Interior Design Mistakes You Should Avoid This Season
(5 min read) No one can fully deny that interior design is an art form in its own right. From acquiring a professional education to working for years on transforming people’s homes into a beloved oasis of comfort and style, interior designers certainly have their work cut out for them. If you are about to embark on a journey of designing your home by yourself you probably already realize what an arduous process it can be. But, fret not! we are here to help.
Matching fabrics, layering colors, and mixing materials should be fun, and it would be if there wasn’t a threat of making your home look tacky and outdated constantly looming over it. The following tips will help you set the stage for having some much-needed fun while designing and decorating. Keeping these little tidbits of advice will make your home look both aesthetically pleasing and immensely inviting.
Scaling like a champ!
And we are talking Zen-Shimada-style parkouring with your furnishings and spaces with one simple tip — mix it up. Interior design novices often make the mistake of choosing solely bulky or opting for a variety of smaller furniture pieces. The fact that your apartment is small doesn’t mean you have to go for small furniture. No one wants to feel like a Gulliver in the Lilliput land” On the other hand, if your home is spacious and you choose just bugger and bulkier furnishings, your rooms will end up looking stuffy and too condensed.
The trick is to go for a variety of proportions with all of your furniture. A single bulky piece will hold the rest of your room together nicely, so you can go for that one first, and work out the rest of your furnishing from there.
Fabrics first, wall color later
One of the most commonly made mistakes is choosing the colors of your walls first. Most inexperienced people think that those huge decisions should be made upfront, but it is in fact quite the opposite. Variables, such as fabrics for carpets, curtains, and sofas should be chosen first. Various factors in home decor are constantly evolving, and picking something as permanent as wall color is too risky and delicate.
Once you’ve painted your walls, the color you go for will ultimately determine everything else, and it should be the other way around. From smaller decisions to one grand and satisfying conclusion, just like Sherlock Holmes!
Choose a focal point
A room without a focal point is like a boat without an anchor. It will just keep floating around until some monster rises up from Mariana Trench and smash-eats it until there is nothing recognizable left of it. Too harsh? Well, that’s how it is. And some fear will do you good, or you will just keep piling up your family heirlooms and knick-knacks from Costco adding them here and there in the hope they all look stylish together. We are sorry to say that they probably look less like Victoria and David on their night out, and more like Pete Davidson and MGK during an after-party. Some things are fun, but they are also just too much.
To avoid that, choose a single focal point and spread your wings from there. It can be anything from a stunning wall mosaic artwork to a huge TV. We realize that black squares are very frowned upon, but if you never miss an episode of The Simpsons, or enjoy binging Peaky Blinders every now and then, then your TV should be your focal point, opinions be damned! On a more serious note, choose your focal point carefully and the rest of your pieces should be there to support its idea, or to simply surround it.
Don’t settle for a single bulb
Well… That sounds dirty, doesn’t it? What we mean by that is that the times when you add a single chandelier and think that your job is done are long behind us. To make your space look stylish and inviting, you must layer your lighting like a pro, and it’s not as difficult as it sounds. It is important to start with natural light and consider the size of your windows and the density of your curtains. Then think about secondary lighting, which usually includes three types of lighting: ambient, accent, and task lighting.
Ambient lighting should be the first to deal with because it illuminates the broadest area of your space. Whether you decide to go for regular chandeliers, recessed lighting, or flush mount lights, it is important to install these first and check how they illuminate all of the corners of your space. The next step should be adding accent lighting throughout, to illuminate the spots you consider too dim. You can choose your accent lighting from a variety of track lighting, floor lamps, or traditional lampshades. As for task lighting, lanterns, clusters or row pendants are always a terrific choice, depending on how inconspicuous you want your lighting to be.
Don’t forget yourself
Following trends without adding your unique stamp to your space is also a common mistake. Pinterest boards are all fun and dandy, but they should only be consulted for inspiration, not as a plan for your own space. Copying a design is easy, but the space you end up with will not speak to you. Your room should tell your story or at least one of them. Add that kilim from your vacation in Turkey to your bedroom, or put those jazz figurines you got in New Orleans on your mantel. Your stories and passions are important, and they shouldn’t be overlooked for any passing trend.
We hope we helped your design plans come to fruition at least a little bit. Now go and do something stunning with your space!
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34 Comments
Choosing the right furniture size is so important. Pieces that are too big make the room crowded. If they’re too small, they look odd.
Great tips – I love interior design. I agree that you shouldn’t choose the wall colour first but instead match it to your accessories and furniture choices.
I love it when you mentioned choosing a focal point to anchor the room’s design. It’s practical because it lets you highlight that spot and arrange everything else to make the whole space look good.
We are trying to find inspiration for our house redecoration , beautiful designs and tips here
Some really great ideas here. I like the layering lights suggestion especially since my house tends to be quite dark. Thanks for the suggestions!
The focal point above the couch is really nice. I like the colors and the design on that one.
These are fantastic pointers to note for interior design so that I’ll be better equipped with making the right decisions when I start building my own home. Thanks for this helpful resource!
This blog post beautifully acknowledges the artistry and dedication involved in interior design. It highlights the expertise of professional designers while also encouraging and empowering readers who are taking on the challenge of designing their own homes.
I always thought you were meant to choose the wall color first!! Thank you for these tips.
Choosing your paint color for walls after the fact is something I never heard of or really thought about before! These are some great tips to consider!!
I am so appreciating these interior design tips for sure and am loving sop many of the featured spaces above. I love so many of the designs and would enjoy each and every one of those beautiful spaces for sure.
Light bulbs can make such a big difference in spaces! Thank you for sharing these tips.
Now that is a really interesting tip about choosing your fabrics before anything else.
I loved reading your post! For new homebuyers, these are amazing tips! I like to remind everyone about the last point ‘a bit of yourself into it’. Never forget the reason why you are redoing and planning the newly created space!
Interesting read, I had not thought about choosing fabrics before the wall colourings. I am wanting to change our living room but my daughters bedroom is first
I like the tip of saving the paint colour for later! So many fabulous ideas and inspirations in today’s post. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve been doing it all wrong my entire life! I’ve always chosen the wall color first and then worked from there. It makes so much more sense to do that last, though.
I agree, having a focal point in the room is very important. We should also avoid adding to many items to a room as it distracts from this and makes a room look cluttered.
Those are some great points to keep in mind. It’s best to prepare everything beforehand to avoid future problems.
One mistake is having clashing colours. Looks very tacky and outdated
This blog post beautifully acknowledges the artistry and complexity of interior design while offering reassurance and guidance to those embarking on the journey of designing their own homes. With insights and tips to navigate the process, it promises to be a valuable resource for creating a beloved oasis of comfort and style. Looking forward to exploring more on how to make homes beautiful and functional!
Designing your home can be tricky, but these tips make it easier. Mix up your furniture sizes is one of the practical ways to redesign a space.
As a DIY enthusiast, I find this guide super helpful to plan out my living room’s interior design. Super practical tips!
I’m DIY designing my living space and interested in lighting. It’s important to mix different types of lighting materials.
I’ve learned a lot from this post (especially about not settling for a single light bulb).
This blog post is a wonderful acknowledgment of the artistry involved in interior design. It highlights the dedication and skill required to transform homes into havens of comfort and style. For those venturing into DIY home design, the post offers reassurance and support. It’s a great read for anyone looking to embark on their own interior design journey.
This blog post beautifully highlights the artistry and dedication involved in interior design. It acknowledges the challenges faced by those embarking on a DIY home design journey, while offering reassurance and support. The recognition of interior design as a true art form, coupled with practical help for novices, makes this post both inspiring and encouraging for anyone looking to transform their home into a stylish and comfortable oasis.
Your tips make interior design feel much more approachable. I love the advice on mixing furniture sizes and starting with fabrics before choosing wall colors. Keep sharing more interior designs tips.
Your approach to interior design makes so much sense! So does a stunning misaic as THE focal point@
I feel like picking wall color first is what normally happens, so it’s neat to hear that’s a mistake! What interesting tips.
My first attempt at interior design was filled with mistakes, but it turned out to be a wonderful learning experience. Each error taught me something new, and I gradually developed a keen eye for detail and harmony. Now, my home feels more inviting and stylish than ever, and I cherish the journey that got me here.
Great post! Thanks for sharing these helpful tips. It’s always good to be reminded of what to avoid in interior design. I am planning to redo the interior of my home, I ll keep these points in mind
I’m really enjoying your designer tips. Avoiding interior design mistakes can be tricky, so I often browse various websites for inspiration to help me stay on the right track.
I like the idea of choosing a focal point. My husband would love it to be the tv but I much prefer our fireplace and surround.