Take a look around your home when you get time. If something doesn’t look right, you’ve probably broken some laws of interior design 101. But don’t you worry! You can revamp them anytime! It doesn’t matter if you have little or large spaces to work with; having some fundamentals in place will help you make the best use of interior styling. Since we want to ensure you design your home like a pro, we have conceived pain points you can concentrate on when designing your interiors.
In this article, you will find some of the most common interior design mistakes that designers make. Keeping an eye on avoiding them will help you design interiors better. We have curated this list from our experience in providing interior design in San Diego. Shall we get started?
Poor Lighting
The most common decorating mistake is relying solely on overhead lighting, which makes the space appear harsh. Also, there is nothing worse than living in a poorly lit home. Layering your lighting is recommended by interior designers to create a more welcoming and pleasant atmosphere. Recessed lighting is excellent for general lighting; for ambient lighting, use pendant lamps or chandeliers; task lights are ideal for highlighting artwork or kitchen preparations. And use mood lighting to create a subtle evening spirit.
When the lighting or glares are too much, they can cause visual discomfort and strain your eyes and mood. To avoid this, use dimmers and warm white lighting, creating a pleasant, calming, well-lit environment with visual ease. Having a variety of light sources in the space creates a gentler, more relaxed atmosphere and allows you to control them as you deem fit. Whenever possible, let natural light in, as circadian lighting has proven health benefits.
Wrong Furniture and Furnishings
The wrong size of the furniture is a rookie mistake in living room design. While it’s tempting to buy the most beautiful piece of furniture you see, the effects can be disastrous. Take measurements and have an idea of each piece of furniture you buy. Allocate space for each piece in every room. Consider scale and proportion when buying or getting them custom-made. It is ideal to maintain a good balance of large and small furniture items. When choosing rugs, curtains, and other furnishings, you should confirm that they match or complement each other. Otherwise, they would stick out like a sore thumb and create a visual disaster.
Take measurements before purchasing so you will not buy the wrong size rug or shorter curtains. For example, if the carpet is too large, it will take up the entire room and feel stuffy; if too small, it will not add to the aesthetics. Similarly, curtains with fringes, laces, and large prints should go in larger rooms. They would look overwhelming in a smaller space. Small rooms can do with simple, cheery furnishing.
A common interior design mistake is hanging curtains at or near the window frame. If the curtains do not open wide enough to leave the windows completely unobstructed, the windows appear smaller and block natural light. You should hang curtains below the ceiling and extend them to the floor, making windows appear larger. When the curtains are open, ensure the rod extends far enough past the window frame to cover the window completely.
Another standard mistake is furniture placement. Pushing all your furniture up against the wall can make for an awkward arrangement unless the space is small and you are out of options. It usually results in empty areas and furniture that are too far apart for easy conversation. Unless you’re designing a library for quiet contemplation, your furniture layout should encourage casual conversation.
Keep this Checklist Handy to get your Furniture Spacing Right
- Position your living room sofa as the focal point; leave enough space to allow free movement
- Add more seating; the distance between chairs should not exceed 12 feet
- There should be enough space for people to move around; keep at least 30 inches between each piece of furniture
- Recommended distance between a coffee table and a couch is 14 to 18 inches
Disjointed Decorations
Decorations are primarily art and artifacts. They make a house appear more comfortable and inviting. They often reflect the personality of the homeowner. For example, a classic painting reflects good taste. Hanging a few exquisite art pieces can add character to a room’s walls. Always remember to align the paintings and art properly. Scale and measure them before hanging them on the wall. When selecting paintings and adornments, stick to a color scheme.
As a rule of thumb, less is sometimes more. It is especially true for those who prefer modern and contemporary aesthetics with a minimalistic bent. Just keep a few stylish urbane pieces to tie the look together. Make sure the decorations and the rest of the aesthetics do not clash. They must be complementary and harmonious. Make a mental note to avoid unsightly clutter by having too many decorations.
Incorrect Space Plan
Another design blunder is not having an appropriate plan while designing small spaces. It could be the bedroom, the kitchen, or any other room. Many people believe that creating a small space is simple and fail to carefully consider and strategize what to do with it.
However, without a solid plan, you might end up making unwise decisions. Buying a new sofa is exciting until you realize it won’t suit your small living room. Space planning is an essential part of the design process, and if you ignore it, you might end up with furniture that looks out of place or doesn’t fit in your room.
Inaccurate Color Scheme
Color is one of the most intimidating aspects of design for most people. It may appear easier to paint your home right before you move in and fill it with new furniture. However, this decorating blunder results in walls that are unrelated to everything else in your home. With thousands of paint colors to choose from, it’s much easier to match your paint color to your décor than to find furniture that matches your walls.
Minimalistic design styles are more popular today. Consequently, people prefer a neutral color scheme because they fear bright colors might overpower the rest of the room. White walls are an excellent backdrop for unique art and décor, but they can also make a space look austere and cold if not properly decorated. They can also spell disaster for families with children and pets who are bound to leave visible smudges and fingerprints across the house.
Epilogue
Mistakes are common, especially in creative design. But there is always a way out of them. The trick is to cleverly mask the mistakes. Come up with ingenious ideas to cover the errors, and you are good to go. If you are not able to do it on your own, get help from a team of experts.
