Imagine everything the pros say you need to consider when decorating your home: balance, symmetry, function, following the color wheel, keeping things to scale and letting your personality shine through.
It’s easy to slip up with so many elements to play with, factors to consider and rules to follow (and break!).
Keep these common mistakes in mind to avoid committing any design crimes in your own home.
Going too matchy-matchy.
There’s a lot less effort involved in a buying a full dining set, or having your upholstery in the same color as your curtains, or keeping your kids’ beds, chairs and wallpaper in the same exact pattern. But overdoing the matching makes for an uninteresting space.
Insisting on foreign design elements.
A Tuscan villa in the Philippines? Or having windows without overhangs in the manner of French doors? Taking architecture that works in other countries and planting them right where you are without taking into consideration how the materials, plans and building elevations work with the local environment can result in an out-of-place space.
Aiming for perfection.
Homes may look pretty in magazine pages, but a white shag rug can be a drag when you’re living with three kids and a dog. In living spaces, practicality still rules over perfection. The things you own, no matter how non-picture perfect, and sometimes, even the messes you make, can create rooms that are infinitely more interesting than catalog copies.
Overdecorating.
Is your sofa so overloaded with pillows that guests can barely grab a seat? Are your windows so covered up with swags and curtains that barely any light can sift through them? Remember that décor, by definition, is there to enhance your room and your furniture pieces—not take away from their function.
Going overboard on a theme.
While it always helps to select a certain look, concept or theme to dictate the look of a room, taking it overboard can result in a room that looks contrived. Use a theme to inspire you to pick out select pieces—not to turn your home into a mini version of Disneyland.
