We’ve all been there… been to someone’s home and thought that there was ‘something not quite right’ or maybe we could see something glaringly obvious, but we’re just took kind to say?! When it comes to decorating our homes- there’s a bit of an ‘Elephant in the room’ situation. You either see it or not, can’t or won’t! Tell me I’m not alone! What I want, is to help you avoid some of these common decorating fails. OK- Do not worry- I tell you what they are, and I tell you how to fix them too! Here are my Top 10…
Avoid These Top 10 Decorating Fails
1) POOR LIGHTING – Lack of proper lighting is one of the most common mistakes in decorating. Solution: Each room should have at least 2-3 light sources. In fact, the more light, the better. Lighting at the entrance of rooms or near the doorways, is highly recommended. Additionally, always consider overhead lighting, task lighting, and ambient. Other lighting options: strip lighting and undermount, back-lighting, or inserts for hand railings or wardrobes.
Image: At Home with the Bakers
2) OVER-MATCHING – Anything that is a 3 piece and goes together like that over-stuffed sofa, loveseat and armchair or the floral bedding with duvet, sham and bed skirt- is very 90’s and has to go! I have seen this decorating fail way too much! Same with too much tonal matching, or too much matching in a coordinated theme such as stripe on stripe or everything tropical-related etc. Solution: Mix and match your materials – create a curated or eclectic look.
3) NO FOCAL POINT – When your eye can’t rest on one thing- there is no focal point. A room that is too busy and too cluttered with every space full of ‘all the things’ will leave the viewer unsettled and overwhelmed visually. Solution: It’s a good idea to take a critical eye to your collections and do some artful editing. Begin small and work your way up to larger items and collections. Then with your pared back assortment- start rearranging and create visual resting spots!
Image: Instagram
4) OUT OF SCALE FURNITURE TO ROOM – When you have a large space the tendency can be to fill it full of small pieces – because you can! But what you should do is buy larger pieces that are scaled to the dimensions of your space. Don’t put a little loveseat in front of floor-to-ceiling height windows, or a tiny coffee table between two massive sofas. This drives me crazy! 😉 Solution: If scale is something you haven’t quite mastered, hire a professional that is trained in spatial planning.
5) TOO SMALL AN AREA RUG – A common decorating fail for a number of reasons- we tend to overlook the rug and often leave it as the last purchase, thrown down with little thought to the overall design. Solution: Area rugs in small spaces should have either all the furniture legs sitting on the edge of them, or a small perimeter of floor around them. Area rugs that reside in larger spaces can also have all of the furniture sitting on them- but with a lot more area rug left over. What you don’t want to see is a tiny area rug sitting on its own- like an island floating around with nothing talking to it!
Image: Chris loves Julia
6) PUSHING FURNITURE AND PIECES TO OUTER WALL – This indicates that you don’t know what to do with your pieces- so shove them against the wall! Sometimes dimension and angles make it difficult to pull pieces from the wall, or maybe you have size restrictions. Solution: Remember that you can use those angles to your advantage and create visual interest. When considering furniture placement, try to dual purpose your pieces. Examples include: sectionals, ottomans, desks, tables, wine carts and consoles that can be moved or tasked differently.
7) NOTHING PACKS A PUNCH – When we have no soul or character in our space and design, we are left with little interest and little life. When your walls are dull and drab, maybe your furniture is outdated and old, maybe you’ve been hanging on to someone else’s junk and it’s just piling up everywhere around you- that’s a sign that you need to change it up. We can get in a rut with our routine and our belongings and spaces. This is a decorating fail! Solution: Our spaces should provide us with a quality of life and stimulation that balances our energy and rests our soul at the same time. If this situation resonates, but you don’t know where to begin and feel overwhelmed, definitely hire a professional! We know how to interpret and intuit your life and your aesthetic.
Image: gessoemsp.org
8) NAKED WINDOWS – Yes- this can be a problem! Either there are absolutely no window coverings, or every single window is covered in sheers, blinds and drapery! Please- let that go! There are so many options and materials and styles to choose these days, that it may overwhelm. Solution: Make sure your vertical blinds are gone- and consider the vast assortment of sunshade varietals that open from the bottom and have tons of privacy options. Remote control options for blinds and shades are a way of updating your home that will provide years and years of comfort and relaxation! A worthy investment!
9) HANGING ART TOO HIGH – You knew this was coming, right? Walking into a room and seeing the art hang above your eye level is just wrong! I am talking about a blank wall with one piece hanging by itself- lonely and sad. I get asked this a lot… Solution: Bring your artwork to eye level for standing or lower if you have lower, modern furniture for viewing your art. The exception is if you have a gallery wall and are hanging multiple pieces or are hanging art in a stairway or hallway- then definitely consider little hands.
Image: Francescas.com
10) SHOWHOME SYNDROME – This is a ‘thing’! You walk into a home and everything is picture-perfect! You can’t believe how fingerprint free, sterile and glittery it all is! BUT, do people actually live here?! This syndrome affects some of us who have a difficult time with both reality and letting go. We want to live in a dream (HGTV) where time stands still! We have our act together and it shows! There are big differences between keeping a home uber clean and tidy, vs. keeping a home so spotless that there is no life, or you don’t feel comfortable walking around because you’re worried you might break, move, crack or smudge something! So consider this quote:
“Your home should tell the story of who you are and be a collection of what you love” – Nate Berkus.
Solution: Don’t let it be the other way around!
And how did you score in avoiding these Top 10 Decorating Fails??? Awesome job if you scored a big fat 0 out of 10! Congratulations! So, if you scored anything out of this Top 10, and you really do want to avoid these in future, I am here for you! My professional experience, background and desire to help you create your dream space in Home Decorating – is just a click away!
