How Not to Design a Room

Designing your own space can be an opportunity to show your own taste - but it can also be a recipe for disaster. Many DIY designers make common mistakes that can be easily remedied. Do you recognize your room in these design flaws?

1. Decorating your room based on a whim or the current fad instead of thinking how the room will be used. Think about the room’s uses and users before you decorate.
2. Putting all the furniture against the wall. Move your furniture further into the room. It adds more interest and looks less like a police line-up!
3. Awkward conversation areas. Your visitors shouldn't have to twist their bodies, look under lamps, and over tables to have a conversation. Group furniture into small intimate areas where people can talk face to face.
4. Hanging artwork too high. Place your artwork at or below eye level. Unless it is over a fireplace mantel, try not to make your visitors look up to view your prints or paintings.
5. Having a lop-sided room. Don’t put all the big, heavy furniture or dark colors on one side of the room. It will feel like you are on the deck of the Titanic. Distribute the pieces evenly to bring balance to the room.

If you need help designing your room, I have written a guide to designing the perfect room in my article, Guide to a Well-Designed Room.