Not everyone has a knack for DIY interior decor. At best, some people can create a reasonably pleasant living space. At worst, inexperienced interior design efforts can leave people with taste cringing and looking for a place to run and hide.
Take heart! Even professional interior design experts have come up short at times, resulting in heavy doses of embarrassment when attempting to unravel their design thought processes.
Avoid the “duh” moment
Looking through glossy interior design magazines for inspiration is a good idea. But when a beautiful pink leather sitting room suite grabs your attention and arrives, the excitement can die down quickly if the color is not as advertised.
Also, the dimension of images can be misleading and cause regret if the suite leaves no room for movement in your space. Always check details properly before paying for items online to avoid this type of error.
Aim for an expensive look—achieve the cheap impression
Accent walls are all the rave lately. Many people will put on their design caps and look at all the stunning wallpaper options and decide to take a chance on revamping a room.
They eagerly get all the necessary materials together, apply the glue, and start papering a room wall to give it a unique accent. As they step back to admire their hard work, they realize that what should have been a sterling job looks like the work has been done by using cheap offcuts.
Mounting artworks incorrectly
Art brings life to rooms and joy to a living space. At least, it can if done correctly. Try to visualize what the wall will look like before randomly hanging paintings or other decorations to avoid this critical decor mistake.
Draw up a plan, placing all items at the right height and distance from each other before knocking holes in the wall. Nothing looks quite as bad as art that is hung too high, too low, or too close together.
Ditch the cluttered look
Many knickknacks can make a person feel comfortable in their own space—especially when they find it tough to part with sentimental items. Clutter can also turn the home into a dime store before long if they are not careful.
Go for a balance between keeping favorite items that add value and getting rid of the stuff that makes the home look like a collector’s profession gone badly wrong.
Fake flowers are just nasty
Fake flowers were trending at one point in the past, and many were attractive and looked realistic. Now, fake flowers are out of fashion and have become dust magnets.
Decide to decorate the home with live flowers or no flowers. Throw away the plastic in favor of the real deal.
Avoid the temptation of appealing appearances
Simply because a chair or piece of art looks good in a magazine does not mean it will look good in the home. Try to avoid the temptation of buying items on a whim when they clearly won’t fit well in the home.
Large paintings, bright rugs, or cushions may look good in photos but will not necessarily be a good fit in the home where they will detract from the existing decor.
Cheap can be good or nasty
Buying bargain items to add interest to the home is not necessarily a bad thing. What is bad is when purchases are made based on low prices, without considering their interior space impact.
Just because an item is cheap does not mean it belongs in the home. Similarly, just because an item is going for a good price does not mean it won’t look good as a decorative or practical piece. Practice discernment when buying goods on the cheap.
Avoid dark side
Dark rooms are depressing. A lack of light is unhealthy for the mood and the eyesight. Even if a dark room has some romantic appeal in movies, it doesn’t translate well into reality. Light, airy spaces uplift the spirits and allow everything to be seen clearly.
Introduce better lighting into dark areas or consider changing drapes or upholstery where rooms are full of doom and gloom.
