Have you ever made a cake and it turned out to be a mess? I mean, a brown, lumpy, bears-no-resemblance-to-chocolate sodden mess? Well, I have and it is disappointing, to say the least! Well, I have seen many similar messes in home decorating. I mean, the ingredients are perfect - the sofa, artwork, and chairs - but the result? A mess. You can avoid the same disaster by taking a bit of advice from me. Here's what to avoid:
1. Buying an enormous sofa in an impractical fabric.
Owner: Jade
Most standard rooms cannot handle an enormous sofa (although sofas, and all furniture, is being made in larger and larger sizes). It's much more practical and flexible to buy two smaller sofas. And choosing an impractical fabric further reduces the sofa's flexibility. If you are always shooing family off the sofa to keep it looking good, what use is it to your family?
2. Two many colors.
Photo: Photomondo - Getty Images
I have always maintained that color is good. But a room that looks like the crayola box exploded in the middle is not. It exhausts the eye and created anxiety in the viewer. Choosing a scheme with three colors at the most will allow the eye to rest.
3. Lopsided room.
Photo: Andy Sotiriou - Getty Images
Think of your room as a boat. Don't move all the cargo to one side or you will overturn the ship. Visually, it's the same principle. Too much on one side and your design sinks! So balance your room by creating a layout that spreads your furniture and accessories to all four sides!
4. Too much stuff.
Photo: Stuart Whitmore
Clutter will kill the appeal of a room. There comes a point where collections and mementos become too much and you can't see the room for the accessories. Clean it out! Clear it out! And your room instantly becomes more appealing.
5. Too many fabrics.
Photo: Ali Farid
Some rooms remind me of scrap quilts that use any color or pattern of fabric in the design - well, not exactly a design at all - just a mishmash of what fabrics are available. They look too busy and seem more confused than cohesive. Choose a main fabric and then two or three complementary fabrics for your room. More than that and you loose the impact of your design.
Avoid these mistakes and you will avoid most of the room design problems than new budget decorators encounter.
