Common Décor Misconceptions – Debunking Mistakes with Truth and Advice
Over the years I have seen many design and decor based mistakes made by homeowners. Oftentimes once an idea is planted people want to execute it as quickly as possible without considering each aspect.
In this article I’ll explain more about these mistakes and misconceptions and how I recommend homeowners approach any design project in the home.
The Importance of Having a Plan
Many homeowners randomly decorate a room without a plan, however this can waste a lot of time and money. Planning a room design before starting ensures its success.
When people start to purchase furnishings and decor without a plan, then all the pieces may not work well together, even if they like them. Suddenly there is too much seating in a room, or there isn’t enough variation in pieces purchased and then homeowners feel stuck.
I’ve been called in many times to correct these mistakes. If they just called a professional interior designer in the first place, or created a plan of attack, they’d have more money in their pocket and a better functioning space, even after paying the design services fee.
Common Decor Mistakes
As an interior designer, I see many common mistakes when it comes to home decor and interior design. Here are a few I’ve encountered over the years.
Mistake 1. Bold & Dark Colors
People believe that dark colors automatically make a room feel small and they avoid them at all costs. There is no need to avoid any specific color when designing because you can make almost any color work if you love it. So often when designing powder rooms, clients are afraid to go dark or bold because the space is small. They’ve been told all their lives that dark colors and small spaces don’t go together. That can’t be farther from the truth!
If you’re interested in using a dark color on your walls, the best place to start is a powder room! This is one of the best places to have a dramatic look. I often need to reassure clients that no one expects their powder room to feel large and spacious. Once we apply this logic to the space, then people often embrace the idea that they can be adventurous in a powder room and see how this translates to other areas within the home. The risk is low, and the results are incredible.
Mistake 2. Trim Work & What Needs to Match
When conducting design consultations, a common question that comes up is how the trim color in the home should relate to other trim work or the existing windows. There’s a misconception that everything must be the same. People are shocked when I tell them their trim doesn’t necessarily have to match.
White window trim on a white window doesn’t have to be the same white. Trim colors, and especially working with various whites, can be complicated. It’s ok if the crown molding doesn’t match the baseboards and if wainscoting (or updated wall paneling) is being used, then that doesn’t have to match anything!
Try to reframe your thought process and think about trim colors as coordinating instead of matching. This will relieve stress and will create a more sophisticated look in the home.
Mistake 3. Not Enough Lighting
Why is everyone living in the dark? Seriously – I can’t recall a single home I’ve walked into where the lighting was correct, and don’t even get me started on bathroom and kitchen lighting! Many people also focus on lighting their space during daytime hours, but when planning lighting for a space, plan for the worst-case scenario- nighttime.
If you have recessed lighting, you still need lamps to help diffuse harsh shadows. Good lighting goes unnoticed, but bad lighting is distracting.
In interior design, there are specific foot-candle recommendations for various spaces. This can get into technical calculations, but you don’t need to worry about that. Instead, illuminate a room by starting with a triangle of light. A triangle of light is created with lamps around a seating arrangement. If an imaginary line was drawn connecting each of the lamps, it would create a triangle. By using at least three lamps in different corners of the space, the overall lighting becomes softened and shadows are reduced.
This is really important when entertaining. Lighting in the main living space should also be layered and homeowners should be able to control the lighting levels to create different moods in the space. More lighting will be needed to clean a space while dimmer light is more comfortable for a cocktail party.
By incorporating different types of lighting, general lights (lamps), accent lighting (sconces, novelty lamps, picture lamps, lighting integrated into a builtin), and task lighting (reading lamps), the space becomes more versatile and livable. By implementing various lighting layers in the home, you can get more mileage out of their space.
Mistake 4. Too Many Solids
One of the biggest mistakes I see is that homeowners just purchase solid colored pieces for their space. This is a huge mistake when it comes to furniture because this is why a space feels boring.
Instead, look to incorporate various patterns within the space! I love to introduce a large scale patterned rug, pair it with a solid or small patterned sofa, and then use printed fabric on chairs. Then add in some throw pillows, maybe a blanket on the sofa, all coordinating, but with a different sized pattern on it – et voila! – the space feels complete and like a home.
When evaluating patterns, it’s also important to look at the patterns from a distance of three to five feet away. This is how most people are going to experience your space. If that subtly textured patterned fabric looks like a solid from three feet away, then treat it as a solid within the overall plan of the space. You should always vary the size of your patterns and include a small, a medium, and a large pattern in a room. With upholstery, this is easy to understand, but this applies to kitchens and bathrooms too. A medium-size pattern on a backsplash can be paired with a small patterned granite countertop. The sizes of the patterns being used shouldn’t match or the space won’t feel pulled together.
The Realities of Proper Decor & Design Sense
It’s incredibly common for people to suffer from a lack of decorating sense. That’s because there are so many small details design professionals handle that fly under the radar. As a design professional, this is what I do. I solve problems and handle details that my clients never even knew existed. I don’t blame people for lacking design sense – it really doesn’t come easily for some people and that’s ok. There are things that I’m not good at too, but the catch is that people need to know when to engage a professional.
Design Yourself Vs. Using a Professional
In some cases, a homeowner can decorate their own home and do a great job. I’ve walked into plenty of beautiful homes where someone living there just had a knack for decor.
When a remodeling project is occurring or there is a more complex issue that needs to be solved, a professional should be called. A licensed interior designer will have the working knowledge to properly coordinate with contractors and be your advocate throughout the project process. By having a design professional on your side, they will also be able to identify cost-saving measures and make sure that the holistic vision is being carried out.
For example, I’m working on a kitchen renovation right now and the contractor suggested a special trim detail to my client. It was a great idea, but not right for this particular project. It’s easy to get caught up in great ideas, but it’s incredibly important that the vision of the space is executed to perfection, so it was my job to nicely thank him and tell everyone why it wouldn’t work in that particular instance.
I’ve also seen situations where homeowners didn’t understand the correct usage of materials in a space and were disappointed when their DIY project didn’t yield the results they were expecting. Nope, don’t put matte black tile in your bathroom unless you expect to see watermarks on that tile forever, ruining the look you were going for in the first place. Not to mention, the tile, in that case, wasn’t even rated for wet use… This is also a safety hazard.
Licensed interior designers understand building codes too and not only will your home be beautiful, but it will also function correctly for years to come if you hire a pro.
Expert Design Services
If you’re looking for thoughtful interior design within your home, we’re ready to help. You can expect thoughtful design that is custom tailored to your needs. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you are contemplating a project.