Between selecting paint colors to picking out furniture there are thousands of decisions that go into decorating a home. What seems like a small mistake at the time like buying a smaller rug to save money can actually have a detrimental effect on the space.
Even the most seasoned designers make mistakes when it comes to decorating so without doing your research it is unrealistic to expect that it couldn’t happen to you as well.
Sometimes the fear of making a mistake stops you from decorating all together so to help you get it right the first time I’ve compiled a list of the Top 20 decorating Mistakes to avoid in your own home.
Avoiding these mistakes can be just as valuable as following some of the best design tips out there and knowing that your making a mistake is the first step in correcting it and getting your design back on track.
When we moved into our first home I was so ready to decorate that I rushed the entire process, really there was no process at all and I ended up spending thousands of dollars on items I didn’t love only to spend the next year trying to fix the mess that I had created.
Several years later things are finally headed in the right direction and with several rooms complete it is now easy to see where I messed up and my goal is to help you avoid these same mistakes at all costs so enough with the chit-chat let’s get started.
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Top 20 Decorating Mistakes To Avoid
Tiny Rug: Look I get it rugs are expensive as hell but having a rug that is actually the correct size for the space is worth its weight in gold! A properly sized rug does more than just anchor the space, it also adds texture, color, and warmth which are all important components of a good design. So next time you’re tempted to buy that 5×7 when you should actually be buying an 8×10 stop yourself because odds are it will look worse than having no rug at all.
Ignoring The Needs Of Your Family: Being realistic about what your family needs and discussing a budget is important when deciding which direction to go in your home. If you are a brand new mama or have tiny tots learning to walk that sharply cornered glass coffee table may not be the right choice for you at the moment, a soft ottoman could work better instead so think carefully about where you are right now in life and what is most important for your family.
To Matchy Matchy: Walking into a furniture store and buying an entire set of something is the easy option but what if I told you its also the wrong option? There is no way for your personality to shine through with a totally uniform home where everything looks the same. Can you make it look good? 100% but the way to add personality to your home is by giving the illusion that the pieces were collected over time and you can’t do that with matching sets. I’ve made this mistake more times than I can count but the more I practice doing things differently the easier it gets so give it a shot, you may be surprised by what you come up with.
Curtain Game Lacking: If your curtains are too short or are improperly hung it will throw off the entire room. Purchasing curtains that are longer in length and hanging them above and outside of the window frame is going to allow more natural light to stream in and also give the illusion that the room is larger. For more precise measurements and info, you can check out my post here on how to hang curtains the right way.
Designing Without A Plan: If a well decorated is what you’re after then designing your home without a plan is one of the most dangerous things you can do, honestly if I had to choose just one of these mistakes that would be the most detrimental to your Joanna Gaines-esqe home it would be this! Not only is designing without a plan how you end up with a house full of stuff you hate but its also horrible on the pocketbook and I don’t know about you but I like to keep my money.
Creating an easy to execute design plan doesn’t have to be hard and I have pretty much broken it all down for you here in How To Decorate Like A Pro. For those of you that still just don’t feel like its something you want to do by yourself or maybe you don’t have the time, Project Allen Designs now has affordable E-Design Services, you can check that out here for more information.
Choosing Paint in Aisle of the store: Choosing paint without research is like picking hair color while blindfolded, there are so many things that go into a single color and knowing what it will look like in YOUR home will save you lots of time and money.
Research each paint color, read reviews, look at other spaces to get a good idea of what it will look like, then buy a sample and put it on the wall. For the next few days pay attention to the way the color looks at different times of day and most of all what undertones are prominent in the color. You may find the color just isn’t for you and opt for something else but you’ll be glad you didn’t realize this AFTER you finished painting.
Choosing Paint First: Painting the walls before you’ve picked out other furnishings such as sofa, chairs, rug etc. can put you inside of a box where you are stuck sticking with colors or accents you may not actually want so instead choose the paint color last to play off of rugs, furniture etc.
Hanging Artwork Too High: Straining your neck to view artwork is the last thing most of us want guests to do when they walk into our home, ensuring that your artwork is hung no higher than approximately 60″from the center will prevent this from happening and it will actually put the spotlight on the artwork instead of the bare wall underneath. For more info on how to hang artwork the right way, you can check out my post here.
Failing To Group: This one is right up there with the artwork, so say you have a small piece that you really love, instead of hanging it alone where it just looks sad and lonely try hanging it with another piece or creating a grouping of three spaced 2 inches apart. The look is so much more put together and just better overall. Large pieces are much better than tiny ones but if tiny is all you have then creating the illusion of “one” will make it look intentional, like you know what you’re doing.
Rush, Rush, Rush: When you move into a new space the first thing most people want to do is rush out and buy something to throw up on the walls ( I know because I used to be that person) but let’s pump the brakes a little bit. You know how after you live in a space for a while you start to notice things you that you didn’t in the beginning or you realize your needs are different than you initially thought?
That is why it’s so important to get settled in and actually live in your home for a little while before you go crazy buying things to fill the space. All of those senseless purchases will be for nothing because it is unlikely that you will end up sticking with the same decor down the road. So take your time and really think about what you truly need from your home.
Clutter Is Not Your Friend: When designing any room the first thing you want to take care of is the clutter! Clutter is your absolute worst enemy when it comes to decorating and it is impossible to have a magazine worthy home when you have stuff scattered everywhere. Take the time to clean up, donate, or throw away anything you don’t need or haven’t used in a while before getting started on a space is the first step to a well-styled home. If you’re feeling completely overwhelmed and aren’t sure where to start you can read my step by step guide here.
Too Trendy: Don’t get me wrong I love a good trend as much as the next person but going haywire with trends in your home is a recipe for disaster. Odds are you won’t love it in a year so instead choose classic pieces and finishes that you know will last a lifetime.
Trends in small doses are okay but be sure to save the trends for the inexpensive items or smaller areas that will easier to replace.
Tons of Small Pieces: When it comes to accessories a lot of people make the mistake of buying tons of small pieces and skipping on larger ones completely, which is a huge mistake. Investing in larger more substantial pieces will bring a sense of luxury into your home plus it won’t be cluttered with tons of small pieces.
Forgetting Negative Space: When I say negative I’m not talking about bad vibes y’all, negative space is the space that contains nothing in a room and positive space is the space that’s filled with items such as lighting, decor, furniture, etc.
Our eyes need a place to rest and sometimes in the rush of things that can be forgotten but it is actually just as important as the positive space. So next time you’re decorating try to remember this principle and do your best to balance the two out equally.
Not Adding Texture: Let’s say you’ve done everything by the book, you planned, you shopped around for your items but there is still something missing. Most of the time that missing factor is texture, think baskets, woven fabrics, rugs, textiles etc. Adding texture will create contrast and dimension in the space so don’t skip this step.
Too Many Colors: Using too many different colors throughout your home can make it look very busy. When decorating your home it is best to stick with 3-4 colors but using those colors throughout your home in different ways. Whats dominant in one room may be more subtle in another but the overall flow of the home stays.
Creating a cohesive home is the key to a well-styled home, you don’t want to feel like your stepping into a completely different world as you move from room to room, the overall feel should be the same. If you need help creating a whole home color palette you can check out my post here.
Black Is Back: In the recent days of all things neutral there is one thing that has taken a back seat that shouldn’t have and that’s the color black! Using black throughout your home is so important and the role that it plays in grounding a space cannot be matched, so pepper it throughout here and there, I promise it will look amazing.
Theme-y Kids Rooms: Using themes especially in kids bedrooms is a really quick way to repeatedly spend money and I don’t know about you but that’s not something I like to do. The child will no doubt grow out of the style relatively quickly and you’ll be stuck feeling bad because your 9-year-old has a Dora The Explorer themed bedroom. Using more classic pieces and creating a space that can grow with your child and are easier to change is a much better option for both the pocketbook and the space.
Not Using Greenery: In any space greenery is truly the thing one that brings it to life! Skipping this step will most definitely leave you feeling like somethings missing and when you’ve spent all that precious time working on the perfect design that’s the last thing you want.
Not Decorating At All: Sometimes you’re so scared of spending money and messing up that you simply don’t decorate at all and that my friends is a mistake. The amount of joy having an organized well-decorated home can bring you is truly priceless.
If I could turn into the decorating fairy Godmother and give each and every one of you the home of your dreams I would but since that probably won’t be happening anytime soon I am here to help you along the way instead.
Whether it’s by following the tips in the posts here at P.A.D or trying out our E-Design services you deserve to have the home you’ve always wanted and one way or another we’re going to get there together.
Most of all remember that decorating is a process, you are literally creating a way of life for you and your family. Your home is where you live and if you aren’t happy with the way it looks then you probably won’t be happy inside it so let’s get up and do something about it!
Fixing the issues in your home doesn’t have to be as crazy as ripping down walls, instead, it could be something as simple as adding curtains or switching out that rug that’s too small and remember if you run into trouble along the way I’m always here to help…
Let me know what you struggle with the most when it comes to decorating in the comments, tell me all the things.
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