
- Keep in Mind the Scale of Your Room
A large couch in a small room can make it look smaller than it is. Small furniture in a large room can be overwhelmed and make the occupants feel engulfed. Dark walls make a small room look smaller, and light walls make a room look larger. With the continued interest in open concept homes, scale is very important. Each area of the room needs to feel separate, even if everything is in one big room. Pull the living room together with the use of area rugs that are big enough to run under the chairs and couch. Lighting can be used to bring a dining area together.
- Know Your Style
There are many different styles out there in the marketplace. It is helpful to know your style, and use it consistently throughout your home. The use of multiple styles in a home make it feel disjointed. While a traditional home may have a touch of bohemian, and farmhouse can make use of some industrial, the basic style throughout a house needs to be the same.
- Trends Are Something To Ignore
While awareness of trends is going to make your home more sellable, truly timeless style is all about personal expression applied consistently with attention to detail, while using the basic “tricks” of the design trade. Learning the basics of design will bring your home together, but a warm and inviting home that reflects its occupants will always be in style.
- Pick Fabrics Before Wall Color
Carpets, furniture, and linens are what you are going to live with every day. Find the fabrications that you love, ground them with great flooring, and then pick the wall colors that enhance all of the design elements. It is much easier to find a paint color you will like in the long run, than an assembly of fabrics – for curtains, couches, comforters, and much more.
Following these ten tips will help you pull your home into a beautiful and comfortable living space that reflects your personal style. Please, feel free to let us know what you think in the comments!
