Ten home décor mistakes to avoid

Any interior designer could tell you within minutes all of the design mistakes that have been made in a space. Some are obvious and some are more subtle. Here are ten common home décor mistakes as reported by interior designers. These are the mistakes they’re quick to spot when they enter a room.

Over decorating

Every room needs "visual pauses" where the eyes can rest. If every single possible space has an item filling it, chances are you’ve over-decorated. Remember that less is more and a little empty space never hurt anyone.

Too many materials

When there are too many different materials being used in the same space, the effect is overwhelming. If you want a clean, timeless look, try to be a minimalist when it comes to selecting the materials for a space.

Playing it safe

It’s clear to a designer when a homeowner has been too afraid to make any bold decisions. The space ends up looking cookie-cutter with no personality. Make one wall an accent wall and paint it a crazy color. The great thing about home décor is that it’s easy to change it up. So do something a little wild and if you don’t like it after a few days, switch it out.

Curtains mounted low

Many homeowners make the mistake of hanging their curtains just above the top of the window. But if instead homeowners would hang their curtains as close to the ceiling as possible, the ceilings will appear higher and the room will appear larger.

Small furniture

A mistake many homeowners make with smaller spaces is trying to find small furniture to match the scale of the room. But furniture should be comfortable first even if it’s a little large for the room. Besides, you can’t trick the eye into thinking a space is large by filling it with small things.

Lack of contrast

A space doesn’t have to be all classic or all modern. In fact it shouldn’t be. While you don’t want too many styles clashing in a space, a little bit of contrast can go a long way in creating visual interest in a space.

Nowhere to set your drink

Even when you’re going for a minimalist design, you can’t forget about functionality. If a room is designed for people to sit and socialize, for example, there needs to be end tables or somewhere where people can set down a drink.

No inspiration

Don’t go to a single home décor store and buy everything you need for a room. Sometimes that perfect piece that will complete the look is sitting in a thrift store somewhere. Don’t buy everything from the same store, show room or collection. It will take more time and effort but it will be worth it.

Under-scaled rugs

A rug that’s too-small throws off the scale of the whole room and makes things seem unbalanced. If you’re putting a rug beneath a table and chairs set, the rug should be large enough that all of the chair legs stay on the rug even when pulled out.

No rule breaking

Rules are meant to be broken and the same goes for interior decorating rules. The key is to make sure you’re breaking rules with a purpose and not on accident. It’s obvious when a rule has been broken on accident.

Source: Vogue

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