7+ Do’s and Don’ts of Home Decorating (Advice From Interior Designers)

by John Griffith
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Home decorating is one of the scariest and most exiting tasks of all time. While design is flexible, and it’s sometimes a matter of opinion, there are just some things all designers agree on when it comes to decorating your home. And in order to make the process of decorating much easier, we’ve collected some unforgettable and timeless advice from interior designers. Here are the do’s and don’ts of home decorating.

Home decorating is one of the scariest and most exiting tasks of all time

Home Decorating Tips

Decorating your home can be a very overwhelming process. However, while it may seem impossible and confusing in the beginning, once you take your time to understand your space, you can make the right choices. Take your time and don’t rush in. But creating a cohesive vision isn’t easy. That’s why we want to let you in on some designer tips and tricks.

Decorating your home can be a very overwhelming process

Do’s:

While designing your living space isn’t the easiest of tasks, we have some easy tips and tricks by interior designers to help you along with the process.

We have some easy tips and tricks by interior designers to help you

Splurge On a Few Pieces

Even if you are designing on a budget, it’s recommended to splurge on a few breathtaking pieces. This can be anything. While it may hurt to give the money in the beginning, you’ll end up with a piece that stays with you forever. Something that can really carry the room and define the space. This can be a beautiful couch or an authentic piece of art.

Even if you are designing on a budget, it’s recommended to splurge on a few breathtaking pieces

Mix Old and New

While you may be ready to invest all of your decorating money in all new furniture, designers advise mixing old and new. It’s important to have something slightly aged in the space, this will help give character and make the room feel less like out of a catalog and more like home. It helps the space feel authentic. Add a vintage chair or an antique clock. It doesn’t have to be something big, even the smallest of pieces can bring in character.

Designers advise mixing old and new

Choose The Paint Wisely

Choosing the wrong paint color can cause disasters. While it’s okay to experiment with color, the choice of paint can really make or break a room. That’s why it’s a good idea to test the paint colors beforehand. Make big patches on the wall before painting and leave them to see how they look both during the day and during the night. Then you can have a good idea of how this color will look. Also take into consideration the general aesthetic, the furniture pieces and how those colors can have a psychological effect on you.

Choosing the wrong paint color can cause disasters

Go For Timeless Pieces

Trends come and go. And nobody wants to spend money every season on new decor just to stay on trend. That’s why it’s best to invest in more timeless and classic pieces. Pieces that stand the test of time. While some of them may be more expensive, they will certainly be used and abused for years without budging. So, definitely worth it.

Nobody wants to spend money every season on new decor just to stay on trend

Don’ts:

Now that we know what designers recommend doing, let’s look at some things you shouldn’t do when it comes to decorating your home. Sometimes even the simplest of things can mess up the flow of a space.

Now that we know what designers recommend doing, let’s look at some things you shouldn’t do

Matching Furniture

Matching furniture sets are a thing of the past, as they should be. They are tacky and make your home feel cheap. Which is not a vibe you want from your home. While you may think this is an easier way to achieve a cohesive look, that is not the case. Matching furniture sets just give off the impression that the space lacks personally and come across as boring.

Matching furniture sets are a thing of the past, as they should be

Furniture Against The Wall

This is a really common design mistake. People love to push up all the furniture against the wall. However, this wall hugging disease as designers call it isn’t the right way to design your layout. Make sure your furniture, especially the living room couch, is at least a couple inches away from the wall. This will help create a better flow and give an airy feeling to the room. It also creates the feeling that the room is bigger. And yes, this also goes for small spaces.

People love to push up all the furniture against the wall

Ignore Architectural Details

Interior design that goes against the architecture of the space and isn’t harmonious with the environment is quite the eyesore and can be spotted from miles away. It’s a real design crime walking into a beautiful old style traditional house and to see only modern, metal and industrial style furniture. It’s like world’s colliding and not in a good way. While this doesn’t mean to not have modern pieces or the opposite, it does mean it’s best to have balance. Take into account the architectural details and use them to your advantage.

Interior design that goes against the architecture of the space is quite the eyesore

@Michael Carter of Carter & Company Interior Design

Go Overboard

There is a saying that goes “just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” This is what we mean we say you shouldn’t go overboard, and it is very relevant in the situation of home decorating. While you can paint the room in seven different colors and have twelve random chairs sitting around, it’s just not a good idea. Even if you prefer an eclectic style, there is still balance. While when you go overboard it quickly turns into clutter and an eyesore.

“Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.”

These were the do’s and don’t of home decorating, according to interior designers. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can decorate your home and create a beautiful, timeless space.

These were the do’s and don’t of home decorating

Sources:

John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.