Whether you plan to style your own living space or seek help from a designer, keep these common home decorating mistakes to avoid at the top of your mind so that you can eliminate disappointing decorating decisions before they mar the look of your home.
Losing Yourself in Trends
Don’t jump after a trend just because it’s a trend. If you subtract everything personal from a room, you’re left with a sterile presentation of someone else’s idea of style. A few accessories that represent your travels, your family, or your hobbies are enough to add a personal touch to any room without drowning it in clutter.
Overdoing an Out-of-Place Theme
If you fancy a cabin in the woods, buy one, but don’t try to make your mid-century modern home a stand-in for your rustic dreams. The same goes for beachy themes in landlocked areas, or hi-tech minimalism in an 18th century New England Cape Cod.
A theme can provide inspiration for design. But it shouldn’t feel like an old episode of Miami Vice exploded in your room, or a time warp transported you to a dystopian future filled with nothing but gray, metal, and glass.
Creating Unusable Rooms
Speaking of metal and glass, a room that looks like a photo from a magazine is probably a room where you can’t sit. Don’t trade livability for style. In the evening, you want to sit down in a comfortable chair or lounge on the couch with a book and a cup of tea. A room devoid of comfort is wasted space.
Too Many Pillows
Ah, the throw pillow. Great concept, but it can go so wrong in the execution. If you must move more than two pillows to sit down comfortably, you’ve got too many pillows.
Decorative pillows can enhance a design if you use them in moderation. They can perk up a solid, neutral piece, make a comfy corner cozier, or provide much-needed lumbar support. Keep proportion in mind—don’t put a tiny pillow on an oversized chair, and don’t submerge a sofa under a mountain of extra cushioning. Choose wisely, and choose few.
Tiny Rugs
A small rug might as well be a bath towel on the floor. If you’re going to use rugs in a room, use a large rug to cover the central space. The legs of all your furniture should fit on the rug, or at least the front feet of them should rest atop it.
Whether you’re working with a designer or decorating alone, avoiding these decorating mistakes should help you achieve an attractive and comfortable result.
