You will have a mistake in interior design, but it’s not the end of the world! Every design project has its challenges, which can be handled by calling on the help of a qualified professional. But there are also several traps that people fall into over and over again, and then wonder why their interiors don’t look the way they intended.
The truth is that if they had managed to avoid the most common design mistakes, the interior of their homes would be quite up to par with the professional level.
Major mistake in interior design and tips for fixing them
1. Don’t put furniture along walls
If you allow furniture pieces to “breathe,” the composition will turn out more interesting, as in this case. Move the furniture away from the walls, this will help you set the scenario of the room. For example, a group of upholstered furniture can be arranged for casual conversation.
The optimal distance between pieces of upholstered furniture is 47 to 98 inches.
2. Do not buy small and cheap decorative cushions
Firstly, the cushions should be large. Secondly, they should be stuffed with a material that allows them to take different shapes. The best option – soft plush pillows filled with down or feather. There are also good synthetic fillings.
Before buying, check if the pillow can be fluffed up by applying the famous “designer punch”: quickly and sharply, as in karate, strike the pillow on the top rib to break its frozen shape.
Get rid of all the old cushions that lie on the couch in unbending clumps. Also say goodbye to the dum-bags and tone-on-tone cushions that were sold with the couch. To achieve the desired effect, insert a soft 20×20 inches cushion into a 18×18 inches pillowcase.
3. Don’t use a paint shade of “kind of nothing”
The color of the walls can save or, conversely, ruin the whole look. If the paint isn’t right, the result will be so-so at best. You need to be an expert to properly match colors and select the right shades, so with this question it is better to ask a professional colorist.
4. Don’t sacrifice fixtures to cut the budget
The most common mistake I see in interior design is lighting fixtures that are too small or don’t fit the room. Always use fixtures of the right size and design. They bring out style like nothing else, just like a necklace brings out the beauty in a little black dress. Don’t be afraid to show your individuality and get an item that will make a statement.
5. Don’t isolate rooms
Get the look to move around the rooms without interference. Create a seamless transition from one room to another by combining them visually. Repeat the floor pattern, details in a contrasting color here and there or another element (such as distinctive furniture legs, as in this photo).
6. Do not skimp on curtains
The principle “the more the better” applies in this matter. To make the curtains look beautiful, professionals use a section of fabric two and a half or three window widths. When the windows are angled, as in this room, you can get by with double the width. Don’t skimp!
7. Don’t try to make everything match
Don’t choose textiles to match the upholstered furniture, rather tie them together in some other way.The designer’s job is to create a coherent composition. Choose interior items that have something in common: style, pattern, color, history, material or character.
8. Don’t forget the details that make a room special
Sometimes the hardest thing to grasp is the fact that it’s the details that make the design. Finishing a chair with furniture nails, its chiseled legs, a bright cushion, a floor pattern – these are the things that make the interior of that room unique and chic.
Once you learn to notice and appreciate details, you will immediately see that an armchair with beautiful curved legs, hand-carved by a skilled craftsman, is very different from a piece of mass-produced furniture.
Professional interior design is always characterized by the presence of custom-made details. A cushion of several contrasting materials or with a bright edging, furniture nails or some special decoration of an armchair… Details and more details allow to achieve incredible results in design.
9. Don’t stop until you’ve created a layered composition
To create a professional look, designers use layering or repetition of elements and patterns. Most people understand the concept of levels (or layers) when it comes to fashion. It’s exactly the same in design.
Take an interior object that you like, like the headboards of these beds, and then repeat the color or pattern in something else. The skill is to stop before the repetition becomes too much. Unobtrusiveness is the key to success.
Curtains, wallpaper, pillows, plaids, linens, accessories – there is a lot of room for creativity in the bedroom. The concept of “enough” is very subjective, so judge for yourself about the amount of repetition.