10 Common Interior Decorating Mistakes to Avoid for a Stylish Home

Creating a beautiful home can be challenging, from selecting the right furniture to suit the space both in size and style to choosing the perfect paint colour, there are many decisions to be made along the way. By following a few key principles and avoiding these common interior design mistakes this blog post will help you achieve a stylish and functional space in creating a home you’ll love. Let’s dive in.

Ignoring The Importance Of Lighting

I’ve put this at the top of the list as the most common mistake when decorating your home. Lighting plays a crucial role in setting the mood and ambience of a room yet it’s so often overlooked. Not having enough sockets, or sockets that don’t serve the purpose of the room, imagine trailing wires across the room because you can’t have a table or floor lamp in an area that needs lighting. Figuring out where furniture will be placed in the room and the function of the room will help you navigate your lighting plan.

Have a good mix of ambient, task and accent lighting

Layer your lighting to not only illuminate the space effectively but also to add depth and visual interest. Making good use of natural light with the correct window treatments should also be taken into consideration.

Choosing The Wrong Size Furniture

Furniture that is too large or too small for a space can throw off the room’s balance and make it feel misplaced. To avoid this, carefully measure your space including the entry points to get the furniture into the room (this is more common than you would think). You can read more about furniture planning here>>

Consider the scale of each piece of furniture in relation to the others for a more harmonious arrangement that allows for ease of movement and flow, you shouldn’t be bumping into a coffee table to sit down or struggle to move around the furniture.

Cluttered Spaces

A cluttered room can feel chaotic. It’s easy to overcrowd your space with either too much furniture or decorative items which doesn’t feel relaxing or inviting. To avoid this mistake, edit your furnishings and accessories with items that are necessary and bring you joy. A good tip is to clear the room out entirely then bring in those pieces that are meaningful and let them have room to breathe.

Function Over Fashion

A well designed home should look beautiful as well as functional. Before even considering paint colours, take time to assess the use of the room, your lifestyle and practical considerations. Is there enough storage? (you can never have enough storage), or will the materials and finishes hold up to the wear and tear of family life and pets. Do you have a comfortable seating arrangement? Delving in to how you live will guide you in your design choices and save you from making “on trend” design purchases that you may regret down the line.

Choosing The Wrong Colour

Choosing the right colour is essential for achieving the look and feel you are trying to create in a room. However, it’s also one of the most challenging decisions to make in interior decorating (it’s also one of the most desired design services we offer in Paint Consultations). To avoid the mistake of selecting the wrong paint colour, take the time to test samples in different lighting conditions before committing to it. I like to to paint the samples onto 2ft x 2ft square paper and hang it in various areas of the room, from the darkest to the lightest. Knowing how often you will use the room will also help you in your choice of colour, i.e. if you only use the room in the evenings to watch movies together and want a cosy feel you may opt for a deep rich colour. You can read more about colour here >>.

Pay attention to how colour interacts with other materials in the room, the floor is just as important as the sofa and curtains. By choosing wisely, you will create a space that feels cohesive and visually appealing.

Hanging Art At The Wrong Height

Hang art at eye level or gallery height which is when the centre falls at eye level, generally 57” from the ground , the most common mistake is hanging art too high or not in proportion to the size of the wall. As a rule of thumb art should hang six to nine inches over a piece of furniture like a sofa or console table.

Choosing The Wrong Size Rug

Another common decorating mistake is choosing the wrong size rug for the room. It’s tempting to opt for a smaller rug, especially if it’s quite an expensive rug but try to avoid this. The rug should be large enough to fit under at least the front two feet of your furniture to fit on the rug. Preferably you want all legs of the future to fit on the rug. This not only will take your room to another level, it also avoids that floating furniture look that isn’t appealing.

You can find an amazing range of rugs on Ruggable.co.uk

Skimping On Quality

It’s a true saying “you only get what you pay for”. When it comes to furnishing your home, quality matters. Skimping on quality for lower prices may seem like a cost-saving measure at the time, but it can end up costing more when it needs replacing more often. Invest money on sofas, beds, bespoke furniture items, classic style furniture that won’t date and I would add to this, bespoke window treatments as they are made to perfection and can last 20 years plus if you choose correctly. Not only will you enjoy greater comfort and durability, you’ll also save money on replacements and repairs.

Choosing Trendy Items Over Timeless Pieces

Trendy decor will date really quickly, it’s a common mistake to waste money on items that will end up making your home feel dated and you will waste money replacing them with the next trend. You could try keeping this to a minimum and mix them with a few timeless pieces that are better quality.

Poorly Installed Window Treatments

Another common decorating mistake is the installation of your pole and curtains. In most cases the pole isn’t installed high enough (which could be because standard fit curtains don’t fit your windows). The finished look never looks right, the curtains are too short or too long. Another mistake is that the pole isn’t long enough to push the curtains off the window to make good use of natural light in the room. Install your pole as high as possible and don’t skimp on having curtains made, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive curtain fabric but if they are installed and made properly, they will enhance the room to perfection in elegance and functionality.

If your wish is to create a stylish and functional home that you will love for many years, avoiding these common interior design mistakes will benefit you in the long run. I hope you have found this useful and learn a few tips on how your home can be both beautiful and practical.

Be true to who you are by mixing in your personal style and preferences throughout the design and as always, experiment and have fun!

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