Top Ten Common Decorating Mistakes

10 Mar

In the 14 years that I have worked in the field of design I have been hired to consult on literally hundreds of decorating projects. Visiting clients for 2- and 3-hour consultations, I take on the challenge of suggesting major and minor improvements which might include selecting new paint colours, rearranging existing furnishings, determining future furniture purchases, re-hanging artwork, and designing appropriate window treatments. Often the suggestions highlight relatively small improvements yet I’ve seen time and again that these changes can yield incredibly satisfying results; taking rooms from “so-so” to sublime. Fortunately the most common mistakes are easy to spot and easy to remedy.

1.)

  • Don’t choose paint colors before choosing rugs or fabrics; you’ll make yourself crazy running around town with a paint chip measuring 1/2″ x 1/2″ in search of fabric that “matches”.
  • Do select one or more of the room’s most expensive items first – usually the sofa, draperies or carpet. Then choose a paint color that enhances the look of these items and contributes to the mood you desire to create. Remember, the goal of paint is to make everything else in the room look good. Even you!

2.) 

  • Don’t hang the dining room chandelier more than 36″ to 42″ above the dining room table – unless your goal is to show off the ceiling.

Do choose a chandelier that is approximately 9″-12″ smaller than the width or diameter of the table and hang the fixture 3′ above the table, where the soft lighting is more flattering to diners.

3.) 
  • Don’t hang artwork so high that eyes and necks are strained in the process of getting a glimpse.
  • Do place artwork at eye level. The exception: a double height space may require a piece of artwork (e.g. a painted canvas, photograph or tapestry) to hang above 6′. In such case, choose a very large image or something abstract, so its presence isn’t lost at the distance.
4.)
  • Don’t frame or mat a work of art with a vibrant or unusual color from the artwork itself.
  • Do use a mat to give breathing room to the print, painting or photograph. Pure white is nearly always the best choice, though occasionally an off white or putty will work.

5.)

  • Don’t purchase small collectibles for display, since itty-bitty items lose their impact from a distance. When in doubt err on the side of too big and you won’t be sorry. This goes for furniture too!
  • Do choose fewer display pieces of a larger scale and you’ll instantly improve your style quotient.

6.)

  • Don’t ignore decorative lighting.
  • Do incorporate table lamps, sconces, lamps and library lights to create interest within a room and to draw attention to favourite collections and artworks.

7.)

  • Don’t hang a mirror in a dark corner; it only amplifies this lackluster area.
  • Do place a mirror adjacent to a sunny window or behind a smart collection that is well lit – thus amplifying a positive feature.

8.)

  • Don’t automatically paint ceilings white. White ceilings work best in modern interiors and adjacent to walls that are painted in pastel tones.
  • Do select antique an off-white or ivory for traditional interiors. Pale yellow, pink or blue are other frequently used ceiling colours. If decorative moldings are noteworthy, show them off by increasing the amount of contrast between walls and moldings.

9.)

  • Don’t purchase any piece of furniture without first measuring the space.
  • Do remember to consider the width of door openings and stairs (especially if there’s a turn) for large pieces.

10.)

  • Don’t “chicken out” and settle a version of the colour you love. If you try to “lighten” red, it turns pink and that may not be what you had in mind.
  • Do be brave and stick with your original vision, provided you’ve given it careful thought. If it’s a chocolate brown family room you desire, then beige will never do. Go for it!

By Kimberley Seldon, Home Envy

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